thisbluespirit: (dw - two)
thisbluespirit ([personal profile] thisbluespirit) wrote in [community profile] rainbowfic2020-09-09 09:12 pm

Acanthus #18 [Divide and Rule]

Name: So Sharp He’d Cut Himself
Story: Divide & Rule/Heroes of the Revolution
Colors: Acanthus #18 (razor)
Supplies and Styles: None.
Word Count: 790
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1917, 1938, 1948; Amyas Harding, Edward Iveson.
Summary: The secret about Amyas is that, strange to say, he has no secrets worth the telling.

***

1917

Amyas sits at the wooden folding desk, pencil sharpened, waiting for the paper. Waiting for his chance. Head down, answers at the ready. He can do it.

Success means grammar school and a wider life at the end of it. He doesn’t know what he wants, but definitely not to fail; to be forced to leave school at fourteen and wind up a shipping clerk in a dingy first floor office. Amyas is keen, full of questions, and unwisely big ideas.

He completes the paper; he gives the right answers. He cuts through to the next level.




1938

The reflection in Amyas’s mirror stares back at him, paused for a moment with shaving razor in hand, before he gets to work. He needs to look his sharpest. Mr Alleyne, junior partner in the firm, has invited him to join the Liberal Club. He needs to make the right impression.

He shrugs on his rented dinner jacket and grins into the mirror. He’s been bluffing his way into places forever. It usually seems to work. He’ll do this. Create himself once again in a new image, the inconvenient aspects sliced away.

He wants this, though. He mustn’t let that throw him off. Blagging’s easier when you don’t care too much, but this is his future. Get into politics, change the way of the world for everyone, not only himself.

Speeches and big ideas and tall tales, they’re not so far apart. Amyas not only makes it; he enjoys the ride.




1948

Amyas Harding is a senior member of the Cabinet, President of the Board of Trade, Member for Islington North. He’s a regular at the Club, and lives in a service flat, while his wife takes care of their home in the country. Everyone knows his name. He’s progressed from rising star to pillar of the party. He tells tales of his life to anyone who will listen and they all believe in his carefully constructed fantasy. It’s not as if there’s anything to hide.

Other people now, they cling to the past, and they all have secrets. Harding likes to know what they are, especially when it comes to his allies. Nobody wants the party brought low by blackmail and scandal.

“Ah, Iveson,” Harding says, striding across to meet his guest. He shakes Edward Iveson’s hand warmly. He’s some fellow from the Foreign Office Crispin Morley has taken under his wing – wants him to stand for parliament. “Glad you could make it. Not having second thoughts, I trust?”

Iveson glances around the club as they sit down. “I’m not entirely sure yet. I appreciate the compliment, but do you honestly think I have a chance?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” says Amyas, turning his head towards the steward, nodding to him to bring the brandy. “Crispin Morley thinks so, and I have a great respect for his judgment. That said, if you don’t want this yourself, the whole business is no use at all.”

“I believe I do. I’d never considered it before, you see. There is also the matter of my personal history. Mr Morley doesn’t feel the fact that I’m divorced is a barrier, but then he does tend to think the best of people.”

Amyas pushes a glass towards Iveson. “My dear fellow, Morley has been in politics for far too long for that to be the case. Although, that said, if you can do something about getting married again, it would help.”

“Easier said than done.”

“It’s a matter of what you want,” Amyas reminds him. “Same as everything else. But there’s nothing to be done about that tonight, so drink up. Let me warn you now – I intend to get you drunk and uncover your darkest secrets.”

“Very disarming of you,” murmurs Iveson. He leans forward, a brief gleam of amusement lightening his face. “It’s only fair to warn you, sir, that you are bound to be disappointed.”

Amyas concentrates on lighting his cigar. “Nonsense. The outcome will be enlightening regardless, I assure you. Besides, everyone has secrets.”

“Do you?”

He leans back in the chair and blows out smoke. “Naturally, but they’re rather dull. I tell everybody the interesting ones.”

“Very disarming of you,” Iveson says again, and Amyas grins. Crispin is right, he thinks. Iveson may well do.

Harding doesn’t worry about his secrets. He’s not lying about the mundane nature of what he keeps hidden – that he worked his way up the hard way out of sheer determination isn’t going to scandalise the town. His vices are all far more well-known and entertaining – and distracting. He’s severed his ties to the irrelevant parts of his life neatly and with no hard feelings. It’s a job well done.

***
bookblather: A picture of Yomiko Readman looking at books with the text "bookgasm." (Default)

[personal profile] bookblather 2020-09-20 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, wow, this is incredible. I'm a little terrified of Amyas now...