Chapter 10

They went downstairs, knocking on Ted’s door on the way. They were seated at their table by six, and Hugh gave Carlo his credit card for all the meal costs. They were talking about general things when Hazel asked Willow a question.

“How’s the campaign going, Willow?”

“Dad’s been to the office a few times and spoken to them. We spent a morning with the guys at the head office in Whitehall and surprised them when they were showing us around Parliament. Chris Leigh spoke to us and hosted us for lunch in the Lords Dining Room.”

Hugh looked up, surprised.

“You know the Baron well enough to call him by his Christian name?”

“It’s a bit convoluted, Hugh. My great, great, grandfather was the brother of the Third Baroness, Marie. When the Third Baron died, childless, the title went to Chris’ side of the family. So, we’re almost relatives, but once removed at the time. He’s now a Lord.”

“So, why were you at Whitehall?”

“My father has been accepted as the candidate for Kenilworth, to replace the retiring member. We were given a list of party donors, and I saw that both you and Sam are on it. We were waiting until the election looks likely before canvassing those on the list.”

“What is your father’s place in your career, Willow?”

“He’s the managing director of WR Holdings, the company we set up to handle my affairs. It is the company that owns the shares in our property dealings, as well as the owner of the recording studio. He’s on the board of the Stoneleigh Club, which has been a huge place in the development of my entertaining career, as well as the careers of all of Summer Rose.”

“When we met on that coach to the studio, he said that he was working at Aston Martin as a design engineer, right.”

“He is. They have offered to allow him leave without pay to campaign. Hazel offered to handle the publicity, but I think that the electorate office will have something to say about that.”

“Look, I’d like you to set up a meeting for us. Perhaps at your house, next Saturday morning?”

“Can do. Give me a private email address and I’ll talk to him tomorrow and email you the address and time. Will that suit you?”

He took out a business card and wrote the address on the back.

“Make it for six of us. Sam will come along, and there are four others who aren’t on that list who donate through me. They would all like to meet you and your parents before things get hectic.”

“I’ll phone him tonight and alert him. Thank you, Hugh.”

They spoke no more about it, or the deal that had been put to the girls, and enjoyed the meal, with Hugh picking up the bill and getting a receipt for his business expenses. Back in the apartment, Willow phoned home and told her parents to prepare for a high-powered meeting next week, and to make sure that the wines were better than usual.

She sat with Vivienne and they both had a small glass of wine from the previously opened bottle.

“Interesting day all round, Viv.”

“It certainly was. Almost every part of it threw up something amazing. Peter will be happy with both of us earning an extra sixty thousand over summer. The big VivWillow package is risky, but you don’t know if you don’t try?”

“VivWillow. Now that’s something else. Once again, I’m number two, but WillVivienne or Rose Summer doesn’t have that easy sound.”

“Are you going to watch that DVD from the club?”

“After being there, I don’t think so. I’ll get my parents to look at it and see what happens. Our heavy rock ones made my Dad randy, and our latest ones made my Mum horny. I loaned them to Sebastian, and he was walking funny the next day.”

“That explains something. My parents watched the two of them while I was practising on the piano, and they were nowhere to be seen when I went to bed. They’re normally up late.”

“I was told that if there’s a baby boom after Christmas, we’re to blame. It would be funny if there’s a huge number of Willows and Viviennes going to school in five years.”

“Changing the subject. What did you do for your birthday?”

“The three of us went to the restaurant down the road. After the pressure of losing my grandfather and getting my grandmother settled in a home, we didn’t feel like throwing a party. Besides, we had a couple of real humdingers in the past, and sixteen is just about adult. How about you?”

“We had a party, but it was more for Mum to show off the house to all the relatives. I ended up in my room, with some cousins, talking about places I’ve been and boys I’ve met.”

“We’re a right couple of old fogies, aren’t we.”

On Sunday morning, they had breakfast with the other couples and went for a walk around the area, with Willow taking Vivienne into the Senate Library to look at books on Viv’s interest, botanical paintings. They had a late lunch at Gaucho, and then rang the other syndicate members about the offer on Small Heath.

Nancy, Bryan, and Edward were all happy to go along with what Willow and Vivienne decided. Willow had quite a talk with Gina. She ended up agreeing to the sale, as the others had agreed. The limo picked them up and Willow was home a little after six.

“Interesting weekend, love?”

“It was, Mum. The meeting at the label had more than one outcome. Number one was that we’re still doing the tour, which the label was thinking of cancelling.”

“Why on earth would they cancel the tour?”

