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morning.
    Richard had been informed in a phone call by Henry on Saturday afternoon that the Sunday Echo would be running the story the following day. Henry had picked up an early edition and read it word-for-word to Richard late on Saturday night as Anna lay on the sofa across from him, sobbing into a cushion. Richard had sat in complete silence as he heard how Sylvia Levine had damned his wife with praise as she described the time Anna had spent working for her. “She was a very beautiful young lady and the punters absolutely loved her,” she’d been quoted as saying. “I could have booked her every night of the week if she’d been available.” And while the paper hadn’t actually stated whether any of Anna’s encounters had been sexual, it had strongly hinted that way.
    “Anna was a very obliging employee,” Sylvia had cryptically added. “She had no problem with the work and was good at keeping the customers happy.”
    Once Henry had finished reading the article – which had been spread over three pages – the two men had hastily prepared a statement in Richard’s name, designed to distance the Opposition leader from the allegations whilst simultaneously down-playing them.
    Richard and Henry had been satisfied that that statement would achieve its purpose, but the UK media had other ideas. The newspaper headlines spread over the meeting table that Monday morning screamed trouble at the three men gazing forlornly down at them: Democrats’ Whitewash on Lloyd Escort Girl Claims , one tabloid shouted, while another’s front page featured a large picture of Richard scowling (snapped over a year ago when he was papped leaving a restaurant) and reading : This Looks Tricky Dicky – SDP leader in a spin over wife’s escort past .
    Henry smiled unconvincingly at Richard and Ray: “Looks like our attempts to move the news agenda on haven’t quite taken hold yet.”
    “You’re a master of stating the bloody obvious,” sniped Ray. “Don’t you think you’d better tell us what you’re going to do to make up for the even deeper shit you’ve put Richard in?”
    “I’ve not put anyone in shit, Ray,” Henry hit back. “It would appear that it’s Anna who’s got us here.” Henry then turned on Richard: “Has she told you whether it’s true or not yet?”
    Richard continued to stare blankly at the newspapers in front of him: “She said parts of it are true.”
    “Parts? Which parts?” yelled Henry.
    “She worked for the escort agency but she didn’t shag anyone, all right.” Richard’s cheeks flushed with stress and embarrassment as he forced himself to look Henry in the eye.
    “Do us a favour, Henry,” Ray chipped in again, “and save us the self-righteous act. We’re supposed to be here as a team.”
    “Well, that’s a nice sentiment, Ray. But we need to establish all the facts and we need to think quickly. The truth is this isn’t going away, Richard. The way I see it you have two choices…”
    Richard continued to look at Henry although he was unsure whether he wanted to hear the options he was about to set out.
    “You can either stand by Anna and we tough this out, but risk it throwing the election campaign, or we ask her to step aside until the election’s over.”
    “What do you mean step aside?” asked Richard.
    “I mean you announce a separation which we’ll say is giving you some space to reflect on what’s happened and to focus on the campaign. The message will be loud and clear: No distractions.”
    “You’re asking Richard to chuck his wife out until we win in other words,” said Ray, before adding: “Do he and Anna get a say in this at all?”
    “Anna doesn’t, no,” smirked Henry. “But she’s in no position to argue right now. The best thing for everyone is if she takes a nice little holiday abroad until this blows over and lets us get on with the job in hand.”
    Ray turned to Richard, searching his face for clues as to what he could be thinking, but the