The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer Page A

yourself elected to the board.”
    “Thank you,
Abel. You’ll be glad to learn,” said Henry, “that I have acquired six percent
of Lester’s stock while you’ve been away rustling up gourmet dinners on Primus
stoves for our top military brass.”
    “Well done,
Henry. What hope is there of getting our hands on the magic eight percent?”
    “A very good
chance,” replied Henry. “Peter Parfitt, who expected to be chairman of Lester’s
before Kane arrived on the scene, has been removed from the board and has about
as much affection for Kane as a mongoose has for a rattlesnake. Parfitt has
made it very clear that he is willing to part with his two percent.”
    “Then what’s
stopping ,us ?”
    “He’s dernanding
a million dollars for his holding, because I’m sure he’s worked out that his
shares are all you need to topple Kane, and there are not many stockholders
left for me to buy from. But a million is way above the ten percent over
current stock value that you authorized me to proceed at.”
    Abel studied the
figures that Henry had left for him on his desk. “Offer him seven hundred and
fifty thousand” was all he said.
    George was
thinking about far smaller sums when he next spoke to Abel.
    “I allowed Henry
a loan in your absence, and he still hasn’t paid the money back,” he admitted.
    “A
loan?”
    “Henry’s
description, not mine,” said George.
    “Who’s kidding
who? How much?” said Abel.
    “Five
thousand dollars. I’m sorry, Abel.”
    “Forget it. If
that’s the only mistake you’ve made in the last three years, I’m a lucky man.
What do you irvagine Henry spends the money on?”
    “Wine,
women and song. There’s nothing particularly original about our congressman, There’s also a rumor around the Chicago bars that he’s started gambling quite heavily.”
    “That’s all I
need from the latest member of the board. Keep an eye on him and let ine know
if the situation gets any worse.”
    George nodded.
    “And now I want
to talk about expansion. With Washington pumping three hundred million dollars a
week into the economy, we must be prepared for a boom the like of which America
has never experienced before. We must also start building Barons in Europe
while land is cheap and most people are only thinking about survival. Let’s
begin with London.”
    “For God’s sake,
Abel, the place is as flat as a pancake.”
    “All
the better to build on, my dear.”
    “Miss Tredgold,”
said Zaphia, “I’m going to a fashion show this afternoon, a benefit for the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and I might not be back before Florentyna’s
bedtime.”
    “Very good, Mrs.
Rosnovski,” said Miss Tredgold.
    “I’d like to
go,” said Florentyna Both women stared at the child in
surprise.
    “But it’s only
two days before your exams,” said Zaphia, anticipating that Miss ‘rredgold
would thoroughly disapprove if Florentyna attended something as frivolous as a
fashion show. “What are you meant to be doing this afternoon?”
    “Medieval
history,” replied Miss Tredgold without hesitation.
    “Charlemagne
through to the Council of Trent.”
    Zaphia was sad
that her daughter was not being allowed to take an interest in feminine
pursuits but rather was expected to act as a iurrogate
son, filling the gap for her husband’s disappointment ai not having a boy.
    “Then perhaps
we’d better ieave it for another time,” she said. Zaphia would have insisted
her daughter accompany her but realized that if Abel found out, both she and Florentyna would suffer for it later. However, for once Miss
Tredgold surprised her.
    “I am not sure I
agn--e with you, Mrs. Rosnovski,” she said. “The occasion might well be the
ideal one to introduce the child to the world of fashion and indeed of
society.” Turning to Florentyna, she added, “And a break from your studies a
few days before exams can do you no han-n.”
    Zaphia looked at
Miss Tredgold with new respect. “Perhaps you would like to