‘Oh?’
‘Yeah.’ Felicity glanced at Robert, who was still chatting away on the phone. ‘Listen,’ Felicity went on, leaning across, ‘can we have a bit of a chat at lunchtime?’
‘Of course,’ said Henry.
Leo put his head round the door. ‘Henry, do you have a minute?’
Felicity gave Henry a smile and a wink. ‘Man in demand.’
Henry followed Leo upstairs to his room. Leo sat down and put his feet on the desk. Henry closed the door and leant against the bookcase, waiting. He’d never known Mr Davies to beat about the bush.
‘Henry, I’m thinking of applying to become a High Court judge.’
Henry nodded. His face was inscrutable. ‘I had wondered. What with you sitting as a recorder this past year.’
There was a silence. Leo waited for Henry to say more. As the silence lengthened, Leo observed, ‘You’re not telling me what you think.’
‘What I think?’ Henry’s gaze wandered round the room. He wasn’t going to betray his true feelings to Leo, which were of alarm and dismay. Leo was his top earner. Not that this was entirely a mercenary issue. He had Leo’s best interests to consider. ‘I’ll be honest with you, Mr D. I’m surprised. I mean, by the timing. You’re one of the best commercial silks in the Temple. A couple more years and you’ll have the world at your feet. Not being presumptuous, or anything, but are you sure you’ve thought this through?’
Leo sighed. ‘As best as I can, given how bloody tired I am these days. To be frank, Henry, lately I feel as though I’m on a treadmill. The work doesn’t stimulate me the way it used to. I’m physically and emotionally exhausted.’
Henry raised his eyebrows. ‘Maybe you need to say “no” more often. Manage your clerk. Don’t let him work you too hard.’
Leo smiled in return. ‘True. You are a pushy bastard.’ His smile faded. ‘Seriously, though, it’s getting hard to muster enthusiasm. With some of these recent big cases, it’s like pushing a boulder uphill.’
‘You have to face the facts. Solicitors aren’t going to instruct you on winning cases. It’s the big losers they need you to manage. They know you can take on something that looks like it’s a no-hoper, and turn it around. That’s why they pay the fees.’
‘I know that. But it gets wearing. I’m beginning to feel I’d like an easier life.’
‘Now, if you were to say to me in three or four years’ time that you’re thinking of going upstairs, I’d say that was the right time. But now? When you’re at the top of your game?’
‘From where I’m sitting, Henry, three or four years seems like a long time. My son is six. He’s growing up. I don’t want to miss all that. I really begrudge working long weekends on big cases. For what? Money I don’t necessarily need.’
‘You’re a lucky man to be able to say that, Mr D, in the present climate.’
‘I don’t mean to sound arrogant.’ Leo rose impatiently and went to the window. He stared down at the courtyard below.
Henry sighed. ‘What can I say, sir? There’s no denying you’d do well on the bench. A credit. But I’d be sorry to lose you. And like I say, I’m not sure it’s the right time.’
Leo turned and nodded. ‘I hear what you say. Thanks for listening.’
Henry left Leo’s room and went downstairs, pondering the conversation. It would be a big blow if Mr Davies left 5 Caper Court, no question. In common with the other clerks in chambers, Henry depended for his living on taking a slice of the fees the barristers earned, and in that regard Leo was important, his best earner. In fact, without Leo, chambers would be seriously short of good QCs. There was Jeremy Vane, who had tried and failed twice to become a High Court judge, so he wasn’t going anywhere. And Stephen Bishop. Michael, too, but Henry wouldn’t be surprised if he tried for the bench in a year or two. The rest were all younger, without Leo’s reputation and experience. He would be a huge loss. There was no way of telling how far Leo had made his mind up, but Henry happened to know that the Judicial Appointments Commission were looking to fill twelve posts by next October, and if Leo did decide to apply, he couldn’t see them turning him down. Not if they had any sense. Mind you, from what you heard these days, sense was in short supply in the JAC. Not like the old days, when the Lord Chancellor’s Office ran the show, the dependable Mr Dobie at the helm.
Henry went back to his desk and worked through the morning, and at lunchtime he and Felicity went round the corner to a sandwich bar.