“The top brass were worried about our reputation as lily-white innocent girls. I’ve got the DVDs of our show here, if you want to watch. It’s on two discs of more than three hours each. If my memory is right, the second one is the funniest, after a lot of the audience got drunk.”

“Anything that I should worry about?”

“Just make sure the way up to your bedroom is clear, it has a lot of the songs from those two albums, oddly appropriate in the setting.”

“Alright. What else happened?”

“The client is paying us an extra ten thousand, each week of the tour, and will be supplying security. And the label is thinking seriously about packaging this double DVD with the DVDs of both albums as a limited run special, well, special for them.”

“What about this meeting next week?”

“There will be Sam Vines and Hugh, who you met on the coach to the studio. Hugh is bringing four of his friends who, he says, donate through him. They want to sit down with us and talk about the campaign.”

“That’s serious. Anything else?”

“Hugh has offered seven point two for the Small Heath property. He’s bought Sam Vine’s business and will be using all that unused office space to set up his headquarters. All of the syndicate have verbally agreed, which will just leave us with the shopping centre between the ten of us.”

“Didn’t you pay under five for Small Heath?”

“We did. He says that the extra covers increased property values, a bonus for the convenience it gives him, and a bonus that I earned with the first presentation I did last year in my course. Which, of course, I can’t talk about. That reminds me, I need to send him the confirmation and our address. Is Dad happy with the meeting?”

“Look, I don’t know. He’s been very quiet lately. It may be the enormity of what he’s going to do. Don’t get me wrong. He’s not backing out, just getting himself into thinking like a budding politician. Did you eat in town?”

“We had a late lunch at Gaucho, so I’m not hungry. I think I’ll go and send that email and unpack.”

On Monday morning, she was having breakfast when her mother came down.

“Dad not up yet?”

“Not this morning, love, but more than once last night. That show was in two parts: you two playing music and the audience doing striptease. We didn’t get anywhere near the credits.”

After lunch, Willow and the ensemble were given lesson notes for the ones that they would miss in the afternoon, and they gathered in the theatre to set everything up for the final dress rehearsal. For Willow, the main difference was that she would have her back to the audience as she conducted. When they had set the stage, erected the backscreen, and set out the orchestra below the stage, she got them all to gather round as she sat on the edge of the stage.

“Look, you’ve all done very well with this project. This week we have three performances to paying public. In one of the audiences will be a large contingent from the ENO. Vivienne and I had a meeting with them on Saturday, in London. They will be talking to the Head about buying the intellectual property from the school and taking our show to their theatre in London. They did talk about retaining some of the cast.”

There was gasps and talk. She waved for calm.

“The lads who developed the back projection impressed them enough to want to buy the details. I won’t ask you how you got such a crisp picture on a hanging screen, but they want to use it themselves. Everyone here will be compensated. I don’t know how much, but I do know that the Head will negotiate fiercely.”

“You bet I will!”

Willow turned her head to see the Head on the stage beside her.

“I came here to wish you all luck and was lucky to be in time to hear your little speech, Willow. The ENO have called, today, requesting a serious meeting when they’re here for the performance. They did suggest that money was concerned, and I’m happy that you’ve been able to give me an advanced warning. Were you going to tell me?”

“I only know the aims, ma-am, not the details. I expected them to talk to you directly. We, as the ones putting on the performance, are not privy to the detail, except that we were told that their performance is wanted to be the one available on the market. That means that we don’t need to film ours. You already have the one done in the studio as a historical item. The only other certainty is that it will be listed as developed from the album that Summer Rose put out.”

“Are you ready to start?”

“We just need to change. Give us half an hour, please.”

“I’ll round up some audience for you while you’re doing that. Curtain up in thirty minutes, chop, chop!”

They had the rehearsal and locker rooms to change in, and when Willow led the orchestra out, there was applause from the entire school, now seated and filling the theatre. The orchestra went to their places, with smiles, and then Willow stood on the podium with her baton, as the tuning was completed, hoping that the cast had seen what was going on. They would have heard the applause.

She looked over the players and tapped her baton before raising it. Then they were into the overture. They did the show without long breaks, and, two hours later, after some laughter and giggles, the school erupted with applause as the finale thundered to an end. Willow gestured for the orchestra to stand as the cast lined up across the stage, then turned to take her own bow.

The Head went up in stage, microphone in hand.

