Free This Was A Man by Jeffrey Archer

seeing you.’
    Emma followed the secretary silently up the stairs to the first floor where they came to a halt in front of a door. The secretary knocked, opened it and stood aside. Emma walked in to find Mrs
Thatcher on the phone.
    ‘We’ll speak again later, Willy, when I’ll let you know my decision.’ The Prime Minister put the phone down. ‘Emma,’ she said, rising from behind her desk.
‘So kind of you to return to London at such short notice. I’d assumed you were still in town.’
    ‘Not a problem, Prime Minister.’
    ‘First, my congratulations on winning fifty-nine of the sixty-two targeted marginal seats. A triumph! Although I expect your brother will tease you about failing to capture Bristol
Docklands.’
    ‘Next time, Prime Minister.’
    ‘But that could be five years away and we’ve got rather a lot to do before then, which is why I wanted to see you. You probably know that I’ve invited Patrick Jenkin to be
Secretary of State for Health, and of course he will need an undersecretary in the Lords to steer the new National Health Bill through the Upper House and safely on to the books. And I can’t
think of anyone better qualified to do that job. You have vast experience of the NHS, and your years as chairman of a public company make you the ideal candidate for the post. So I do hope
you’ll feel able to join the government as a life peer.’
    Emma was speechless.
    ‘One of the truly wonderful things about you, Emma, is that it hadn’t even crossed your mind that was the reason I wanted to see you. Half my ministers assumed they got no more than
they deserved, while the other half couldn’t hide their disappointment. I suspect you’re the only one who’s genuinely surprised.’
    Emma found herself nodding.
    ‘So let me tell me you what’s going to happen now. When you leave here, there will be a car outside to take you to Alexander Fleming House, where the Secretary of State is expecting
you. He will take you through your responsibilities in great detail. In particular, he will want to talk to you about the new National Health Bill, which I’d like to get through both Houses
as quickly as possible, preferably within a year. Listen to Patrick Jenkin – he’s a shrewd politician, as is the Department’s Permanent Secretary. I would recommend you to also
seek your brother’s counsel. He was not only an able minister, but no one knows better how the House of Lords works.’
    ‘But he’s on the other side.’
    ‘It doesn’t work quite like that in the Lords, as you’ll quickly find out. They are far more civilized at the other end of the House, and not just interested in scoring
political points. And my final piece of advice is to make sure you enjoy it.’
    ‘I’m flattered you even considered me, Prime Minister, and I’m bound to admit, somewhat daunted by the challenge.’
    ‘No need to be. You were my first choice for the job,’ said Mrs Thatcher. ‘One final thing, Emma. You are among a handful of friends who I hope will still call me Margaret,
because I won’t have this job for ever.’
    ‘Thank you, Prime Minister.’
    Emma rose from her place and shook hands with her new boss. When she left the room, she found Alison standing in the corridor.
    ‘Congratulations, minister. A car is waiting to take you to your department.’
    As they walked back downstairs, past the photographs of former prime ministers, Emma tried to take in what had happened during the last few minutes. Just as she reached the hallway, the front
door opened and a young man stepped inside, to be led up the stairs by another secretary. She wondered what position Norman was about to be offered.
    ‘If you’d like to follow me,’ said Alison, who opened a side door that led into a small room with a desk and telephone. Emma was puzzled until she closed the door and added,
‘The Prime Minister thought you might like to call your husband before you begin your new job.’

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