Chapter 16

The next morning, it was a slow start for most of the residents of the apartments. It was Angie wanting her breakfast that roused Marian and Ken, with the added complication that they needed to shower and dress before going downstairs. They did find something in the kitchen to keep Angie satisfied.

When they got to the restaurant, they found Willow sitting alone.

“Good morning, Willow. Where’s Garry?”

“He’s gone to our home, in Marlow, to work on some songs. We’ve been writing for other artists since we finished with ‘Garreth’. It’s been fun and we’ve got a big bunch of bands that we write for. He’s not one to hang around while I look for outfits. Did you have a good night?”

“We did. Angie got us out of bed, this morning, as usual. This is a lovely spot. We left the curtains open so that the streetlights played across the ceiling.”

“We have work to do, this morning, Ken. Can you take care of Angie? We’ll be back for lunch. We have a booking at ten in a salon, and then we’ll be at a dress shop for a while. We should be back for a late lunch around two. The British Museum is only a short stroll away, and well worth the visit. Otherwise, Goodge Street station is close, and that takes you to the Embankment. So far, you have all day Sunday until you go back home.”

“They don’t tell you how hard the job is when they tap you on the shoulder to stand. It’s all about how much you can do for the district, nothing about working all hours of the day without overtime pay.”

“You’ll have Marian at home when the house isn’t sitting, but she’ll still be doing her consulting with the voters at the party office. I hope that you have a good crew there, Marian. I’m sorry to say that most of mine need to retire, so that we can get some fresh ideas into the place.”

They had breakfast and went up to get ready. Willow called her limo service to pick them up, and it took them to the salon for a polish up. After that, they were in a high-end dress shop, choosing something for that evening, as well as something suitable for Monday, along with the shoes. The official card got quite a beating.

They were back in the restaurant for the late lunch, both looking good. Marian was getting pictures of Angie at the Tower of London on her phone. They took their time getting ready for that evening and were sitting in the apartment when the official phone chirped, with Elaine telling them that she was down in the street.

They settled their pashminas around their shoulders, and Marian made sure that her bag had everything needed. When they went outside, Elaine had the car door open on one side, while Shelly had the other side open. Once they were in the back, and buckled up, they were off to the dinner. Elaine reached over and passed a piece of paper to Willow.

“I was given this when I checked in. It’s your suggested speech, should you be asked to give one. It has some of the policies that the party are proposing for this term. It will be a good event to let them know, as they can claim it as an exclusive and syndicate it around the country on Monday.”

They arrived at the restaurant and were greeted by their host for the evening, the Editor in Chief of the Birmingham Mail. Inside, the detail checked the room and went into a side room to eat, while Willow was led into the main dining area, Marian trailing behind and staring at the expensive dresses, and even more expensive, jewellery that glittered in the lights.

They were taken to the ‘high’ table, where the men rose and smiled as they were seated. Their host tapped a glass to quieten the hubbub,

“Ladies and Gentlemen. Tonight, we have been joined by the Under Secretary for Culture, Media, and Sports, the Right Honourable Willow Randall, OBE, the member for Beaconsfield, and the Right Honourable Marian Johnson, the member for Brighton. Please give them a welcome to our dinner.”

There was a round of applause and the meals started to be served. While they ate, Willow and their host chatted, while Marian was talking to the man beside her. Eventually, they arrived at after-dinner drinks and the host rose again, tapping a glass.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our esteemed guest, Willow Randall.”

He held Willows’ chair as she rose.

“Ladies and gentlemen of our great media, here in the Midlands. Right now, I will take this opportunity to thank you all for the wonderful things that you have written about me in the past.”

There was some laughter and applause.

“I came to the area when I was twelve, and went to school in Coventry, at the Blue Coat. I’m really a result of living in this wonderful area, so full of opportunity and fulfilment. Some of you, I met along the way, especially when my father was campaigning in the seat of Kenilworth, and I’m looking forward to meeting you all as we move on. Marian and I are half of the office of the Ministry for Culture, Media, and Sport, and will be working with Dame Mordaunt Modelle to continue with her great support of the country. I have to admit, although I’ve been interviewed many times, being here is something very new, and I ask your forbearance if I seem stupid, at times. I was handed a speech to give on the drive here, and it lays out some of the things that my government wants to do this term. If you have your notepads ready, I’ll read it to you.”

There was a rustle as pens, paper, and recorders were obtained, and she read from the speech, making her own comments as she did so. She took questions on the run, and the five-minute speech turned into a thirty-minute discussion. She finished what had been intended and put the paper down.

