ignored the shouts from the conductor and dug his hands in his pockets. He was in a black mood. Suzy was off
to Malaga in the morning, he’d had to find himself somewhere to stay at bloody short notice and he no longer had the car.
Being without the Mercedes really got to him. Striding off in the direction of St. James’s Palace, he took a left turn and
walked along St. James’s Street, glancing miserably in the window of Lock & Co. at a panama he could not afford and hurrying
past Berry Bros, and Rudd. Without Suzy to finance his living expenses, wine on account and expensive headgear were out of
the question. He carried on down the street, keeping his eyes ahead, and turned the corner into Marlborough Road.
“Good evening, sir.”
He took his hands out of his pockets and nodded at the policeman on duty. “Major Phillip Mills,” he said.
“Mills… Mills…” The policeman ran his finger along the list he had on his clipboard. “Ah, here it is.” He looked
up and smiled. “Thank you, major. Go on through.”
Phillip walked past the barrier toward the palace and took the third door on the right. He was meeting Bertram in the mess
to collect the key to his flat and finalize a few details. He hoped to God the man didn’t have any cats to feed.
“Evening, sir.”
“Hello, corporal.” Phillip handed his raincoat over. “I’ll have a gin and tonic.” The corporal nodded. “Is Captain Bertram
in the mess yet, d’you know?”
“No, sir, he’s been called away, he left a message for you, sir.”
“Called away?” Phillip held down his irritation. If Bertram had skipped off without making arrangements for him he would be
well and truly beggared.
“It’s Major Mills, isn’t it?”
“Yes!” Phillip snapped. He was in no mood to be civil.
“Erm, Major Latham is in the mess, sir, he’s expecting you.”
“Who the devil is Major Latham?” Phillip sighed irritably and straightened his jacket. He turned and walked into the mess,
wondering what the hell he was going to do; the last thing he wanted was to go home to his mother in Wey-bridge.
“Phillip?”
Phillip looked across the room. “My God! Teddy Latham!” His face broke into a broad grin as he hurried across to his old chum.
“Of course, Major Latham! What the hell are you doing here?” The two men shook hands warmly.
“I haven’t seen you for bloody years, you old dog!” Phillip beamed. “The last time was…?”
“Old boys cricket,” Teddy filled in for him. “Fifteen years ago this summer! You got drunk as a skunk on Sussex ale and passed
out on Smythe’s parent’s Chinese rug just before dinner!”
Phillip burst out laughing. “And everyone apparently just stepped over me to get to the dining-room!”
“Sir?”
Phillip turned and took his gin and tonic from the tray. “Can I get you a drink, Teddy?”
“No, no thanks, Pip, I’ll have to make tracks in a few minutes.”
“Oh, go on! It’s not every day that you meet up with an old school chum.” Phillip took a large gulp of his gin. “To tell the
truth I could do with some cheering up.”
“All right then!” Teddy laughed, in exactly the same way that Phillip remembered from school, a loud noisy chuckle coming
from the back of his throat. “I’ll have a pint of ale please, corporal.”
“Yes, sir.”
They walked across to the seating and Teddy stood by the fireplace while Phillip made himself comfortable in an old leather
armchair. He took out his cigarettes and offered one to Teddy.
“So what are you doing here?” he asked, lighting up.
“Ceremonial duties, a sixth-month stint by the Welsh Dragoon Guards.”
“Good Lord! I’d completely forgotten you’d gone into the Welsh Guards. Couldn’t for the life of me think who Major Latham
was when the corporal mentioned you.” Teddy laughed again just as his drink arrived. Phillip motioned for the corporal to
bring him an ashtray. “So where’re you living
to Malaga in the morning, he’d had to find himself somewhere to stay at bloody short notice and he no longer had the car.
Being without the Mercedes really got to him. Striding off in the direction of St. James’s Palace, he took a left turn and
walked along St. James’s Street, glancing miserably in the window of Lock & Co. at a panama he could not afford and hurrying
past Berry Bros, and Rudd. Without Suzy to finance his living expenses, wine on account and expensive headgear were out of
the question. He carried on down the street, keeping his eyes ahead, and turned the corner into Marlborough Road.
“Good evening, sir.”
He took his hands out of his pockets and nodded at the policeman on duty. “Major Phillip Mills,” he said.
“Mills… Mills…” The policeman ran his finger along the list he had on his clipboard. “Ah, here it is.” He looked
up and smiled. “Thank you, major. Go on through.”
Phillip walked past the barrier toward the palace and took the third door on the right. He was meeting Bertram in the mess
to collect the key to his flat and finalize a few details. He hoped to God the man didn’t have any cats to feed.
“Evening, sir.”
“Hello, corporal.” Phillip handed his raincoat over. “I’ll have a gin and tonic.” The corporal nodded. “Is Captain Bertram
in the mess yet, d’you know?”
“No, sir, he’s been called away, he left a message for you, sir.”
“Called away?” Phillip held down his irritation. If Bertram had skipped off without making arrangements for him he would be
well and truly beggared.
“It’s Major Mills, isn’t it?”
“Yes!” Phillip snapped. He was in no mood to be civil.
“Erm, Major Latham is in the mess, sir, he’s expecting you.”
“Who the devil is Major Latham?” Phillip sighed irritably and straightened his jacket. He turned and walked into the mess,
wondering what the hell he was going to do; the last thing he wanted was to go home to his mother in Wey-bridge.
“Phillip?”
Phillip looked across the room. “My God! Teddy Latham!” His face broke into a broad grin as he hurried across to his old chum.
“Of course, Major Latham! What the hell are you doing here?” The two men shook hands warmly.
“I haven’t seen you for bloody years, you old dog!” Phillip beamed. “The last time was…?”
“Old boys cricket,” Teddy filled in for him. “Fifteen years ago this summer! You got drunk as a skunk on Sussex ale and passed
out on Smythe’s parent’s Chinese rug just before dinner!”
Phillip burst out laughing. “And everyone apparently just stepped over me to get to the dining-room!”
“Sir?”
Phillip turned and took his gin and tonic from the tray. “Can I get you a drink, Teddy?”
“No, no thanks, Pip, I’ll have to make tracks in a few minutes.”
“Oh, go on! It’s not every day that you meet up with an old school chum.” Phillip took a large gulp of his gin. “To tell the
truth I could do with some cheering up.”
“All right then!” Teddy laughed, in exactly the same way that Phillip remembered from school, a loud noisy chuckle coming
from the back of his throat. “I’ll have a pint of ale please, corporal.”
“Yes, sir.”
They walked across to the seating and Teddy stood by the fireplace while Phillip made himself comfortable in an old leather
armchair. He took out his cigarettes and offered one to Teddy.
“So what are you doing here?” he asked, lighting up.
“Ceremonial duties, a sixth-month stint by the Welsh Dragoon Guards.”
“Good Lord! I’d completely forgotten you’d gone into the Welsh Guards. Couldn’t for the life of me think who Major Latham
was when the corporal mentioned you.” Teddy laughed again just as his drink arrived. Phillip motioned for the corporal to
bring him an ashtray. “So where’re you living
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