THIRTY-THREE
Jim Samuels finished his telephone conversation with the prime minister just as Jack Austin ended his call with Lilac. ‘She’s a bit fruity, that Lilac girl, ain’t she?
‘Pots and kettles.’ Mandy said under her breath so everybody heard and enjoyed the jest, except Jack, who looked askance that his wife would consider he had a bit of a mouth on him and especially that he might look like a kettle. ‘Well you’re always spouting on,’ her coup-de-grace, and she left it there.
Dr Samuels brought the informal meeting around the Savoy lunch table to order.
‘Brunch.’ Jack responded.
‘What?’ Samuels asked, knowing he should have ignored Jack and carried on. Will he never learn?
‘It’s brunch, Jim. Will you never learn?’ And Jack smiled his beatific smile that he knew the Pope would l