“That is the end of the Party-Political Broadcast. I thank you for being so attentive. I guarantee that there will be some people reading the news on Monday, all keen to see what you have made of this. I have to admit, I found some of what I have said quite exciting but will have to be briefed on the full details before I can comment further. For now, though, the two of us will be happy to talk to you.”

Their host guided them around the room, introducing the various main guests. The Editor of the Coventry Observer smiled as he took her hand.

“I think that you have had more coverage in my paper than many. It’s been good to have been able to trace your rise to fame.”

“You had a gem with Bruce. He was there to record some of the more spectacular events.”

“Yes, Bruce was a real asset. He had been a good reporter, but you would be aware that his time in the social pages was aimed at allowing him to reach retirement quietly. Instead, some of what he wrote bumped our best writers off the front page. We linked him with one of our top sub-editors to put articles into the national papers a few times. Two that comes to mind was the time you performed that show that ended up making a lot of money for charity. The addition of ‘Toxic Rocks’ put it into the ‘must be told’ sector. The second was when you performed the first showing of ‘Garreth’. He still writes good opinion pieces.”

As they moved around, Marian was noting observations, and made careful note of what some of the questions were, and who asked them, for personal replies later. On the way back to London, Willow looked at her.

“You were very thorough, back there.”

“Yes, it was second nature. I studied journalism before I was on the radio desk and did some interviews during my time.”

“Do you have enough for a report to Maude. The PM should get one as well.”

“Will do. That was an interesting evening. We went as guests of honour and came away with you as everyone’s friend.”

Elaine turned in her seat.

“She’s right. I listened to that speech. It was written like every other after-dinner speech, but you turned it into a chat with friends, and passing on gossip. It’s going to be fun for the next few years on your detail.”

When they arrived back at the apartment, Willow and Marian went in the street door as the car left. They went up to Number Four and had a short hug before Marian went upstairs. Willow undressed and made ready for bed. Garry was sleeping at Marlow over the weekend, so she could slide into the sheets and didn’t take long to get to sleep, with City Shaun being cuddled.

Sunday morning was slow, only interrupted by the sound of Angie and Ken going through the apartment on their way to breakfast. Willow stayed supine for a while, until her bladder needed some attention. After that, she decided that she may as well get a shower and get dressed.

When she entered the restaurant, she joined the others for breakfast. Ted was interested in what had happened at the dinner. She tried to keep it descriptive, without revealing the details of her speech, and Marian picked up on that, telling Ted that Willow had ended up being everybody’s friend.

After breakfast, Marian and her family went to see some sights, leaving Willow to sit at her kitchen table with a notebook, trying to list all the things that had been asked of her at the dinner. She would match it with Marians’ notes later, but she had enough to start formulating some letters to be vetted by the PMs’ office.

She then started thinking about the Variety Performance, not as just an organiser, but as an artistic director. Having been in the Albert Hall a few times, she knew the staging area and the access lines. It would depend on what acts were asked for, but it wasn’t a ‘Command’ show any more, so she thought that there may be some leeway with the content. She hadn’t had to allow for comedians or dancers before, so would need the assistance of the ones who had designed previous shows. There was one thing that she was certain of, and that it would be Howard and the Blue Note Orchestra as the main musical backing.

She called Garry on the phone.

“Hi, love, how are you going, you weren’t here for breakfast?”

“A bit stuck on some lyrics.”

“I’ll get an Uber to Marlow. I need a bit of my own time. We can have lunch at home and then you can bring me back.”

“Sounds good, love, see you in a while.”

For the rest of the day, the Randalls worked on some songs, and it allowed Willow to ease her mind of all the details that were crowding her brain, a sort of mental version of playing Bach. The two of them went back into London in time for dinner. Ken and Angie went home after dinner, so the two girls compared notes before Marian went upstairs. Willow and Garry had a quiet evening, some loving and restful sleep.

In the morning, after breakfast, the two girls made ready to be taken to see royalty. They took extra care with how they looked and were ready when Marians’ phone chirped that the car was downstairs. Both had big bags when they went down, with lists and notebooks, and they were in the car and away in double quick time.

On the way, Elaine turned in her seat.

“The word is that the PM is very happy with what was in the papers this morning. It seems that the majority of the editorials were happy with most of the projected changes, and that many praised the PM for giving you the job. Be prepared to be asked about that today, as the household get the papers as well.”

