Chapter One
A story? There is always a story, they are almost mythic, about any great event be it calamitous or glorious. An otherwise uninteresting or trivial thing that is remembered through the ages and so it was also on this occasion. Footsteps come thundering down a dark corridor, a door bursts open with a sudden blaze of light which is all to quickly swallowed by the darkness as the portal closes. He is a youngish man, perhaps a little unfit, he breathes heavily as he runs down toward another door. He is quite clearly dressed in an odd fashion to even the casual observer, his calves bulge in their gaudy silk stocking covering with the effort and his powdered wig slides a little on the perspiration. With a seemingly monumental crash he enters a large room where two men are sitting sharing a drink and a cigarette. He turns to the elder one and tries not to slump, he can hardly find the air to utter a sentence and, in almost a whisper speaks, “Your Majesty...” the older man looks upon him kindly knowing the significance of his words and replies with a quoted Psalm “This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes”. So begins the legend of King Edward VIII of England, truly one of the most important people in the history of this great nation.
“The King is dead! Long live the King!”
“The King is dead! Long live the King!”
“The King is dead! Long live the King!”
St James Palace, 21st December 1936, 10:27
“The King is dead! Long live the King!”
“The King is dead! Long live the King!”
St James Palace, 21st December 1936, 10:27
Viscount Hailsham, Douglas Hogg Lord Chancellor, surveyed the scene at this Accession Council and his eyes came to rest upon the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin. As an old friend he approached the man with ease
“Ah Douglas, how nice to see you”
“Indeed and you too Stanley, just a shame about the circumstances”
“yes, and the successor too” Baldwin voiced his opinion gravely “he's just too involved with politics, he needs to be reminded that he is the Head of State and not government”
“Indeed and you too Stanley, just a shame about the circumstances”
“yes, and the successor too” Baldwin voiced his opinion gravely “he's just too involved with politics, he needs to be reminded that he is the Head of State and not government”
The morning drifted on, the concerns of the Prime Minister were valid and shared by a majority in the higher circles of government and many were discussing the topic as they awaited the arrival of the new Monarch. He seemed to them a man with a good heart, he had regularly visited places of poverty and degradation and had managed to sign up some 200,000 people to his 'back-to-work' scheme, but it was not right. As King of the country and all of the Empire, he really should have been above politics, someone remote from the people and above the 'petty squabbles' of Parliament. Well I just have to put him in his place then won't I, Baldwin thought as he stood next to a fireplace watching the crowd of important officials. From an alcove not far away a man in a plain grey-black suit appeared with the Home Secretary, he was trying to be inconspicuous, Stanley knew from this that he must be one of the MI5 men
“Simpson here sir, sorry to disturb you but we are getting reports about an attempt on the King's life” the matter of fact way in which he put it caught the Prime Minister off guard
“Yes, it's all a little sketchy at the moment Stanley, but it may be a genuine risk, after all he is flying from Sandringham today!” Sir John Simon was the Home Secretary and MI5 were directly responsible to him, his face was a little flushed, at that moment the young Simpson interjected
“Yes but the information is that it could be at almost any location, all we know is that it looks set to be a big attack”
“Yes, it's all a little sketchy at the moment Stanley, but it may be a genuine risk, after all he is flying from Sandringham today!” Sir John Simon was the Home Secretary and MI5 were directly responsible to him, his face was a little flushed, at that moment the young Simpson interjected
“Yes but the information is that it could be at almost any location, all we know is that it looks set to be a big attack”
At that moment Baldwin thought that everything had gone quiet, he heard a faint rumble that took an age to get to him. It was as if time stood almost still just ticking over very slowly...
...tick...
The bomb that had been placed in the cellar of the ancient brick built Palace was detonated by it's timer...
...tick...
At that point the King's car had pulled up to the entrance, a courtier was slowly opening the door...
...tick...
The immense blast tore through the floor of the banquet room where almost all of the Accession Council were situated...
...tick...
