‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’

The conversation was hard-going; we didn't click at all, but then he dropped the clanger: Beazley has done a lunch with Maxine McKew and ‘It will be read as he wants to come back. Our people want to go big with it.’

his sprightfull pleafance and galliardnesse

Get the surgeon on call in here right now!