of their rag,
Redress
. There’s a mention of me in the latest issue. It could be libellous. I’m taking advice from Henry Makins. If he advises that it’s actionable, I’ll sue.”
Laud said: “Is that wise? You’ll get nothing unless they’re insured. Are they worth the time or the trouble?”
“Probably not, but with the press as mean-minded and vicious as some of it is today it’s unwise to let the idea get around that you can’t be bothered to sue. You know as well as I that the litigious generally get left alone. Look at Robert Maxwell. And I can afford Henry Makins, Redress can’t. If you are worried about the reputation of the law, why don’t you apply your minds to that inequality? What is it that you currently charge for an hour of your time, Drysdale? Four hundred pounds, isn’t it? Five hundred? That effectively puts justice out of the reach of most people. Doing something about that is rather more difficult than pushing a few women into jobs for which they are under-qualified, in the interests of balance…”
She paused. Neither of the men spoke. Then she said: “So what’s your other problem? You said there were two. It’s Harry Naughton’s retirement, I suppose.”
Langton said: “Harry’s sixty-five at the end of the month. His contract ends then but he’d very much like another three years. His boy, Stephen, has got a place at university — Reading. He’s just started on his first year. It’s a big thing for them. But it means, of course, that the boy won’t be earning and naturally they’re worried. They can manage but it would be easier if Harry could carry on here for a year or two.”
Laud added: “He’s good for another three years at least. Sixty-five is young for a healthy man to be pensioned off if he wants to go on working. We could give him an extension, renewed annually, and see how it goes.”
Venetia said: “He’s a perfectly competent Senior Clerk. He’s conscientious, methodical, accurate and he gets the money in on time. I have no complaint about Harry, but things have changed since he succeeded his father here. He’s made no attempt to come to terms with the new technology. All right, so the junior clerks, Terry and Scott, have. It comes easily to their generation. We haven’t lost out. And I sympathize with Harry. I rather like his Wall chart and personal files and his little flags showing where we’re appearing. But he should go when he’s due to go. We all should. You know my views. What we need is a Chambers manager. If we’re going to expand — and we are expanding — the office and services need modernizing.”
“He’ll take it very hard. He’s given thirty-nine years to these Chambers and his father was Senior Clerk before him.”
Venetia cried: “For God’s sake, Hubert, you’re not sacking the man! He’s had thirty-nine good years and he’s reached retirement age. He’ll get his pension and no doubt a little present to go with it. Of course you want him to stay on. That way you can postpone another difficult decision. You won’t have to decide for another three years what Chambers really needs and set about putting it in place. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do. You’ve had your answers. If I’ve any influence in Chambers then Jonathan Skollard will get the second vacancy and Harry won’t get an extension. And for God’s sake, both of you, show some guts! Why not make a decision on its merits for a change?”
They watched her without speaking as she went to the door. God, she thought, what an awful day. What a horrible day. And now she had to tackle Simon Costello. That, of course, could wait but she was in no mood to let it wait, no mood to show mercy to any man. But there was one thing more to be said to the archbishops. She turned at the door and looked at Laud.
“And if you’re worried that Chambers may be getting a reputation for misogyny, relax. I’m the senior member after Hubert. Having a
Redress
. There’s a mention of me in the latest issue. It could be libellous. I’m taking advice from Henry Makins. If he advises that it’s actionable, I’ll sue.”
Laud said: “Is that wise? You’ll get nothing unless they’re insured. Are they worth the time or the trouble?”
“Probably not, but with the press as mean-minded and vicious as some of it is today it’s unwise to let the idea get around that you can’t be bothered to sue. You know as well as I that the litigious generally get left alone. Look at Robert Maxwell. And I can afford Henry Makins, Redress can’t. If you are worried about the reputation of the law, why don’t you apply your minds to that inequality? What is it that you currently charge for an hour of your time, Drysdale? Four hundred pounds, isn’t it? Five hundred? That effectively puts justice out of the reach of most people. Doing something about that is rather more difficult than pushing a few women into jobs for which they are under-qualified, in the interests of balance…”
She paused. Neither of the men spoke. Then she said: “So what’s your other problem? You said there were two. It’s Harry Naughton’s retirement, I suppose.”
Langton said: “Harry’s sixty-five at the end of the month. His contract ends then but he’d very much like another three years. His boy, Stephen, has got a place at university — Reading. He’s just started on his first year. It’s a big thing for them. But it means, of course, that the boy won’t be earning and naturally they’re worried. They can manage but it would be easier if Harry could carry on here for a year or two.”
Laud added: “He’s good for another three years at least. Sixty-five is young for a healthy man to be pensioned off if he wants to go on working. We could give him an extension, renewed annually, and see how it goes.”
Venetia said: “He’s a perfectly competent Senior Clerk. He’s conscientious, methodical, accurate and he gets the money in on time. I have no complaint about Harry, but things have changed since he succeeded his father here. He’s made no attempt to come to terms with the new technology. All right, so the junior clerks, Terry and Scott, have. It comes easily to their generation. We haven’t lost out. And I sympathize with Harry. I rather like his Wall chart and personal files and his little flags showing where we’re appearing. But he should go when he’s due to go. We all should. You know my views. What we need is a Chambers manager. If we’re going to expand — and we are expanding — the office and services need modernizing.”
“He’ll take it very hard. He’s given thirty-nine years to these Chambers and his father was Senior Clerk before him.”
Venetia cried: “For God’s sake, Hubert, you’re not sacking the man! He’s had thirty-nine good years and he’s reached retirement age. He’ll get his pension and no doubt a little present to go with it. Of course you want him to stay on. That way you can postpone another difficult decision. You won’t have to decide for another three years what Chambers really needs and set about putting it in place. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do. You’ve had your answers. If I’ve any influence in Chambers then Jonathan Skollard will get the second vacancy and Harry won’t get an extension. And for God’s sake, both of you, show some guts! Why not make a decision on its merits for a change?”
They watched her without speaking as she went to the door. God, she thought, what an awful day. What a horrible day. And now she had to tackle Simon Costello. That, of course, could wait but she was in no mood to let it wait, no mood to show mercy to any man. But there was one thing more to be said to the archbishops. She turned at the door and looked at Laud.
“And if you’re worried that Chambers may be getting a reputation for misogyny, relax. I’m the senior member after Hubert. Having a
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