Sir William Cromwell is lifted off his feat as he returns from the bathroom and smashed against the great marble stair-case, he slumps down as a piece of door wings its way just over his head...
...tick...
The car containing the King and his brother shakes violently and is showered in glass, Edward pulls the, now bleeding courtier into the car as the secret service agent driving attempts to pull away at high speed...
...tick...tick...
Room 752, special bunker below Buckingham Palace, 19:17
Sir William is shown to the King's secure bunker door by the Sergeant at Arms, he enters slowly still limping from his injuries.
“Ah, Sir William, please take a seat” The King waited for the man to be seated and continued “How are you, I hear you received a heavy blow at the palace?”
“Nothing that I would bother you about your Majesty” Cromwell purred, always one to be casual about his own adversities.
“Well that certainly is good news, now down to business” Edward pulled a cigarette from it's packet and lit it. “You are the most prominent serving member to survive the bomb blast and your an independent. I think that that's important, as I wish you to form an interim government” he paused to take another drag and looked upon the man “you will need a lot of 'old faces' to put the public at ease and, of course, your cabinet should be balanced between all the major parties.” the oldish man managed to recover his usual composure.
“Certainly Sir, I shall proceed to Downing Street at once and do as you ask” he rose to leave, good man thought the King, I have asked him to do a most important task and he asks no questions or offer any arguments, but instead presses ahead with the task as if you had asked a man to dig a footing.
“Nothing that I would bother you about your Majesty” Cromwell purred, always one to be casual about his own adversities.
“Well that certainly is good news, now down to business” Edward pulled a cigarette from it's packet and lit it. “You are the most prominent serving member to survive the bomb blast and your an independent. I think that that's important, as I wish you to form an interim government” he paused to take another drag and looked upon the man “you will need a lot of 'old faces' to put the public at ease and, of course, your cabinet should be balanced between all the major parties.” the oldish man managed to recover his usual composure.
“Certainly Sir, I shall proceed to Downing Street at once and do as you ask” he rose to leave, good man thought the King, I have asked him to do a most important task and he asks no questions or offer any arguments, but instead presses ahead with the task as if you had asked a man to dig a footing.
Somewhere in central London, 21:28
A elderly man sits behind a desk as a younger agent in a ill fitting grey-black suit enters the room, his name is George Secker. He is well known in the service for getting things done, but also for speaking his mind to the wrong people at the wrong time. He is, therefore, not high ranking, but a man that Sir James, sitting behind the desk believes to be 'sound'.
“I won't dally with you Secker, I want you to find out who was behind the bomb plot. Take whoever you need and as much resources as you want, but you have little time. We must get results and that's why I've chosen you” the man tried to clear his head, he was still hung-over from the night before. Dam this job he thought, why him? Perhaps it was because he did not have any qualms about his work and how to do the job.
“Very well sir, I shall put the team together in the morning and get straight onto the case at once” he spoke with a low tone, still every word hit his head as a hammer “Will you get the files to my office?”
“There already there George, don't let me detaiN you further” Sir James watched as the man got slowly to his feet and left quietly.
“Are you sure he is the right man for the job?” said a man that had appeared from a deep alcove
“Yes I'm quite sure, we'll give him the clues and the trail and I'm sure he'll end up reporting back to us in the way that we want”
“That is excellent news, I shall let him know that the plan is running smoothly” both men knew what they were doing was dangerous, but also that 'him' would reward them greatly.
“Very well sir, I shall put the team together in the morning and get straight onto the case at once” he spoke with a low tone, still every word hit his head as a hammer “Will you get the files to my office?”
“There already there George, don't let me detaiN you further” Sir James watched as the man got slowly to his feet and left quietly.
“Are you sure he is the right man for the job?” said a man that had appeared from a deep alcove
“Yes I'm quite sure, we'll give him the clues and the trail and I'm sure he'll end up reporting back to us in the way that we want”
“That is excellent news, I shall let him know that the plan is running smoothly” both men knew what they were doing was dangerous, but also that 'him' would reward them greatly.
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excellent start!
