Just after lunch, Kay heard the loud voice barking orders at someone having difficulty keeping up: “You will clear this area. Guards must prevent people wandering through.” As she entered Kay’s office, Ms Nero frowned: “This place will have to be tidier when the minister visits.” 
At that moment, Palmerston strolled into the office, jumped onto Kay’s desk & started grooming. “Oh, no!” exclaimed Ms Nero, “we cannot have a CAT getting in the way. They shed hair everywhere.” Palmerston did not react, so Ms Nero shoo-ed him away, “Get OUT, you are not wanted.”
Palmerston had never come across someone like Ms Nero in his time at the Foreign Office. He gave her a haughty look and ran away, faster than if he had spotted a mouse. No-one saw him for the rest of the day, or the day after that. For the 1st 24 hours, Kay did not worry.
Kay didn’t see Palmerston for the rest of the week. She mobilised “Palmy’s Army”, who helped her look after him. They checked all his usual hiding places, but could find no trace. Brain was not worried: “He’s showing us who’s in charge. He’ll reappear when he’s good and ready!”
Ms Nero appeared in Kay’s office at the start of the next week. Hearing her loud voice, Simon joined them: “I’m worried about the minister; she’s blocking agreement on cheese quotas. How can we get her to change her mind?” Ms Nero shrugged & Simon went back into his office.
Ms Nero didn’t share Kay’s distress at Palmerston’s disappearance: “One less thing to worry about! He won’t get under the minister’s feet & I can wear black, my favourite colour.” Ms Nero’s happiness was not contagious. Only Brian was optimistic: “He’ll reappear with impact!”
On the day of the visit Ms Nero declared herself satisfied with preparations. “You may hold the door, Kay, but leave the talking to me.” With Palmerston missing, Kay was sad but too busy to dwell on her sadness. At a signal from Brian, she alerted Simon to the minister’s arrival.
“Would you step this way, Minister?” asked Ms Nero. The Minister tried to look into Kay’s office before submitting to Ms Nero’s direction. She seemed distracted. An hour later she emerged from Simon’s office & Ms Nero tried to escort her to the exit. Suddenly a blur flitted by.
“Oh, no!” exclaimed Ms Nero. “Get away!” “But it’s Palmerston!” said the Minister, scooping up the black & white blur. “More than anything else, I wanted to meet you today. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Ms Nero froze as the Minister carried Palmy to Kay’s office.
Kay was overjoyed to see Palmerston again & the ice was broken with the Minister. “I have 2 cats at home. They’ll be thrilled to know I’ve met the most famous cat in 🇬🇧.” Soon she looked happier. “You are 🇬🇧’s secret weapon. Meeting you I see a solution to the cheese problem!”
The Minister handed Palmerston back to Kay & cheerfully headed for her shiny black car. As Ms Nero waved goodbye, she was not sure what had just happened. But she admitted that @foreignoffice’s latest employee might not be so bad after all. Palmerston was a diplomatic superstar!
