First Among Equals Read Online Free PDF Page A

bank although for two gererations the family had been only minority
sb.areholders, with Charles himself in possession ofa mere 2 percent of the
stock. Nevertheless, as his brother Rupert showed no desire to represent the
farnily intefests, the 2 percent guaranteed Charles a place on the board and an
income sufficient to insure that his paltry parlianientary salary of f 1,750 a
year was adequately supplemented.
    Froin the day
Charles had first taken his place on the board of Hampton’s, he had had no
doubt that the new chairman. Derek Spencer, considered
him a dangerous rivai. Spenccr had lobbied to have Rupert replace his father
upon the latter’s retirement, and only because of Charles’s insistence had
Spencer failed to move the old earl to his way of thinking.
    When Charles
went on to win his seat in Parliament, Spencer at once raised the problem that
his burdensome responsibilities at the House would prevent him from carrying;
out his day to day duties to the board.
    However,
Charles was able to convince a majority of his fellow directors of the
advantages of having someone from the board at Westminster, although the rules
dictated that his private employment would have to cease if he was ever invited
to be a Minister of the Crown.
    Charles left
the Daimler in Hampton’s courtyard. It amused him to consider that his parking
space was worth twenty times the value of the car. The area at the front of
Hampton’s was a relic of his great-grandfather’s day. The twelfth Ear[ of Bridgewater had insisted on an entrance large enough
to allow a complete sweep for his coachand tour.
    That conveyance
had long disappeared, to be replaced by twelve parking spaces for Hampton
directors. Derek Spencer, despite all his grammar-school virtues, had never
suggested that the land be used for any other purpose.
    The young girl
seated at the reception desk abruptly stopped polishing her nails in time to
say “Good morning, Mr. Charles,” as he came through the revolving doors and
disappeared into a waiting elevator. A few moments later Charles was seated
behind a desk in his small oak-paneled office, a clean white memo pad in front
of him. He pressed a button on the intercom and told his secretary that he did
not want to be disturbed during the next hour.
    Every
Conservative member of Parliament assumed that after
his defeat in the election Sir Alec DouglasHome would soon step down as Leader
of the Opposition. Now, in the spring of 1965,
    Charles knew he
had to decide whose coattail to hang onto. While he remained in Opposition, his
only hope was of being offered a junior Shadow post, but that could turn out to
be the stepping-stone to becoming a Government Minister if the Conservatives
won the next election. He faced the first major test of his career.
    Sixty minutes
later the white pad had twelve names penciled on it, but ten already had lines
drawn through 29 them. Only the names of Reginald Maudling and Edward Heath
remained.
    Charles tore
off the piece of paper and the indented sheet underri-eath and put them both
through the shredder by the side of his desk. He tried to summon up some
interest in the agenda for the bank’s weekly board meeting; only or.e item,
item seven, seemed to be of any importance. Just before eleven, he gathered up
his papers and headed toward the boardroom. Most of his colleagues were already
seated when Derek Spencer called item number I as the boardroom clock chimed
the hour.
    During the
ensuing predictable discussion on bank rates, the movement in metal prices,
Eurobonds and client-investment policy, Charles’s mind kept wandering back to
the forthcoming Leadership election and the importance of backing the winner if
he was to be quickly promoted frorn the back benches.
    By the time
they reached item 7 on the agenda Charles had made tip his wind. Derek Spencer
opened a discussion or, the proposed loans to Mexico and Poland, and most of’
the board members agreed with him that the bank should