Exhaustion and the consumption of whisky overtook me on the car journey home, forcing me to apologise to Fraser for falling asleep and only waking on our arrival at Whitehall. Apparently, I"d slept for a solid forty minutes from the time of taking Michael Simmons"s call. It felt as though I"d had a full night of sleep as I was wide awake and raring to go. That couldn"t be said of Fraser who, despite or maybe because of staying awake to speak to both Frank and Jimmy on the drive from Beaulieu, looked debilitated on the short walk from the lifts to the spare apartment. I enquired about his health and was told to mind my own business in a deep Scottish voice he normally reserved for Molly when she likewise enquired. In many ways I needed that show of affection, even allowing for its alcoholic
