Saints and Sinners

Chapter Three

The White House

Washington DC

Claudine Delacorte had made something of an effort, of course. She was the senior official of a multi-national organisation and respecting all cultural differences within the membership of the United Nations was a defined job requirement. She had worn a headscarf when visiting many Muslim nations and always dressed modestly to avoid giving offence. But the President of the United States had asked for more than her usual chic business suits when inviting her to sit down with him and the British Ambassador. His formal summons included a separate sheet talking about appropriate dress, explaining that excessive visible skin, or the display of ankles or lower legs were considered unsuitable. Obviously, she was being asked to wear a gown, and she could not, would not do that, but she had to find a compromise which would not make her look ridiculous. So, she wore a long skirt, quite tightly fitted, which reached almost to her ankles, which were well hidden in suede boots. She matched that with a rather chic silk blouse with a bowed collar and a tailored Dior jacket. She reckoned that her figure was good enough to carry it off, if a little old, and she presented herself at security, with her security detail, at exactly the appointed time.

And they really did not want to let her in. It took several phone calls, whilst an embarrassed Delacorte stood to one side, before one of the President's aides arrived with a cloak, which once she had put it on reached right to the floor. Humiliated, she was asked to hold the heavy woollen garment around herself, before she was allowed inside. Flanked by two burly armed agents, as well as her own people, she was then marched directly to the oval office, where another aide made it clear that she needed to keep the cloak on throughout the meeting.

"I am sorry, Madame Secretary-General...were you not sent the White House dress code with the arrangements for this meeting?" Bill Bateman said, raising his eyebrows in surprise as Delacorte took her seat, uncomfortably wrapped up.

"I was...and I dressed to respect your wishes, Mr President...but apparently, the mere sight of my ankles...in boots...would offend the delicate sensibilities of you and your staff...I find being humiliated like this provocative, Mr President?" Delacorte replied, clearly upset, but Bateman just smiled and took his seat opposite her.

"So...you will cover your hair and wear trousers in Saudi Arabia, out of respect for their culture, but you will not cover your legs out of respect for mine, or indeed for Mr Symonds when he arrives?"

"I have been living in your country for four years now, Mr President...what you are talking about is not American culture...but your own religious beliefs." Delacorte sniffed, not liking the smile on the man's face.

"America is a Christian country, Madame...and the American people have just elected a devout Christian President with a majority in both legislative houses...kindly remember that if you are invited here again...or to any government building?" Bateman suggested just as his personal assistant, a man of course, showed Connor Symonds into the room, to join them on the sofas. Bateman got Symonds settled and then got straight down to business. "Madame Delacorte, my administration supports the immediate acceptance of the British settlement offer...we all need to put this disaster behind us and move on?"

"We want more than money, Mr President...there has to be movement on human rights and a more reasonable attitude concerning Hycanil...the drug should be licensed for local manufacture in every country who wants it?" Delacorte responded, obviously not surprised by the complete turn around in American policy. "And we also want more money...you are offering less that fifty pounds per life lost...we find that derisory?"

"Hycanil is owned by a private company, Madame...not the British government?" Connor Symonds pointed out, enjoying seeing how awkward Delacorte looked, holding her cloak around herself like a shroud. "So...you can take that off your list...and you do not seem to have as many human rights concerns in Saudi Arabia, or Qatar, or Afghanistan...to name but a few...this is persecution, pure and simple...and we will not accept it?"