‘I doubt it. Charles and John will agree, and so will your great-uncle Howard. The other members are either for you, or neutral at least. And I’ll be happy to be on the board. Thank you, Elizabeth, and –’ Cecil stopped as Robert rushed in from his adjoining office, and exclaimed, ‘Thank God for Francis!’
They both stared at him, and Elizabeth said, ‘What is it, Robin? What’s happened?’
She looked and sounded so concerned, Robert said, ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have burst in like that. What’s happened is this … Walsington has been digging around in Madrid, and has found an awful lot of dirt on Philip Alvarez. Womanizing, carousing, a lot of living it up, enjoying the high life. Bad debts. But the worst part is that the Marbella Project is at a standstill. He might go down with a crash, might have to declare bankruptcy.’
‘Oh, my God!’ Elizabeth cried, her hand coming to her mouth. ‘If he goes into bankruptcy we’ll never get our seventy-five million euros back. Oh, Robin, this is terrible news.’
Cecil turned pale. His eyes were fixed on Robert, who sat down heavily in the other chair. ‘You’d better fly over to Madrid, Robert,’ he said in a grim voice. ‘As soon as possible.’
‘I agree. And, in fact, I’ve booked a seat on the first plane out tomorrow. I’m sending my brother ahead, Ambrose will leave this afternoon, meet up with Francis at his hotel. We must move fast, and take whatever action is necessary. There’s no time to waste.’
‘Agreed,’ Cecil said. ‘Walsington’s information is always accurate, you can be sure of that. I always tell him he would have made a great spy. Have you been in touch with our Madrid office?’
‘I have indeed. They are onto the case.’ He glanced at Elizabeth, and added, ‘Don’t worry … we’re on top of this.’
‘I trust you, Robin, and Ambrose and Francis. I know you’ll pull us out of this Spanish mess, if anybody can. Now, we’d better go over the items we’re going to discuss at the board meeting.’
Elizabeth sensed hostility the moment she entered the boardroom. She had been very sensitive to people and their feelings all of her life, and quickly picked up on an atmosphere in a room. And the hostility was almost a palpable thing; she felt as if she could reach out and touch it.
Surprised though she was, she kept a neutral expression on her face, and said, ‘Good morning everyone,’ as she walked towards the top of the table, accompanied by Cecil and Robert, who sat down on either side of her. They also said their good mornings, and there were responses from all of those present, genial smiles.
Once she was seated at the head of the boardroom table, Elizabeth gave them a beaming, benign smile, and began: ‘I’m very pleased to see you all here today. Welcome … to my first board meeting.’
Her dark sparkling eyes swept around the table, and she managed to keep her neutral expression intact when her gaze fell on Mark Lott and Alexander Dawson, the two board members Cecil had told her were down with the ’flu. They made a fast recovery, she thought, and instantly understood that it was from these two that the hostility sprang. Of course. Mark Lott had been particularly friendly with Mary, and a frequent guest at Stonehurst Farm. As for Alexander Dawson, she had never liked him when she had worked at Deravenels. He was a sneak, a cheat, and she had caught him out in numerous lies. They are my enemies, she thought, and made a mental note to keep them in her sights.
‘The first order of business today is the appointment of Cecil Williams and Robert Dunley to the board. As you are aware, they are my two chief executive officers, and will be running Deravenels with me. For this reason, it is essential they sit on this board of directors, and it is my honour to nominate them. Who will second this?’
‘I will,’ Charles Broakes said from the other end of the table. ‘I second Cecil Williams and Robert Dunley to become members of the board of Deravenels.’
‘I also second their nomination,’ John Norfell announced in his booming voice. ‘Those in favour raise their hands. I would like a show of hands, please.’
Elizabeth glanced around the table, saw every man present brought his hand up. She smiled. Lott and Dawson wouldn’t dare go against me, she thought, not with Broakes and Norfell behind me. Promoting them, giving them more power has seen me in good stead.
