Mightier Than the Sword (The Clifton Chronicles 5)

“I’m a Member of Parliament. And you?”

“I’m a state representative from Baton Rouge.”

“And as you can’t be a day over forty, I presume you have your sights on Washington.”

Rankin smiled, but revealed nothing. “My turn to ask you a question. What’s my wife’s name?”

Giles knew when he was beaten. “Rosemary,” he said.

“So now we’ve established that this meeting wasn’t a coincidence, Sir Giles, how can I help you?”

“I need to talk to you about last night.”

“I’m not surprised, as I have no doubt you’re among the handful of people on board who knows what really happened in the early hours of this morning.”

Giles looked around. Satisfied no one could overhear them, he said, “The ship was the target of a terrorist attack, but fortunately we managed to—”

The American waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t need to know the details. Just tell me how I can help.”

“Try to convince your fellow countrymen on board that the Home Fleet were really out there. If you can manage that, I know someone who’d be eternally grateful.”

“Your sister?”

Giles nodded, no longer surprised.

“I realized there had to be a serious problem when I saw her earlier, sitting on the upper deck looking as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Not the action of a confident chairman

who I have a feeling isn’t all that interested in sunbathing.”

“Mea culpa. But we’re up against—”

“As I said, spare me the details. Like him,” he said, pointing to the photo on the cover of his book, “I’m not interested in tomorrow’s headlines. I’m in politics for the long game, so I’ll do as you ask. However, Sir Giles, that means you owe me one. And you can be sure there’ll come a time when I call in my marker,” he added before returning to A Life of Roosevelt.

* * *

“Have we docked already?” asked Sebastian as he and Samantha joined his parents for breakfast.

“Over an hour ago,” said Emma. “Most of the passengers have already gone ashore.”

“And as it’s your first visit to New York,” said Sam as Seb sat down beside her, “and we only have thirty-six hours before we sail back to England, we haven’t a moment to waste.”

“Why will the ship only be in port for thirty-six hours?” Seb asked.

“You can only make money when you’re on the move, and besides, the docking fees are horrendous.”

“Do you remember your first trip to New York, Mr. Clifton?” asked Samantha.

“I most certainly do,” said Harry with feeling. “I was arrested for a murder I didn’t commit, and spent the next six months in an American prison.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Samantha, recalling the story Seb had once told her. “It was tactless of me to remind you of such a terrible experience.”

“Don’t give it a second thought,” said Harry. “Just make sure Seb isn’t arrested on this visit, because I don’t want that to become another family tradition.”

“Not a chance,” said Samantha. “I’ve already planned visits to the Metropolitan, Central Park, Sardi’s, and the Frick.”

“Jessica’s favorite museum,” said Emma.

“Although she never got to visit it,” said Seb.