Page 51 of Next in Line

‘Bide your time, young lady, would be my advice,’ said Julian. ‘You just might find yourself getting the job sooner than you think. But at the same time, keep your eyes wide open, because Sloane will look upon you as a rival. He’ll either befriend you, or try to undermine you. Possibly both.’

‘You think like a criminal, Julian,’ said Beth.

‘That’s what I’m paid to do,’ was his response.

‘I know I shouldn’t listen to gossip,’ whispered Beth, ‘but I have it on good authority that only half the staff turned up for his leaving party in Manchester.’

‘All the more reason for you to be cautious. It’s no secret that if the Fitzmolean staff had been able to vote, you’d have won by a country mile.’

Beth nodded. ‘I know this isn’t the appropriate occasion,’ she said, ‘but I need your advice on a private matter.’

‘Why don’t you all come down to Nettleford for lunch on Sunday? That should give us more than enough time to talk it through,’ said Julian as his wife joined them.

‘I’m surprised to see Mr Booth Watson here,’ said Lady Warwick.

‘Perhaps he’s an admirer of Frans Hals,’ suggested Beth, knowing only too well why he was there.

‘Mr Booth Watson isn’t an admirer of anyone,’ said Julian, ‘unless there’s a chance they could turn out to be a potential client. And Frans Hals certainly doesn’t fall into that category. Although he wouldn’t be the first dead client BW has represented.’

‘You’re such an old cynic, Julian,’ said his wife.

‘You don’t have much choice when you have to spend your professional life crossing swords with the Booth Watsons of this world,’ he replied. At that moment Artemisia let go of her mother’s hand and shot off across the room.

‘What’s the little minx up to?’ asked Julian.

‘Wants to say goodbye to her friend, would be my bet,’ said Beth as Artemisia grabbed Ross by the hand.

The last person the Princess said goodbye to, after admiring her coronet and giving her a kiss, was Artemisia, which didn’t please the new director.

CHAPTER 20

ROSS CLIMBED INTO THE FRONTof the Jaguar after the Princess had taken her seat in the back. He checked in his personal rear-view mirror, and saw that Victoria hadn’t joined them, so she must have gone home. Although Victoria would never have raised the subject in front of him, it was clear she didn’t approve of Diana’s other life.

Only one member of the paparazzi was waiting for them when they drove into Jermyn Street. He jumped out into the middle of the road the moment he spotted the car. Ross wondered if he was just there on the off chance, or if someone had tipped him off. Given half a chance, he’d have run him over.

The Princess used her handbag to shield her face as she ran down the steps into the nightclub. The maître d’ accompanied her to her usual table – heads turning as she crossed the dance floor – where she found Jamil standing waiting for her. He kissed her on both cheeks and, once they’d sat down, they held hands openly across the table, no longer even attempting to conceal their relationship.

Ross retired to his usual discreet table behind a pillar. When the two of them strolled out onto the dance floor shortly afterwards, it would have been obvious to any casual observer they were lovers. The bobbing ponytail still irritated Ross. He wrote nothing down, but would make a full report to William in the morning. He knew William was keeping the commander up to date so that no one was left out of the loop.

Once again, Diana left the club just after midnight. As she stepped out onto the pavement, she found several photographers waiting to greet her.

Ross did his best to protect her from the more persistent of them as she scrambled into the back of the car, but they still pursued her, cameras flashing, until the Jaguar turned the corner into St James’s only to find one of them waiting by the traffic lights as they slowed down at the top of Piccadilly. Ross clocked that it was the same one who’d been waiting outside Tramp when she’d arrived there earlier that evening.

‘Do you know the name of that photographer, Ross?’

‘Yes, ma’am. Alan Young.’

‘Poor man, standing out there just in case I turn up.’

‘I wouldn’t waste your sympathy on him, ma’am. He’s the best-paid snapper in Fleet Street, and he only takes photos of you.’

They travelled on in silence for some time before the Princess eventually said, ‘I’ll be spending the weekend with Jamil at his home in Sussex. It’s not on the official schedule, of course, but I hope you’ll be kind enough to make the usual arrangements.’

‘Of course, ma’am,’ said Ross without hesitation, although he’d been looking forward to spending a weekend with Jojo. He’d planned a trip to the cinema to seeThe Little Mermaid– ending up at her favourite ice cream shop. Thank God for William and Beth, he thought as the car swung into Kensington Palace Gardens.

•••

‘I thought Jojo was meant to be spending the weekend with Ross,’ said Beth as she strapped the three children into their car seats.

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