“Teachers and students of Blue Coat School. You have just witnessed something new. This has been the very first time that the fourth-year Music Studies end of term project has been completed and shown to us. I’ve brought you all out of normal classes to witness what can be done with talent, hard work, and imagination. Also, because you all deserve to see your school at the height of success. I will be talking to the English National Opera this week, and I believe that this show will be performed, by them, in London. We have had our students perform in many places over the years, but this is the first original operetta and also the first to be taken up by a national body.”

There was applause and she waited.

“My thanks go out to all those who have put this together. The cast, the back-room technicians, the orchestra and, of course, the indomitable Willow Rose.”

There was more applause and cheering.

“There is one other reason that I got you here, and that is that the three performances are sold out, and anyone not already booked will miss out on the experience. Thank you.”

The audience started filing out, and the ensemble went off to change. The Head took Willow aside.

“A little bird has told me that your father will be running in the next election.”

“Yes. He’s been chosen to run for Kenilworth.”

“Hopefully, it will be called after you finish fifth form, but, if it’s earlier, make sure it doesn’t distract you from your studies. These things have a habit of taking over your life. At least he’s not coming from behind but has only to convince the electorate that he’s a good replacement.”

“All noted. I think it’s started to get to him about how serious it could be.”

“He’s a good man. I like him. He should do well as long as there are no drastic events. You know, the sort that the papers love.”

“We’ll try to keep it on track. Thank you for your thoughts.”

That evening, after dinner, Willow was tidying the kitchen, Wendy was checking the garden to see that the gardening service had done a good job, and Ashley was sitting with a cup of coffee in front of him.

“Dad. Can we talk?”

“About what, love?”

“About you going all quiet and moody. You’ve got us both worried about you.”

“It’s nothing bad, love, just me having some fears that I’ll disappoint everybody if I lose at the election.”

“Nobody will blame you, Dad, especially us. You have a reputation among those who know you as a good man. This meeting on Saturday is with two people who have met you and four that we don’t know, yet. Hugh said that they were all secret donors. That could only be because they are either recluses or have public positions where donating could be seen as undue influence. This will be more of a pep talk than an interrogation, I’m sure of it.”

“Do you think so?”

“I’m certain, Dad. Now, please talk to Mum about your worries. It doesn’t do you any good to be sitting around all morose. Are the guys at work giving you a hard time?”

“Yes, they all think that I’ll lose.”

“Is it that they think you’ll lose, or that they want you to lose? With your connections, you stand a better chance of replacing the sitting member than almost anyone in the area. We don’t know who will be running against you, so you’re only fighting yourself.”

“I suppose you’re right. I have been a bit of a sourpuss lately, questioning my own worth. I just have to remember that I’m a Cambridge graduate, a good design engineer, married to the most beautiful woman in the world and father to a teenage megastar who can see things that ordinary mortals miss. That DVD at the club was a bit over the top, wasn’t it?”

“That’s not over the top for them. They do that once a month. It’s just that we’ve never experienced it before and it seems strange, just like standing for election. Do it once, Dad, and you’ll be eager to get out into the hustings next time.”

“All right, I’ll pull myself together. It’s the pressure of the guys at work that’s getting to me.”

“See what’s discussed on Saturday and start planning on not having to put up with the guys from work. Remember one very important thing, Dad. You are the managing director of WR Holdings. The company has a ten percent stake in a twenty-five-million-pound shopping centre. It owns a Coventry industrial site, it owns an emerging recording studio, it has one-sixth of a large industrial site in Small Heath, which it bought for under five million and has been offered seven point two for by one of the donors who’s coming to see you on Saturday. On top of that, it’s sitting on a bank balance of around sixteen million. You don’t like going to work, well, tell work to stick it and give yourself a salary from the company.”

“But it’s your money, love, that has come from your album sales and hard work. I can’t be seen sponging off my daughter!”

“If it was a couple of thousand and you took half, that would be sponging. It’s now a big company that needs someone at the helm to keep afloat. Since Wilhelm bailed out, I’ve done nothing to expand, just hoarding the money. It needs someone who can look at things in a professional designers way to see what we can do next. Who knows, there may be something more that comes from Saturday. Please think about it.”

“When you put it that way, love, it makes sense. Nothing will be done without approval of the board if we go that way. I’ll try to be the husband and father you all know. Thank you for telling me things that I should have already known.”

Over the next few days, his attitude returned to his normal self, and he had news for them on Wednesday, at dinner, which he had taken them to the Punchbowl for.

