Page 59 of Playing to Win

“The Prime Minister bit was a joke—the Party would never elect an aristocrat as leader. It would reinforce the Tory toff stereotype.”

“Some stereotypes are true.”

“Yes.” Andrew sighed. “But I do plan to run for Scottish Parliament one day, and perhaps even the UK Parliament after that.”

For a flash of a moment, Colin wondered whether he would vote for Andrew.God, of course not. Being clever and charming doesn’t make him not wrong about, well,everything.“And your family’s cool with that?”

“They’re ecstatic. But some of them want me to jump into this referendum mess in an official capacity. Like appear with the Better Together campaign.”

Colin couldn’t help laughing. “Och, those wanks?”

“I agree with those wanks, obviously, but their messaging is so repellant. This whole Project Fear campaign—predicting the sky will fall in the event of independence—will end up backfiring. No one likes being told they can’t succeed.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Colin said. “That’s exactly what you were doing in our debate. Playing the fear card.”

Andrew blanched. “You’re right. I should do better. I need to stop talking Scotlanddownand start talking the Unionup.”

“Hm.” Colin had met several people from the No campaign, and they all seemed to be of one mind, as though they’d had blind spots surgically implanted in their brains. As arrogant as Andrew could be, at least he seemed to understand human nature.

He noticed how pale and drawn his lover’s face had become. “Gonnae sleep now?”

“Yes.” Andrew stood slowly, using the arm of the couch to steady himself. He’d done a fair job of hiding his fear. He hadn’t screamed or yelled or cowered in one of the back rooms. He’d remained utterly calm.

But Colin saw how Andrew’s gaze kept darting to the window, how he’d downed three glasses of water standing at the refrigerator, refilling his glass again and again from the dispenser. How even the brandy hadn’t stilled the trembling of his hands.

“You go on to bed,” he told Andrew. “I’ll stay here and keep watch.”

“Keep watch for what?”

Colin gestured to the window. “Grenades. Bombs. SCUD missiles.”

Andrew smiled for the first time since the rock had smashed the window. “Hang on.” He hurried out of the reception room into the hallway.

Colin took their empty brandy glasses to the sink, where he washed and dried them carefully. He’d never felt such smooth, delicate glass, nor seen such a design. Instead of stems, these “rocking glasses” had small nubs on their bottom surface, so that they rolled about, exposing the brandy to the oxygen or whatever, along with encouraging the drinker to keep it in one’s hand to warm it.

Then Colin went to the aquarium, picking out Cristiano, the big gold-and-white fish with the inky eye-spot on its tail. “We were talking about you,” he said to the fish. “Well, not you, but your gorgeous namesake, Ronaldo.”

Andrew walked in then, carrying a pillow and a green-and-blue tartan fleece blanket. Colin stepped back from the tank, embarrassed.

“Don’t worry,” Andrew said, “I talk to the fish all the time. I hope they like it, because I’ve no plans to stop.” Now dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of dark-gray flannel sleep shorts, he handed the same to Colin. “These should fit you. We’re about the same size.”

“Thanks.” He held up the clothes. “You sure I can take off my trousers now? It’s not against the rules?”

“The games are over.” Andrew tossed the bedding onto the sofa. “At least for tonight.”

Colin went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and change his clothes. Even with the blinds down—which did make the flat seem smaller—he felt exposed out there, as if some malevolent force were hovering just beyond the window.

He returned to find Andrew on the sofa, huddled beneath the blanket.

“I hope this is okay,” Andrew said. “There’s room for us both if we lie on our sides.”

“I don’t mind.”Understatement of the century.Colin slipped beneath the blanket, facing Andrew. It was a nice flat sofa, good for sleeping. And probably for other things.

They lay on their shared pillow, examining each other in the aquarium’s soft silver light. Then Andrew touched Colin’s bare arm. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Nae bother.” He put his hand over Andrew’s. “You all right? Your skin’s pure freezing.” Just like after they’d dived into that rave crowd, but this was a different sort of fear.

“I know, I’m sorry.” He pressed both palms to Colin’s chest, then kissed him softly.

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