Terror at 20,000 feet

Tulkinghorn is well aware that banking partners in the City are not always the gentlest of people, but he was nevertheless shocked to hear of the pure terror one Rowe & Maw partner could inflict.

The said partner was taking on a new au pair to look after his young clan and his wife kindly agreed to pick up the unsuspecting young Scandinavian from the airport. After two hours of waiting for the au pair, his wife was beginning to worry.

Then came an announcement in the airport that a certain young lady was so nervous about her new job that she had drunk so much alcohol on the two-hour flight that she was unable to get off the plane. The au pair wass then wheeled off the plane accompanied by the police, and the wife had to escort her home.

But although he might have frightened her so much she was driven to drink, the banking partner then showed his sensitive side by keeping her on despite her less-than-perfect start. I doubt he has offered her a glass of wine since, though.