Churchill's Secret Page #2

- I don't know.

I signed something.

Those men wouldn't speak to me.

You signed the Official Secrets Act

which means that any discussion

of this assignment anywhere, ever

will be severely punished.

Do you understand?

Bedroom and study are through here.

- Do you want to see his bedroom?

- Excuse me, Mr er...

- Colville.

- Colville.

Who lives here?

The Prime Minister.

He'll be here within the hour.

The Prime Minister has had a mild stroke.

You're here to look after him for a few days.

Why me?

I've been asking myself

the same question, Miss Appleyard.

Wait.

I can't nurse him in here, it's too small.

I need to be able to get round

both sides of the bed.

I want the bed moved

into this bigger room.

Oh, God! Charles!

- Darling?

- Support his head, Clemmy.

- That's it, good.

- Darling.

Drive on quickly as you can, Sergeant,

we're almost there.

Any minute now.

You're gonna think I'm a bit daft.

What?

Will he mind I didn't vote for him?

- Nurse, quickly.

- Oh, take his weight.

Arm under his shoulder.

- Sergeant. There.

- Yep.

Mind his arm.

Gently with him.

I'll take his head.

Get his feet.

And round.

Thank you gentlemen, some privacy please.

- How bad is it?

- Shh.

- Charles.

- Heart is struggling.

Circulation is very poor.

He may not last the weekend.

Jock, will you give me a hand

with the boxes?

How is he?

- What?

- He, um... they had a difficult journey.

I'm so sorry, Mary.

- Have you told anybody?

- Nobody.

Why has his bed been moved in here?

It's easier for us to attend to him.

What happened, Charles?

I suspect he has had a more severe stroke.

And will he be alright?

Tell me the truth.

If he regains consciousness at all

he may suffer paralysis and brain damage

and there is also the risk

of heart failure.

Oh, Papa...

The Prime Minister wasn't

in the house this afternoon

because he is preparing

for his voyage to Bermuda, Stephen.

No, no, Lord Moran's

visit to Downing Street

was a routine check-up

before such a long journey.

Soames. Christopher Soames.

I don't know, I'll have to ask Mr Colville.

Thank you, Steve, one minute please.

Downing Street want to confirm

the travel arrangements to Bermuda.

He'll get back to you. Later on.

We need to let the Americans know first

he isn't making Bermuda.

The minute you do that,

everyone will know he's sick.

Moran thinks he's dying.

What?

We have to decide what we're

going to tell the press.

Mama.

Well, you've seen him?

Yes.

I want us all together, here.

I don't want the family

reading about it in the papers.

I'll telephone the others now.

Hello, Express?

Lord Beaverbrook's office, please.

I don't care, the Prime Minister wants

to speak to him, just put him through.

This is the Prime Minister's

parliamentary private secretary.

Which theatre?

The Savoy.

No, I'll do it myself, thank you.

Jock, which telephone can I use?

Er, you can use one of mine.

The message reads: "Urgent, the Prime

Minister requires your immediate presence

tonight at Chartwell."

Pimlico, double 3, double 2.

That's it. Thank you.

Piccadilly 8000 please.

The Savoy concierge.

Diana? It's Mary.

- What are you doing?

- His left side is very weak.

I feel that working the muscles might...

encourage better blood flow

and maybe improve his chances of recovery.

At the very least,

it must be comforting to be touched.

Christopher.

- "Operation Hope Not."

- His funeral.

What's this?

The only precedent

was the Duke of Wellington's.

It was the Queen's personal suggestion

that we base it on that.

Was the name your idea?

Afraid so.

Lords of the press.

We'll see them in the studio,

we don't want Lady Churchill disturbed.

Look at them.

Who?

The cronies.

Gathering at the deathbed of their leader.

Thank you. I'll sit with him now.

I won't go far.

I got your cloak-and-dagger summons, Jock

and I thought either Winston's

been a Communist spy all along

or he's dying. Which is it?

My lords, if you'd like to step this way

we can use the studio.

I'll just be a moment.

I live in fear of being given

one of his paintings as a gift.

Is Winston joining us?

No.

If Winston is dying, we'll have to pull

the morning editions, I need a telephone.

Max, please, at the moment

we don't know anything for sure.

We know enough.

I'm asking, we are asking, that you wait.

- We think that's what he'd want.

- To gag us.

Only until the situation is clearer.

It is impossible to make a proper

diagnosis until he comes round.

And what if The Mirror sniffs something?

They'd be only too happy to report

a headless government in crisis.

That's why you're here,

to make sure that doesn't happen.

What about Eden?

- Do we know how his operation went?

- I've got a man at the hospital.

So have I but without Winston

and with Eden out of the running

you've got no-one.

Maybe a caretaker government for 6 months,

under Lord Salisbury?

Are you serious?

He'd have a general election in a week.

This is why the party

needs more time, Max.

Nurse! Nurse!

Nurse, he's choking!

He's swallowed his tongue.

Take a breath.

Right, let's get him up.

There you go.

What about the cabinet?

- Rab will inform them in the morning.

- And parliament?

- No plans to tell them.

- This is bullshit.

I know the constitution's not written down,

but you're trampling all over it.

Lord Moran, the Prime Minister's

regaining consciousness.

Would you excuse me gentlemen?

- Find out about Eden.

- Hmm.

I'm going to see Winston.

Latin, Winston?

To show my mind hasn't gone.

That's the last thing that will pack up.

Shall we just step outside?

No.

I... I want...

to know the truth.

Your heart is very weak

and there's a loss of sensation

on the left side.

You're vulnerable to further strokes.

Tell me.

Am I dying, Charles?

I don't know.

Max.

Max.

Yes, my friend.

How's Anthony?

We're finding that out now, Winston.

Give me time.

Give me time.

Please, for me.

- I'll talk to the others.

- Thank you.

How is he?

Conscious, but very weak.

His speech was hard to understand,

but his meaning was as clear as ever.

How's Eden?

There's no question of his returning

to public life before the autumn.

So, we'll need to keep quiet

about this for longer than a few days.

Maybe the whole summer

if Winston hangs on.

Ministries will still need decisions from the

Prime Minister. How will we handle that?

Rab will hold the fort with the cabinet.

As for decisions, Christopher and I know

what we wants, I think we can make it work.

He was going on holiday

after Bermuda anyway

so if he pulls through, he can carry on.

And no-one will be any the wiser.

And do what exactly?

Drag himself back to Westminster

half-paralysed, slurring his words?

If he regains enough strength, Clemmy,

I know he still hopes

to lead the way

to the end of the Cold War.

What about his family?

We don't want a man crippled with illness

who's worked himself to death.

Don't you think we deserve

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