( *closed starter for @isles-of-man* )
She did not know how it happened - one would think the last six months of baby-kissing, glad-handing, PR showmanship beyond excellence and charity endeavors would’ve guaranteed her continued popularity. But no….she was scoring in the latest polls a full seven points lower and even though she knew full well that by rights, it should be zero (what the public doesn’t know, never hurts them!), it bothered her. So much, that her first response to hearing the news was to toss an antique crystal tumbler full of Stoli Elit, directly at the Head of her Public Relations Team. He ducked and her shot missed, but only just.
“How the fuck did this happen? I paid you, very generously I might add, to ensure that my image was kept pristine! And yet, all those awful events I had to go to, the human detritus I had to endure with their banal tales of woe and misfortune and now………bloody Diane Abbot is three points above me? You are so fucking fired Rupert!”.
“It’s……it’s maybe that you’re still single Ms Prince?” the near-cowering man ventured. “You know that unmarried women, even widows, are still something of an unknown quantity, in the eyes of Joe Public I mean”.
“You’re suggesting I marry?” she enquired, a cold glint of darkest black in her usually brown eyes.
“And who the hell do you consider this extremely lucky man should be?”.
“There is one……..fellow politician, same party allegiance, well respected. Not even that bad looking to be honest. Considered something of a powerhouse of the front benchers, though has a reputation for being a hardarse. But I’m sure you can manage him just fine” Rupert sneered back at her, the grease in his words only matched by his overly oily complexion.
She reached out, extending perfect manicured fingers to the keyboard, poised and ready for the hunt.
A pause here, Rupert holding his breath for added cache at his brilliance for coming up with this plan. “Henry Leon, ma’am”.
He had to be kidding, surely. Leon wasn't just anyone. His name was very much in the running for the top job, one day. There laid heat and notoriety. She was happy being 'rank and file', flying under the radar while courting media when it suited.
Plus Leon, she knew, was ex-SIS. Having a man with those sort of skills around her could become problematic if he became curious over her 'business interests'. At the same time, if he was of the same bent as she, they could prove invaluable. One never knew when entering a new association, just what you might get with a potential partner. Hmmm, there was a lot to consider here.
A 'sounding out' session couldn't hurt.
“Arrange a meeting - Friday evening, here. Make sure we have a plentiful stock of Laphorig, Hennesey, Belvedere and Krug - surely there will be something there to tempt him. Then order canapes from Fortnum’s and book me a full body waxing appointment at 8am that same morning!”.
Rupert wasn’t her secretary, but he was the only one here she could bark orders at. So he’d do.