Page 163 of The Unlikely Pair
Wilderness Warrior: How Harry Matheson’s Survival Skills Saved the Day
The headlines are all over the tabloids. According to an ‘unnamed source,’ I took charge of the situation in Scandinavia, using my superior survival skills to forage for food, build shelter, and keep us both alive, while Toby was more of a hindrance than an asset.
I stride into Amanda’s chairperson office in the Conservative Party headquarters without bothering to knock.
I slam the broadsheet down on the table. “Would you care to explain this?”
Amanda looks up from her laptop, her expression mild.
“You obviously haven’t provided enough details about your rescue to satisfy the tabloids, so they’re making up their own stories,” she says.
I fix her with a stern look. “Are you attempting to tell me you have no knowledge of this?”
Her gaze skitters away from mine. “I’m doing everything possible to get us into government, Harry. Sometimes, that means seeing the bigger picture.”
“From this point forward, everything must go through me. Do you understand? Everything! Or else I shall be forced to go on record contradicting these ‘leaks,’ which would result in you losing all credibility with the papers.”
Amanda leans back in her chair and regards me. “What’s got you so worked up, Harry?”
Bloody hell. Even if I wanted to tell her the truth, could I even answer that question accurately? The weight of knowing things are over between Toby and me sits heavy on my chest. I never knew ending things with Toby would feel like ending a part of myself.
“It’s unfair to Toby to be portrayed in this manner,” I finally manage to say.
Her eyes narrow. “I think you need to decide whether your loyalty is to the Conservative Party or Toby Webley.”
My breath catches in my throat.
“My loyalty, in fact, lies with my own integrity,” I spit out. “And that shall never change.”
Her eyebrows fly up, but she answers me calmly. “Yes, yes, it’s all very nice to promote the bipartisan cooperation you spoke about in your interview. But once we’re in government, you’ll need to focus on executing our agenda, or else you’ll face a leadership challenge within the first few weeks.”
The implication is unmistakable. They intend to utilize my popularity to get the party elected and then discard me if I don’tconform to the party line. If my relationship with Toby ever came to light, it would simply accelerate the timeline in which that would happen.
I inhale deeply to calm myself. But the cool, composed mask doesn’t fit me so well anymore. It feels rough, chafing.
“We also need to talk about David Grantham and the ‘traditional family values’ he’s been speaking about,” I say.
“What about them?” Amanda fixes me with a piercing stare.
I meet her gaze unflinchingly. “We’re not campaigning on an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda. We cannot allow ourselves to be associated with such divisive rhetoric. Our focus should be on the issues of most importance to the British people—the economy, healthcare, education—rather than becoming mired in divisive social debates.”
“You can’t deny that David’s message resonates with a certain segment of our base. We risk alienating them if we’re seen making him walk back his comments.”
I feel a surge of frustration, but I keep my voice steady.
“We’ve observed the consequences in other right-wing parties around the world when such rhetoric is left unchecked. The fringe takes over. Social media echo chambers foster extremism and intolerance. We can’t let that happen to us.”
“It’s good for us to encourage the culture war. It galvanizes the base to vote.”
“Our rhetoric shouldn’t be deliberately inflaming things,” I counter. “We stand for our Tory values of personal responsibility, free enterprise, and compassionate conservatism. We are not a party that champions hatred or division.”
She sighs, a hint of exasperation creeping into her voice. “Unfortunately, moderate, well-reasoned conversations about complex issues don’t drive social media algorithms. You know this, Harry. What drives them is outrage.”
I take a measured breath, my nostrils flaring. I attempt to compose myself, but I find myself leaning forward, hands planted firmly on her desk, gaze fixed intently on hers. “Our duty is to lead. We’re supposed to provide visions for the best possible future for our fellow citizens, not pander to the basest impulses of ignorance and hate.”
Amanda’s cool expression doesn’t waver.
“We won’t get a chance to lead if we don’t win the election, Harry,” she says. “But in deference to you and your concerns, I will remind David Grantham that he needs to be circumspect in his comments on social issues.”
