The Sins of the Fathers

Part Two - Chapter One

The Sins of the Fathers

Part Two

The End of the Beginning

April 2064

Ellington Manor

Meadvale

Surrey

"So...fired...unemployed...and evicted from my grace and favour London house...rather spiteful that, I thought?" Joshua Trevor-Osborne sighed as his father handed him a glass of champagne and he clinked glasses with his brothers, and then Dr Blackstone and Mr Slade as well, who were being included in all family business, it seemed. He did not object, and he was certainly too polite to mention it, but it was another surprise on another strange day in his increasingly disordered life. He did not do chaos and confusion, in normal circumstances at least, but ever since he helped his stepfather enter the Winstanley Priory, everything had got a little out of sync. "Obviously, the press boys are being told that it is a planned reshuffle in mid-term, but it isn't...it is a massive lurch to the right...and the President only wants like minds at his side."

"Same here," Steven Trevor-Osborne confirmed as they all swapped stories, bringing each other up to date after a hectic morning. "But in my case the Prime Minister added that my position was untenable as soon as my involvement with the incursion into the Priory was proven beyond reasonable doubt?"

"Are they really trying to go back to that?" Sebastian Osborne asked, frowning as he urged everyone to sit down around the long table out on the terrace. "Harrison...did I not have our absolution for desecrating the Priory established in writing?"

"Above the PM's pay grade these days, Pa...he is just a glorified leader of the house...they just like the tradition of it...but it did prove that rumours are getting out?" Steven replied as he sat down next to Slade. "I took it as a warning shot?"

"You did get it in writing your grace...signed by the President and the Archbishop...but it is not actually a legal document...if the police turn up at your door, they could ignore it, and carry on regardless?" Harrison Slade informed them all, sipping his bubbles, but not really sure what they were celebrating. Palmer had warned them that the British would know all about the new allegations within twenty-four hours of delivering their evidence and witness to the United Nations, and even though the previous day had been Easter Sunday, he was just about right. Sebastian Osborne had taken them all to worship during the morning, at the New Cathedral, a first for Slade and the Blackstones, and then they had returned to the Manor for lunch, and before they reached the dessert course, Osborne had the first telephone call, from the President himself. He was told that their investigation was suspended until further notice and advised to keep a low profile. And then all of his three son's had been kicked out of their ministerial jobs in a supposed Cabinet reshuffle. "But if you published it, they would look a bit stupid?"

"Mr Slade...no one would let us publish it?" Joshua pointed out, and Slade grinned, turning to the bishop.

"Josh, Mr Slade has friends across the water, as you know...and up until yesterday, we had permission to share information with them...he convinced me to share a few other interesting documents as well?" Sebastian said, grinning back, still in a surprisingly cheerful mood for a man whose important work had just been thwarted. But Slade did know why, sort of. Over a light supper the night before, whilst the ladies were being put to bed, Osborne had expressed his delight that his good friend Charles Montague had done the right thing. It was becoming obvious to Slade and Blackstone that Bishop Osborne knew a lot more about everything than he was letting on, and it was clear that he did not approve of what Drew Symonds had done with Covid and the vaccine. But he insisted that he had only known for a few years, so there had been nothing much to do with that knowledge, other than to tell Montague that he ought to come clean. "We have back-up!"