Charles Broakes looked around the table and said, ‘With a show of hands by those present today, Cecil Williams and Robert Dunley have been unanimously elected to serve on the board of Deravenels. Welcome to the board, gentlemen, and very many congratulations.’
Elizabeth, in a hurry, said, ‘I would now like to proceed with business … First with regard to the state of the company. As of today, I am unable to give you a full and accurate report, because our auditors, accountants, and analysts are still working on figures. However, I am able to tell you that although the company has suffered losses, because of earlier bad investments, Deravenels is not in serious trouble.’ She kept herself steady as she said this, knowing it was a lie, albeit a white one. She did not feel it was necessary to go into the true state of the company today, nor did she want to plunge into details of the dire situation in Spain. Why alarm anyone?
‘So you are saying that Deravenels is safe?’ Alexander Dawson asked, leaning forward slightly, his eyes on Elizabeth.
‘I am indeed saying that. Now perhaps I should outline some of our plans. As you all know, John Norfell and Charles Broakes have both been promoted, and have become directors of their divisions on an international basis –’
‘Does that mean you have given them power over the division directors in foreign countries?’ Mark Lott cut in, also fixing his steely gaze on her.
‘Yes, it does. I want Deravenels of London to be run from London. In future, the division managers abroad will deal directly with their superiors in London, instead of acting on their own when it comes to making major decisions that can affect the entire company.’ She glanced at Cecil.
‘It’s a form of control,’ Cecil explained, ‘a way of making sure that all divisions in foreign countries are run according to our plans, our vision of the future of the company. We are also going to reorganize most of the offices around the world, and there will have to be some … attrition, of course, and some people –’
‘Not wholesale sackings, I hope!’ Dawson exclaimed in a loud voice, interrupting Cecil. ‘That will certainly telegraph to the world that we might have serious problems.’
‘Some people will be let go, and some people will be retired,’ Elizabeth said in a firm, businesslike tone. ‘But it will be done gradually, over a number of months, and perhaps the whole of next year. We have no intention of alarming anybody, particularly since there is no need for alarm. Deravenels is perfectly safe, as I just said. But it must be run on an efficient basis.’ She turned to Robert, and said, ‘I would like you to outline our plans about the changes we are going to make in general, Robin.’
Unlike everyone else who had spoken, Robert stood up. He made a handsome and imposing figure as he began to explain the plans Elizabeth, he and Cecil had put in place, speaking extemporaneously, and without the assistance of notes. He was such an eloquent and precise speaker, so clear in elucidating all of their aims, everyone clapped when he had finished.
Next, Elizabeth asked Cecil to give details of their plans for closing some of the offices around the world, and the reasoning behind this. He too rose, and he addressed the board with enormous clarity, sure of himself on all the issues. He readily answered a volley of questions, and calmed any of those board members who were nervous about the closing of the offices abroad, and how this would be viewed.
John Norfell spoke about his plans and vision for the international hotel group; Charles Broakes talked at length about the vineyards, which he would now control on a world-wide basis. Both men were self-assured, knowledgeable.
Questions were asked, answers given; matters were raised that Elizabeth would have liked to avoid, but she managed to deal with everything in her usual clever and shrewd way. She had been something of an actress
all her life, and brilliant at dissimulation. Certainly her talent and abilities came in useful on this cold December morning.
When the board meeting broke up at twelve-thirty, she went around the room shaking everyone’s hand and chatting for a short time. Then she quietly slipped away, leaving the board members to be entertained at lunch by Cecil and Robin in the company dining room.
TWELVE
Imiss Robin, more than I thought I could ever miss anyone. He’s gone off again to Madrid, to deal with the Philip Alvarez problem, and although my days are busy, they are dull without him around. The office is quite a bleak place without his presence – his vivid smiles, his jokes and teasing, his irreverent laugher and wry sense of humour. And his wise words. It is Robin, and only Robin, who can calm me down when I become disturbed, make me see the sense in matters that are complex and complicated. He soothes me with his rationality.
