The table clerk turned the page of a large parchment manuscript so the new member could add her name to the test roll. He offered her a pen which she politely declined in favour of one that had been given to her by her grandfather, Lord Harvey, at her christening almost sixty years ago.
Once Emma had signed the test roll, she glanced up at the Distinguished Strangers’ Gallery, to see Harry, Karin, Sebastian, Samantha, Grace and Jessica smiling down at her with unmistakable pride. She smiled back, and when she lowered her eyes, saw a lady from the Commons standing at the bar of the House. The Prime Minister gave her a slight bow, and Emma returned the compliment.
The Baroness Clifton followed her brother along the front bench, past the Woolsack on which sat the law lords, until she reached the Speaker’s chair. The clerk of the house stepped forward and introduced the new peer to the Lord Speaker.
‘Welcome to the House, Lady Clifton,’ he said, shaking her warmly by the hand. This was followed by cries of ‘Hear, hear’ from all sides of the chamber as her fellow peers added their traditional welcome to a new member.
Giles then led his sister past the throne, where several members who were sitting on the steps smiled as she continued out of the east door and into the Prince’s Chamber. Once they were outside the chamber, she removed her tricorn hat and breathed a long sigh of relief.
‘It sounded as if the lions rather liked the look of you,’ said Giles, as he bent down to kiss his sister on both cheeks, ‘although I did notice one or two of my colleagues licking their lips in anticipation of your first appearance at the despatch box.’
‘Don’t be fooled by your brother,’ said Belstead. ‘He’ll be among those licking his lips when the time comes for you to face the opposition.’
‘But not until you’ve delivered your maiden speech, sis. However, after that, I’m bound to admit, you’ll be fair game.’
‘So what next?’ asked Emma.
‘Tea with the family on the terrace,’ Giles reminded her.
‘And once you’re free,’ said Belstead, ‘may I suggest you slip back into the chamber and take your place on the end of the front bench. For the next few days, I would advise you to observe the workings of the House, accustom yourself to our strange ways and traditions, before you consider delivering your maiden speech.’
‘The only speech you’ll make when no members will even consider interrupting you, and whoever follows will praise your contribution as if you were Cicero.’
‘And what then?’
‘You must prepare for your first questions as Under Secretary of State for Health,’ said Belstead, ‘and try not to forget there will be several senior members of the medical profession in attendance.’
‘When the gloves will be off,’ said Giles. ‘And you needn’t expect any brotherly love, even from your kith and kin. The gentle smiles and “Hear, hear”s will only be coming from your side of the House.’
‘And you won’t always be able to rely on them,’ said Belstead with a wry smile.
‘Nevertheless, sis, welcome to the House. I confess, I feel a glow of pride whenever one of my fellow peers says, “Did you know, that’s Lord Barrington’s sister?”’
‘Thank you, Giles,’ said Emma. ‘I look forward to the day when one of my fellow peers says, “Did you know, that’s Lady Clifton’s brother?”’
Tap, tap, tap. Karin was the first to wake. She turned over, assuming she must be dreaming.
Tap, tap, tap. A little louder.
Suddenly she was wide awake. She climbed slowly out of bed and, not wanting to disturb Giles, tiptoed across to the window. Tap, tap, tap, even louder.
‘Is that what I think it is?’ said a sleepy voice.
‘I’m about to find out,’ said Karin as she pulled open the curtain and stared down at the pavement.
‘Good God,’ she said, and had disappeared out of the bedroom before Giles could ask her what was going on.
Karin ran down the stairs and quickly unlocked the front door to find a young boy hunched up on the doorstep, shivering.
‘Come in,’ she whispered. But he seemed reluctant to move until she put an arm around his shoulder and said, ‘I don’t know about you, Freddie, but I could do with a hot chocolate. Why don’t you come inside and see what we can find?’
He took her hand as they walked along the hall and into the kitchen, just as Giles appeared on the landing.
‘Do sit down, Freddie,’ said Karin, pouring some milk into a saucepan. Giles joined them. ‘How did you get here?’ she added, casually.
‘I took the train down from Edinburgh, but I hadn’t realized how late it was by the time I arrived in London. I’ve been sitting on your doorstep for over an hour,’ he explained. ‘I didn’t want to wake you, but it was getting rather cold.’
‘Did you tell your headmaster or Lord Fenwick that you were coming to see us?’ asked Giles, as Karin opened a tin of biscuits.
‘No. I sneaked out of chapel during prayers,’ he confessed. Karin placed a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of shortbread biscuits on the table in front of their unexpected guest.