Instead of going through the big gates, Shelly drove around to a side entrance, where they were stopped at a guardhouse and their identities checked against a visitor list. They went to another door, where a footman was waiting for them. Willow and Marian were welcomed to Buckingham Palace and led through a maze of opulent corridors until they arrived at a door with an armed guard standing by it. The footman announced that it was The Right Honourable Willow Randall and Marian Johnson to see the King. The guard checked their IDs and opened the door for them after knocking on it and waiting some seconds.

They were ushered into a comfortable room, with armchairs, coffee tables, and a large table by a window. The King rose from a chair, putting a newspaper down.

“Willow and Marian, welcome.”

The two gave a nod to him.

“Good morning, your Highness.”

“Just sir and ma-am will be good, today. Willow, I feel that I’ve known you for most of my life. If not the OBE event, it’s from watching you with various bands or as a solo star. Our children have been fans from their early teens.”

“Thank you, sir. That all seems like another life, now that I’m a Member in the House.”

“That certainly is another life, and I can tell you that the scrutiny is relentless. You seem to have made a hit with the media on Saturday?”

“So, we’ve been told. I haven’t had a chance to see the papers yet, but I’m sure that the Ministers’ PA will have plenty of copies.”

“As it should be. Now, go and sit at the table over there while I call the others. Expect to be signing a few albums after we get down to brass tacks.”

They went and sat at the table and put their notebooks out, with pens, and Willow added a sharpie texta. When the King came back, with his two eldest children, they stood and nodded, and then Willow was enveloped in hugs.

“I told you that they’re fans, Willow. Children, sit and be good, we have serious matters to discuss. The Queen isn’t feeling the best, today, so she’ll be missing this meeting. I know what she would like to see, though. I know that we can’t command an act, usually they’ll be happy to attend something that gets national coverage.”

The oldest boy, now twenty-six and engaged, was the first to speak.

“Bernie wants to meet ‘Third Rating’. She has all their albums, and the fact that they’re some of your old band is another factor. We grew up with your music, Willow, and it would be good to see you on stage with them again.”

“Are you sure, sir? I wouldn’t want to push in.”

“You wouldn’t be pushing in, Willow. I want to see you and Vivienne sing some of those songs that you had hits with, just you and her with a piano. It would be fantastic!”

“What about you, ma-am?”

“I’m happy with what my brother has spoken about. There are a couple of others that I loved in my late teens. I hate to say it, but you feature in both bands. ‘Toxic Rocks’ would be great, but there’s only two of you left still playing. ‘Garreth’ would be good.”

“What you’re suggesting is almost a Willow and friends concert.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s never been done before. The Charity may not be happy.”

The King laughed.

“As the Patron, I can talk to them. What can you organise, Willow?”

She pulled out her list from Sue.

“I can tell you that ‘Third Rating’ are available. They’re on Red Wolfs’ client list. I’ll have to talk to Viv about her plans with the films. What do you want to see, sir?”

“Look, there’s one show that I put in when I want to lift my spirits. That’s the last big charity show that you organised. Lee, Ken and Cliff would make me and my wife happy.”

“Lee and Cliff are on my list, but Ken is in America in a long-running sitcom, playing a woman.”

“All right, Lee and Cliff are good. I do love the songs that Zara sang, especially that duet she did with Vivienne.”

“Geoff, from ‘Third Rating’, and Zara are married, so getting her on that stage isn’t a problem. It will all depend on her film responsibilities. What about your younger brother, ma-am?”

She grinned.

“My little brother is just on twenty-one, and if you can get him with ten gorgeous girls in a picture, he’ll love you forever.”

“I think that I can get ‘Cauldron’ for you.”

They all chuckled, and the King smiled.

“If I was his age, again, that’s what I’d be asking for. It looks like you have a show, Willow.”

“What about dancers or comedians, sir?”

“Fill the slots as you think fit, with what you already have, it would be a chance to close ones eyes for a few minutes.”

“I had my agency research your stated likes, sir, and they have given me a list.”

She read from the list, ticking the names that they all agreed on.

“Your agency is almost as good as the Service, Willow. I’d never thought about our likes in such a comprehensive listing. I think that we have done well. Now, children, I expect that you have some things that you want signatures on. I see that Willow has brought a sharpie with her. I’ll organise some refreshments.”

Willow and Marian stood as the others did and sat as they left the room. Marian grinned.

“Looks like having you around, boss, opens more doors that I would have thought possible.”

“It’s almost embarrassing, Marian. I’d had no desire to be back on the stage, and this will be almost like an alcoholic having another drink. The one thing that is good, is that around ninety percent of the show that they want are all in Red Wolf, so we can organise it as if it were one of our own shows. You have all the acts they want?”

