First Among Equals

“On what?” he asked. “Have you heard something?”

“No, love,” she said, “I just rang to say how pleased I was about your increased majority.”

“Oh.”

“And to add how sorry we were not to see you before you left the constituency, especially as you have to pass the shop on the way to the A1.”

Not again, Mother, he wanted to say.

The second call was from a colleague inquiring if Raymond had been offered a job.

“Nothing so far,” he said before learning of his contemporary’s promotion.

The third call was from one of Joyce’s friends.

“When will she be back?” another Yorkshire accent inquired.

“I’ve no idea,” said Raymond, desperate to get the caller off the line.

“I’ll call again this afternoon, then.”

“Fine,” said Raymond, putting the phone down quickly.

He went into the kitchen to make himself a cheese sandwich, but there wasn’t any cheese, so he ate stale bread smeared with three-week-old butter. He was halfway through a second slice when the phone rang.

“Raymond?”

He held his breath.

“Noel Brewster.”

He exhaled in exasperation as he recognized the vicar’s voice.

“Can you read the second lesson when you’re next up in Leeds? We had rather hoped you would read it this morning—your dear wife …”

“Yes,” he promised. “The first weekend I am back in Leeds.” The phone rang again as soon as he placed it back on the receiver.

“Raymond Gould?” said an anonymous voice.

“Speaking,” he said.

“The Prime Minister will be with you in one moment.”

Raymond waited. The front door opened and another voice shouted, “It’s only me. I don’t suppose you found anything to eat, poor love.” Joyce joined Raymond in the drawing room.

Without looking at his wife he waved his hand at her to keep quiet.

“Ray,” said a voice on the other end of the line.

“Good afternoon, Prime Minister,” he replied, rather formally in response to the more pronounced Yorkshire accent.

“I was hoping you would feel able to join the new team as Under-Secretary for Employment?”

Raymond breathed a sigh of relief. It was exactly what he’d hoped for. “I’d be delighted, Prime Minister.”

“Good, that will give the trade union leaders something new to think about.” The phone went dead.

Raymond Gould, Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Employment, sat motionless on the third rung of the ladder.