Every morning when I arrive here, I go into Robin’s adjoining office and turn on all the lights, and they remain on until I leave at night. Seeing the office lit up makes me feel less lonely. It’s as if he’s going to arrive at any moment.
He is in Madrid, leading my team: his brother Ambrose, Nicholas Throckman and Francis Walsington. As of last night they seemed to be making progress. I hope so. I want the Alvarez problem settled to my advantage, and then I won’t worry any more about the seventy-five million euros which Mary gave away so blithely. Just as important to me, Robin will be able to come home.
There is no one quite like Robin. That special bond between us going back to our childhood continues to endure. Now, looking back, I understand what we missed out on in our late teens and early twenties. Our paths did not cross so much in those days. sadly. He was away at prep school, went on to boarding school, and after that attended university. He’s a Cambridge man like Cecil Williams, and some of my other friends here within the company.
When I was first working at Deravenels, Robin had a job at the New York office; after a couple of years in New York he was sent to India where he worked for the mining division at the head offices in New Delhi. In a sense, we only caught up with each other when he came back to England, to find himself somewhat in disfavour with Mary, as was I. That’s when we connected once more; he was very kind to me, sympathetic and supportive when she was being a tyrant.
In the past year Robin has been around quite a lot, coming up to Ravenscar, working with me and Cecil, making plans for the future. It was a good thing we did, because we have saved so much time, have been able to put a great many things into operation immediately.
Now here we are, Robin and I, working together with such compatibility, almost joined at the hip, so to speak. But then we’ve been compatible since we first met, aged eight. A long friendship. We enjoy the same things and always have. Lots of exercise, walking, dancing, playing tennis, and most especially riding. He’s an amazing equestrian, better than me really, although I’m a good rider. Yet I’m not quite up to his standards. There are other things we enjoy doing together: going to the movies, concerts, the opera and the theatre. I tease him sometimes about role-playing, because there’s a lot of the actor in him. And he has a most mellifluous voice, a voice that truly captivates, just as the late Richard Burton’s voice entranced from the stage, held everyone in its thrall. Robin usually responds by saying that I’m the far better actor, and perhaps I am.
Robin is highly intelligent, brilliant in many ways, and has an uncanny knack of getting to the heart of the matter, especially in business, and I learn from him every day. He is loyal and protective, just as Cecil is, and I appreciate them both. There is a new and deeper amity between Robin and Cecil, and this pleases me. Both men are the mainstay of my life, and God forbid that they might not like each other and quarrel. Fortunately, this is not the case at all.
So much is happening at Deravenels; things are moving at a rapid pace, I can hardly catch my breath. Cecil has been superb, overseeing the changes which we’ve been able to implement immediately. In my bones I know that everything we’ve planned over the years will come to fruition. But at this moment everyone in the City is focused on Deravenels. Watching, listening, waiting. We must not stumble. I’ve made a vow to myself that we won’t.
Robin has promised to be back in time to spend Christmas with me. I hope we can go to Waverley Court. It will do us good. We’ve become workaholics. Robin and I …
The shrill of the telephone startled Elizabeth, and she sat up with a sudden jolt, reached for the receiver. ‘Elizabeth Turner.’
‘It’s me.’
‘Robin! Hello! I was just wondering when you’d phone,’ she exclaimed.
‘Well, here I am. And I think I might very well be the bearer of good news.’
‘Don’t tell me you’ve wrestled the money out of his hands. If you have, then you’re a true genius!’ she cried, her voice rising with excitement.
‘I haven’t, actually,’ Robert said in a more sombre tone, ‘but I’ve certainly made a lot of headway with Philip. Actually, I should say we have, it’s been a team effort. And you were very much part of the team.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He’s always liked you, Elizabeth, and seemingly he has quite a soft spot for you. He perfectly understands how you must feel about the seventy-five million euros Mary invested, and he wants to play fair with you,’ Robert explained. ‘He’s got about the same amount tied up in the Marbella Project, so, in one sense, you and he are equal partners. Well, I should say Deravenels and he are partners. Anyway, the project has not gone the way he expected, and he wants us to take over.’