“I have. It will be a great show, especially in the Albert Hall with the lighting they have. It’s been, what, five years or more since you did that charity tour?”

“More like ten. Enough time for this who liked it to tune in, and for many who had never seen it. We’re good that a lot of the acts are still playing. I suppose that we can get Geoff and Zara to recreate ‘Garreth’, with the others from ‘Third Rating’ making up the band. That would be four originals in the line-up.”

The family came back, the Queen joining them for tea and cake. Willow thought that she had a haggard look but knew that she had been seriously ill for most of her older life. The signing took a while, as they had so many of her albums. It made her think, as she had never bundled them all together before. That done, they all sat in the comfortable chairs as a footman laid out the cups and saucers, and a maid poured their tea.

There was some mild, sociable, talk, and then Willow turned to the King and Queen.

“Sir, Ma-am. I’ve been thinking about what we discussed today. To me, it will seem to be a partial recreation of the charity show that you have on DVD. Would it be possible for one of you to drop a hint that it was one of your favourites, and that you wish that you had been there at the time. Unless, of course, you had been there, quietly.”

The Queen smiled.

“I get it, Willow. I would be embarrassed if I had been asked to put together a show where I’m the central figure. We can do that, sometime, probably when we speak to the Variety Charity. I’m sure that they would jump at it, probably thinking that it would be impossible, after the years. Of course, we know better, don’t we? If we keep it all under wraps until it becomes public knowledge, you can start organising, which is what you do best, isn’t it?”

The King had a diary open.

“I’m meeting the charity board on Friday. I expect that it will be a side bar in the papers in a week from today. Where will you rehearse?”

“I’ll see if we can get the studio in Watford, sir. It’s around the same width as the stage at Albert Hall. I was thinking about making a DVD of the show to bring to you for approval.”

“Is the place secure?”

“Very much so, sir. It looks like an old factory on the outside, but has modern security, with cameras and reinforced steel doors. When we created it, we weren’t thinking that it would be in use for the hours that it operates now.”

“So, if we came along, with our security, to a session, it would be all right.”

“Certainly, sir. Peter, on my detail, has inspected it, and could brief your people. I’ll get the artists in for the day in coaches, which will leave, so it wouldn’t appear that many were there. It’s only a half a dozen steps from where you can park and into the door, and it’s an industrial area without anyone walking about, so I doubt that anyone would even know that you’re there.”

“Excellent. Let my PA know when you have the full show ready to record, and we’ll come along and watch. I know that the children will jump at the chance.”

The brother and sister, both beamed.

When they finished their teas, they all stood, and Marian was surprised when she was included in a formal hug, along with Willow.

“It will be good having you ladies organise this. Too often, we get lumbered with what the Albert Hall people want us to see. I’ll leave it to you, Willow, to set them right after the request is made known.”

“Thank you, sir. I will be there this afternoon, to talk to the Proms organisers.”

They nodded to the family as they left the room, waiting outside, with the guard, until a footman arrived to take them back to the entrance, where they were joined by Elaine and Shelly. In the car, Willow turned to Marian.

“Nothing said until we’re in the office.”

Elaine looked back at them.

“Interesting meeting, then?”

“It certainly was. Very much of a surprise. When we’ve discussed it with the Minister, and, the PM, I’ll call a meeting with all the detail to let you know what’s in our future. Elaine, can you ask Peter to contact the Kings’ detail to give them a briefing on the Watford Studio. It may have some relevance in a month or two but keep it under wraps.”

“Will do. It already sounds interesting.”

“More will come out next week, I expect. You’ll know when you read it in the papers. Now, we need to have lunch and then we’re at the Albert Hall for a meeting. After that, it’s back to Whitehall until home time. How about going back to my place for lunch?”

They all agreed that it was a good choice, both for the food and also for the security aspect. After that, they went to the Albert Hall for the meeting with the Proms organisers. That was successful, in that Willow was able to give them the approval for a trial run with film music but made the stipulation that the first show would be the following year, with it being an orchestra playing the classics, with the film of ‘Fantasia’ being shown on a screen erected in front of the organ loft.

After that, they went back to the office. Willow went to talk to Maude, and Marian wrote up her notes and compiled letters to the various people that were on her list, for Maude to sign as the Minister.

When Willow saw Maude, there were copies of the morning papers on the desk. Maude got up and gave her a hug.

“You’re starting on the right foot, my girl. Come along, I rang the PMs’ office, and he wants to see us as soon as you got back.”

Marianne Gregory © 2025