Children of the Master

Children of the Master
Andrew Marr

MARR IS BACK… AND BETTER THAN EVERThe Prime Minister’s days are numbered. The Master, a shadowy figure from his party’s past, plans to replace him with someone he can manipulate to his own ends. But who will he choose?Two candidates stand out: David Petrie, a handsome, self-made Scot with a troubled personal history; and Caroline Phillips, a high-flying Londoner whose unconventional private life could make or break her. Against a backdrop of intrigue and betrayal at Westminster, these two must play the Master at his own game if they are to seize the greatest political prize of all.

Andrew Marr

Children of the Master

FOURTH ESTATE·London

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Fourth Estate

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Copyright © Andrew Marr 2015

Cover images © Shutterstock.com

The right of Andrew Marr to be identified as the author

of this work has been asserted by him in accordance

with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

Extract from ‘Canto XIII’, from THE CANTOS OF EZRA POUND, copyright ©1934 by Ezra Pound. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Source ISBN: 9780007596454

Ebook Edition © 2015 ISBN: 9780007596461

Version: 2016-04-26

Dedication (#uacd61d67-a921-5438-be09-f9ffffde787b)

For Isabel Claire

Kung walked

by the dynastic temple

and into the cedar grove,

and then out by the lower river,

And with him Khieu, Tchi,

And Tian the low speaking

And, ‘we are unknown,’ said Kung,

‘You will take up charioteering?

‘Then you will become known,

‘Or perhaps I should take up charioteering, or archery?

‘Or the practice of public speaking?’

And Tseu-lou said, ‘I would put the defences in order,’

And Khieu said, ‘if I were lord of a province

I would put it in better order than this is.’

And Kung said, and wrote on the bo leaves:

If a man have not order within him

He can not spread order about him;

And if a man have not order within him

His family will not act with due order;

And if the prince have not order within him

he cannot put order in his dominions.

And he said

‘Anyone can run to excesses,

It is easy to shoot past the mark,

‘It is hard to stand firm in the middle.’

And they said: If a man commit murder