might be hindering Stephen’s career. It’s no secret to you that I’m looking forward to him retiring.’
‘What is obvious to me is that Stephen’s love for you and his family means far, far more to him than being a politician,’ Liam told her truthfully.
‘Sam used to be passionately resentful of the way her father’s career took him away from us all when she was younger,’ Sarah Jane commented ruefully as she walked across to her daughter’s photograph and picked it up.
‘Yup, I remember, and it wasn’t just his career she resented so passionately,’ Liam replied dryly.
Sarah Jane laughed. ‘Oh dear, yes, she did go through a phase of blaming you for his absences. She was jealous of you, of course, because you got to spend time in Washington with him whilst she couldn’t.
‘Poor Sam,’ Sarah Jane sighed. ‘She’d certainly never make a politician’s wife. I used to think that once she grew up she’d be less impulsive and...intense...but... I’ll go and get Stephen for you, Liam,’ she offered, putting the photograph back and walking towards his office.
In her absence Liam picked up the picture of Sam.
Sarah Jane was right, Sam would never make a politician’s wife. She would never toe the line, never keep a tactful silence when an issue was raised about which she felt passionately, and she felt passionately about every issue there was. She would never put her husband’s career before her own dearly held beliefs, she would never tell her children, their children, not to bother their father with their problems because he was a very busy and important man. She would never allow her man, her mate, to get the idea that she could be kept discreetly in the background and she would certainly never ever accept the kind of cold clinical and entirely rational relationship which Toni had recently outlined to him.
Oh, yes, there were a hundred, no, a thousand reasons why Sam would not make a good politician’s wife.
He was carefully replacing the photograph in its original position when Stephen came hurrying towards him, Sarah Jane not far behind.
‘Toni’s just been on the phone to me,’ he began, but Liam stopped him.
‘Yes, and I can guess what she had to say but what I told her stands. The voters of this country have to want me as their Governor as I am,’ he told Stephen firmly. ‘But that isn’t what I’ve come to tell you—I’m taking a couple of weeks leave.’
Stephen stared at him.
‘What! Right now, in the middle of the campaign...’
‘The campaign can run quite happily without me for a while. In fact, you never know, the voters might discover that an undiluted diet of Lee Calder might give them a craving for a different kind of politician.’
‘Mmm... Well, you could be right and you certainly won’t get any time to take any leave if you do get the governorship. Where are you planning to go?’
‘Ireland,’ Liam told him promptly.
‘Ireland...’ Both the Millers stared at him.
‘I’ve been meaning to visit over there for a while...trace my roots, that kind of thing,’ Liam told them vaguely.
‘Ireland, but it’s only just across the Irish Sea from Cheshire,’ Sarah Jane told him enthusiastically. ‘You could perhaps fit in a visit to Bobbie whilst you’re there. I know she’d love to see you.’
Liam gave a small shrug.
‘Bobbie might, but I doubt that Sam would...’
‘Well, that could be so.’ Sarah Jane paused and then laughed. ‘Although from what I hear from Bobbie, Sam is rather preoccupied at the moment. She’s been seeing rather a lot of James since she arrived.’
As Samantha’s parents exchanged smiles, neither of them saw the way Liam’s mouth tightened nor the look he flashed the silent photograph of their daughter.
* * *
S EATED IN HER sister’s kitchen Samantha leaned her chin into her hand and gave a small disconsolate sigh. So far her plans were not going entirely the way she wanted.
Oh, James was proving to be everything
‘What is obvious to me is that Stephen’s love for you and his family means far, far more to him than being a politician,’ Liam told her truthfully.
‘Sam used to be passionately resentful of the way her father’s career took him away from us all when she was younger,’ Sarah Jane commented ruefully as she walked across to her daughter’s photograph and picked it up.
‘Yup, I remember, and it wasn’t just his career she resented so passionately,’ Liam replied dryly.
Sarah Jane laughed. ‘Oh dear, yes, she did go through a phase of blaming you for his absences. She was jealous of you, of course, because you got to spend time in Washington with him whilst she couldn’t.
‘Poor Sam,’ Sarah Jane sighed. ‘She’d certainly never make a politician’s wife. I used to think that once she grew up she’d be less impulsive and...intense...but... I’ll go and get Stephen for you, Liam,’ she offered, putting the photograph back and walking towards his office.
In her absence Liam picked up the picture of Sam.
Sarah Jane was right, Sam would never make a politician’s wife. She would never toe the line, never keep a tactful silence when an issue was raised about which she felt passionately, and she felt passionately about every issue there was. She would never put her husband’s career before her own dearly held beliefs, she would never tell her children, their children, not to bother their father with their problems because he was a very busy and important man. She would never allow her man, her mate, to get the idea that she could be kept discreetly in the background and she would certainly never ever accept the kind of cold clinical and entirely rational relationship which Toni had recently outlined to him.
Oh, yes, there were a hundred, no, a thousand reasons why Sam would not make a good politician’s wife.
He was carefully replacing the photograph in its original position when Stephen came hurrying towards him, Sarah Jane not far behind.
‘Toni’s just been on the phone to me,’ he began, but Liam stopped him.
‘Yes, and I can guess what she had to say but what I told her stands. The voters of this country have to want me as their Governor as I am,’ he told Stephen firmly. ‘But that isn’t what I’ve come to tell you—I’m taking a couple of weeks leave.’
Stephen stared at him.
‘What! Right now, in the middle of the campaign...’
‘The campaign can run quite happily without me for a while. In fact, you never know, the voters might discover that an undiluted diet of Lee Calder might give them a craving for a different kind of politician.’
‘Mmm... Well, you could be right and you certainly won’t get any time to take any leave if you do get the governorship. Where are you planning to go?’
‘Ireland,’ Liam told him promptly.
‘Ireland...’ Both the Millers stared at him.
‘I’ve been meaning to visit over there for a while...trace my roots, that kind of thing,’ Liam told them vaguely.
‘Ireland, but it’s only just across the Irish Sea from Cheshire,’ Sarah Jane told him enthusiastically. ‘You could perhaps fit in a visit to Bobbie whilst you’re there. I know she’d love to see you.’
Liam gave a small shrug.
‘Bobbie might, but I doubt that Sam would...’
‘Well, that could be so.’ Sarah Jane paused and then laughed. ‘Although from what I hear from Bobbie, Sam is rather preoccupied at the moment. She’s been seeing rather a lot of James since she arrived.’
As Samantha’s parents exchanged smiles, neither of them saw the way Liam’s mouth tightened nor the look he flashed the silent photograph of their daughter.
* * *
S EATED IN HER sister’s kitchen Samantha leaned her chin into her hand and gave a small disconsolate sigh. So far her plans were not going entirely the way she wanted.
Oh, James was proving to be everything
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