‘To run it?’ she asked, sounding incredulous.
‘That’s right. He doesn’t have any experience of managing this kind of resort, which is what it really is, and if we don’t help him by taking total control he’ll go down. And we’ll lose our seventy-five million, no two ways about that.’
‘Are you saying Philip will go bankrupt?’
‘He won’t personally, no. And most of his other companies are safe. But the Marbella Project will go bust, and then Deravenels will definitely be out of pocket.’
‘Will he still be a partner?’ Elizabeth clutched the phone tighter.
‘Yes. But I think I can negotiate a deal very favourable to us. In other words, we’ll be in charge, totally responsible for running it –’
‘Lock, stock and barrel?’ she cut in swiftly.
‘Lock, stock and barrel, and all the horses,’ Robert answered, a hint of laughter in his voice.
‘Does Cecil know all this?’
‘Not yet. I’m going to phone him now. But what do you think? About Deravenels running the show?’
‘I know we could do it. We have the right personnel.’ She sounded suddenly glum. ‘Anyway, I can’t write off that bloody seventy-five mill, just like that.’
‘I know. We don’t have a choice. And look, there’s an enormous amount of things to go over with him. But I just wanted to get your reaction to the idea in general, and Cecil’s, so that I can finish up with Philip tomorrow. Naturally, all of the contracts and documents will have to wait until after Christmas. However, if we can come to a genuine understanding with him, the team can leave Madrid almost immediately.’
‘What do you think we should do, Robin?’
‘My gut instinct tells me we should go along with Philip … at least at this stage of the negotiation. If I can work out the right deal, a good deal for us, then we might turn out to be the winners after all.’
‘All right then. Please phone Cecil direct, will you? I’m going to his office right now. And thank you, Robin.’
‘My pleasure, Elizabeth. I’ll be back tomorrow night, all being well.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. I’ve missed you.’
‘Me, too, you.’
The phone went dead, and she hung up the receiver, hurried out of her office and across the hall. After a cursory knock on the door, she walked into Cecil’s office, just as the phone began to ring. ‘It’s R
obin,’ she announced sombrely, walking over to Cecil’s desk and sitting down in a chair.
Cecil, his cool grey eyes steady, his demeanour calm, nodded his understanding. He picked up the receiver. ‘Williams here.’ He was silent, listening, and then he said, ‘Yes, she just this moment came in, Robert. So let’s have it. How well did it go?’
Cecil sat back, nodding, looking across at Elizabeth several times, catching her eye. Finally, he said, ‘I agree with you and Elizabeth. I don’t think we have much of an alternative. We might as well go along with Philip Alvarez, at least at this time, this talking stage. You will have to make a very advantageous deal for us with him, you know, Robert.’
Elizabeth sat back, only half listening to Cecil, and finally when he hung up she leaned closer to his desk and asked, ‘So, what do you think?’ Her dark eyes were fixed on his.
‘I’m in agreement with you and Robert. We don’t have anything to lose. At this moment. We are only talking, after all.’
Elizabeth stood up. ‘I’ll tell you one thing, Cecil. If John Norfell gets his hands on the Marbella Project, he’ll make a stunning success of that resort. It’s just up his alley. If he were running it, should we take over, I’d rest easy.’
‘And so would I,’ Cecil answered.
Elizabeth glanced at her watch. ‘I’ve got to go. I’m meeting Thomas and Kat at the Chelsea house. They sounded very mysterious when I spoke to them yesterday.’
‘Let’s hope they have good news, too,’ Cecil responded, giving her one of his rare smiles.
THIRTEEN
The house was of the Regency period. Perfectly proportioned, it had many windows, tall chimneys and undeniable elegance. This architectural gem was hidden behind tall brick walls and stood in a lovely garden on the banks of the River Thames.