The Collected Short Stories by Jeffrey Archer Page B

you fairly early the following morning.”
    â€œOf course, sir. Nothing could be easier. My wife and I will be at the airport to welcome you at four o’clock tomorrow afternoon.”
    â€œThat’s kind of you, Governor. By the way, I’d rather things were left fairly informal. Please don’t put yourself to any trouble.” The line went dead.
    Once he had replaced the receiver, it was Ted’s turn to run for the first time in several months. He found Charles striding down the long corridor toward him, having obviously listened in on the extension.
    â€œFind my wife and get yourself a notepad—and then both of you join me in my office immediately. Immediately,” Ted repeated as he scuttled back into his study.
    Hazel arrived a few minutes later, clutching a bunch of dahlias, followed by the breathless private secretary.
    â€œWhy the rush, Ted? What’s the panic?”
    â€œMountbatten’s coming.”
    â€œWhen?” Hazel asked quietly.

    â€œTomorrow afternoon. Four o’clock.”
    â€œThat is a good reason to panic,” Hazel admitted. She dumped the flowers in a vase on the windowsill and took a seat opposite her husband on the other side of his desk. “Perhaps this isn’t the best time to let you know that Mrs. Rogers is out sick.”
    â€œYou have to admire her timing,” said Ted. “Right, we’ll just have to bluff it.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, ‘bluff it’?” asked Hazel.
    â€œWell, let’s not forget that Mountbatten’s a member of the royal family, a former chief of the Defense Staff, and an Admiral of the Fleet. The last colonial post he held was Viceroy of India, with three regiments under his command and a personal staff of over a thousand. So I can’t imagine what he’ll expect to find when he turns up here.”
    â€œThen let’s begin by making a list of things that will have to be done,” said Hazel briskly.
    Charles removed a pen from his inside pocket, turned over the cover of his pad, and waited to write down his master’s instructions.
    â€œIf he’s arriving at the airport, the first thing he will expect is a red carpet,” said Hazel.
    â€œBut we don’t have a red carpet,” said Ted.
    â€œYes, we do. There’s the one that leads from the dining room to the drawing room. We’ll have to use that, and hope we can get it back in place before he visits that part of the house. Charles, you will have to roll it up and take it to the airport—” she paused “—and then bring it back.”
    Charles scowled, but began writing furiously.
    â€œAnd Charles, can you also see that it’s cleaned by tomorrow?” interjected the governor. “I hadn’t even realized it was red. Now, what about an honor guard?”
    â€œWe haven’t got an honor guard,” said Hazel. “If you remember, when we arrived on the island we were met by the prime minister, the chief justice, and six off-duty policemen.”
    â€œTrue,” said Ted. “Then we’ll just have to rely on the Territorial Army.”
    â€œYou mean Colonel Hodges and his band of hopeful warriors?
They don’t even all have matching uniforms. And as for their rifles …”
    â€œHodges will just have to get them into some sort of shape by four o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Leave that one to me,” said Ted, making a note on his pad. “I’ll phone him later this morning. Now, what about a band?”
    â€œWell there’s the town band,” said Charles. “And, of course, the police band.”
    â€œOn this occasion they’ll have to combine,” said Hazel, “so we don’t offend either of them.”
    â€œBut they only know three tunes between them,” said Ted.
    â€œThey only need to know one,” said Hazel. “The national anthem.”
    â€œRight,” said the governor. “Since there