Part 10 (2/2)

'Ruby.'

'You're the banker, right?'

'I was. What about you?'

'I've just finished up as press secretary to the Queensland Premier. Now I'm here to help Di shepherd her flock.'

The pilot announced we would soon be landing. Coffee tables were lowered, seats moved upright and merlot confiscated. No great loss.

'Archie, you don't happen to know if there's going to be accommodation provided for us tonight, do you?'

He laughed. 'Beryl sorts those logistics. You'll be right.'

As soon as we landed, people reached frantically for their phones and switched them on, triggering a trill of ring tones.

Archie took a call. 'Gary, how're you travelling? You're what? Are we off the record, Gary? Good, then I'll speak plainly. You can't seriously be running with a story about the word ”bull” when one of the country's longest serving prime ministers has been unceremoniously replaced by his once-loyal minister and we've been plunged into an early election to ”rea.s.sure” her that she made the right decision?'

Archie winked at me and scribbled the name 'Spinnaker' on a piece of paper. He held it up to show Di, who was on a call with another journalist about the same issue. She rolled her eyes and made a w.a.n.king gesture.

'See you, mate. Hope you'll be joining us on the trail- we should grab a beer.' Archie pretended to stick his fingers down his throat.

Di finished her call just after Archie. 'Spinnaker's such a-'

'Princess,' Archie cut in.

They appeared to be getting on famously, but I suspected that Di wasn't overly comfortable with sharing her 'flock'.

She clasped her hands around her mouth to form a megaphone. 'Listen up, kids. We've got snappers downstairs looking for a few action shots of the LOO using the BBJ for the first time-a bit of colour for tomorrow's papers. The coppers and Max will walk downstairs first. Luke and I will go next. Give us about three minutes before you follow. Don't look forlorn, please. Don't smile, but don't look depressed-we need to look in control and businesslike.'

She turned to the party director. 'Do you mind staying put for a bit? I don't think your being here sends the right message.'

'Of course.' Mirabelle stepped back into the office.

'Showtime,' said Max, disembarking to a flurry of flashes. Luke and Di waited a minute before leaving.

Then, to our astonishment, Archie went to the door. I coughed to grab his attention. Shoosh, Ruby, ordered my head. He turned and caught my gaze.

'Aren't we waiting here for a few minutes?' I asked casually.

'No need, Roo.' He winked. 'They've already got what they came for.' He proceeded down the stairs. Flash, flash.

Those of us remaining exchanged disapproving glances. 'Di is not going to be happy with that,' said Theo.

A few minutes later, we piled into a coach waiting on the tarmac. Di and Archie were sitting in diagonally opposite seats, on separate calls. The ensuing break from conversation, however awkward, provided an opportunity to call Fran.

'Hewwo, this is Cwementine speaking.'

'Clem, it's Aunty Ruby. How are you?'

'Tewwible, Aunty Wooby. Da dent.i.th said thumb childwen take a wong time to wooz teef, so I fought I might make it go a wittle bit more quickwy.'

Fran picked up the extension. 'Hang up, please, Clementine.'

Clunk.

'She saw a cartoon about connecting your tooth to a door and slamming it to make it fall out.'

'You mean that really works?'

'No,' Fran said. 'But she fell flat on her face in the process and almost bit through her tongue.'

I tried not to laugh.

'I have a self-harming four-year-old, Ruby. If this is how she is over the Tooth Fairy, can you imagine the lengths she'll go to when she hears what people pay for organs in the Far East?'

Now I had to laugh. 'At least she's entrepreneurial.'

'I suppose,' she sighed. 'How's the Yarra Valley?'

'I'm in Sydney.' While we'd been talking, the bus had left the airport. I peered out the window at the brightly lit billboards.

'Sydney! Good grief, you haven't married some hideous surfer dude, have you, Ruby?'

'I have not and will not marry a surfer dude,' I said sternly. Several of my new colleagues turned to stare at me. I smiled awkwardly and lowered my voice to a whisper. 'A snap election has been called by the new Australian Prime Minister. She got rid of her predecessor this morning.

'I met the Leader of the Opposition's Chief of Staff at that party I went to on the weekend. Luke offered me a job on the campaign. I accepted. Sort of.' Saying it excited me. 'I've just flown on a government jet from Melbourne to Sydney, where I'm hoping someone has looked into organising a visa for me so I can do this lawfully. Now, you may speak.'

'Ruby! How long is the campaign?'

'The election is on the third of April.'

'Clementine really misses you, Ruby,' she said, in a neat transfer of emotion.

'I really want to do this, Fran.'

'Well,' she said, then paused to prevent herself from telling me to come home at once, 'Clementine will understand- she'll be happy for you, darling.'

'Thank you,' I said sincerely. 'Must go.'

We had arrived at a hotel outside which Beryl stood with a clipboard. As we got off the bus, she handed us each a room key and our luggage.

At my turn, she said, 'Roo, I have a laptop and log-in details for you, a phone and number, and an employment contract from the party. And someone there is sorting your visa. I've sent an email about this to your new address. Next!'

I ran for the lift and hit the b.u.t.ton for the twelfth floor. As the doors closed a manicured hand reached in and stopped them. It was Di. She was still livid. The elevator began to move.

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