“I had a call from the estate agent today. Someone has made an offer on the Stoneleigh house. It appears that the village has attractions for buyers. A cosy church with a strong congregation, a Village Club with a good reputation within walking distance, and a good community vibe has had several who want to live there. He told me that he has had other offers, but has held off telling us, in case we just took the first one. He thinks that we’ve reached a point where we can’t expect more, so I told him to follow through and get the sale finalised.”

“That’s lovely, darling. We paid seven-ten for it, and, thanks to Willow, own it outright. How much are they paying?”

“One point one million, my love. One point one million.”

There were squeals and hugs which brought the owner to their table to ask about the noise. When he was told that they had sold their old house, he brought out a bottle of champagne ‘on the house’ and they had a toast, with the bubbly liquid making Willow’s tongue tingle.

On Thursday, the orchestra fitted the new concerto into a group of other popular classics, and Mister Howard thanked them all for an interesting and productive term. The following week was revision, and the next, until the last day of the term, was exams.

Thursday evening, the operetta opened to a full house and was greeted with laughter and applause. In the interval, many bought the boxes of conjuring tricks and baseball caps with ‘Ego is Always Great’ on them, that Garry, Willow and Vivienne had specially made for the show. All could afford a donation to the school, and this was a fun way of doing just that.

Friday night was another success, with some of the ENO in the audience, along with Clive and Jill. There was a lot of talk and laughter afterwards, in the lunchroom, and the Head told Willow that the performance had sealed a deal that had been thrashed out during the afternoon, that had been dependant on the show proving its worth.

Saturday morning, the family were up and at breakfast early, then going for showers and dressing well for visitors. It was a nice day, and there was now a large table on the back patio, big enough to seat a dozen, with a six metre by three metre gazebo erected to give it some shade. The bifold doors to the kitchen had been pulled back so that drinks and nibbles were easily served. There was a range of good wines in the fridge, and more in the one in the garage, along with beer. Wendy had brought home a range of cakes and biscuits, as well as enough meat and veg to serve them all, should any want to stay for lunch.

Just before ten, Vivienne arrived, with her limo service dropping her off. She had asked Willow about some practise on the weekend and had volunteered to help when told more about the meeting. At five past, three cars came up the drive and parked. Ashley and Wendy went out to greet their visitors, while the girls made sure that everything out the back was ready. The visitors were guided around the side of the house to the patio and asked if they wanted anything to drink. The girls poured glasses of wine for some, with one only wanting water and two wanting beer ‘if it’s cold’.

As they were getting the drinks, there was some talk. Vivienne glanced outside.

“Now that’s what I call a house party!”

Willow nodded.

“Sam and Hugh were expected, but I didn’t expect to see six millionaires in our back garden.”

They carried the drinks out and served the guests and then Wendy and Ashley. One of the guests smiled.

“Thank you, ladies. I have this feeling that I’ve seen you both, before, but can’t place it.”

Hugh laughed.

“Think about your teenage daughter, Jeff. I expect that you may have caught a glimpse of these girls on one of their DVDs. We’re at the home of Ashley and Wendy Rose, and the one who served you is Willow Rose. The other is Vivienne Armstrong, who has just had a top ten album with Willow playing piano for her.”

“Oh! I’m sorry, girls. I don’t follow the current music, more into the classics. My wife and I have tickets to a new operetta tonight, that Hugh has generously given us. I believe that all six of us are going, with our families.”

Willow grinned.

“I would say that I’d see you there, sir, but I spend the whole performance with my back to the audience. You will see Viv, though, as she’s the leading lady. We’ll get back inside and leave you to your discussion.”

The girls went inside and spoke quietly, watching for Wendy’s signals for more drink or food. From what they could hear, the talk was mainly about Ashley and his thoughts on a range of topics that he may be faced with during, and hopefully after, the campaign. From what Willow could tell, these men all had big businesses in the Midlands, and beyond, and were making sure that they weren’t backing a radical firebrand. Ashley would be just one of the candidates that they would back, as they were keen to see a return to a more business-orientated government. If not now, but into the future.

Later on, as the serious part had run its course, the girls were invited to sit at the table and were asked about their singing career and scholastic intentions. As the talk eased, one of the men asked the big question.

“Ashley. If the election was called on Monday, are you prepared to spend all day, every day, campaigning. Will you give up your job to do it?”

Ashley looked him in the eyes.

“Yes, sir, I will. If you had asked me this time last week, I would have hesitated, but my daughter gave me a reality check during the week, which has crystallised my thinking. I think that I could be a good member for this electorate and am willing to serve the party in whatever endeavour they think necessary.”

Marianne Gregory © 2025