Edward pushed his plate away and wiped his mouth with his napkin. ‘I don’t like to push you, but I have a lot of money tied up in this deal, and I’m trusting you with it. Fuck me over, Skye, and you’re dead.’
Skye sighed, his voice quiet and pitiful.
‘I know, I know . . . I’ll see it through for you as I do everything else. Goodnight.’
Edward mentioned neither Harriet nor the child to Skye, and Skye didn’t dare to broach the subject. There was no friendship between them now and he knew it, had known it ever since he made that stupid pass at Harriet.
Edward, after a delay of over a month, eventually returned to London and went straight home. Even though it was after midnight, he went to the nursery to deliver the promised gifts. His daughter lay sleeping, her blankets kicked off, her fists curled tightly in sleep. He felt such a strong surge of emotion he wanted to pick her up and hug her, but he gently covered her and crept into the bedroom.
Harriet was sitting up in bed, a pair of glasses perched on the end of her nose. She gave him a wink and tapped her book. ‘Just checking up on the pros and cons of motherhood. She is extraordinary, I’m sure she’s advanced for her age. Do you know, I’m sure she almost said something . . . Did you see how long her hair’s grown? And she has a front tooth coming . . . You’ve missed so much, she’s nearly walking, and she holds on so hard. And when she laughs she tosses her tiny head back and gurgles . . .’
Exhausted, Edward undressed and climbed into bed. Harriet switched off the light and he pulled her close. ‘I love you, I love you both . . . I’m sorry to have been away so long, you get my letters?’
‘You know something, I asked that snooty bitch Barbara if she would like to have a double birthday party, and she refused. So I told her to bugger off. They’ll no doubt have the Savoy Grill, but . . . Edward?’
Edward was sound asleep.
The next morning, Edward went to see Jinks before leaving for the office. She was standing up in her cot waving a rubber hammer, and he picked her up, loving the smell of her. She nuzzled his neck and then whacked him over the head with the hammer. He laughed, and the little girl looked afraid, unsure, so he put her down and pulled a funny face. She responded with a smile that made his heart lurch.
He gave Dewint instructions to throw out his jeans and cowboy boots, then went straight to the barber’s to have his hair cut. He was buzzing, filled with energy and ready for anything.
Arriving unannounced at the office, Edward took the place by storm. He was like a whirlwind, and everyone jumped as he rampaged through the offices. ‘Where’s Alex, Miss Henderson, where’s Alex?’
Miss Henderson told him Alex would be at the Stock Exchange. Edward walked straight into his brother’s office and began sorting through all the business the company had done during his absence.
He picked up a vast ledger on Alex’s proposed takeover of Buchanan House. The major deal had fallen apart. Alex had been investing on the Stock Exchange and, by the look of it, had taken some bad setbacks, costing him a lot of money, added to which the property boom was beginning to slide. They were left with millions of pounds’ worth of properties they could not offload.
Edward paced the office as he discovered more and more of Alex’s disastrous ventures. He had taken over the St James’ Bank, and that was now being investigated for astronomical losses, and they stood to lose millions. Edward threw up his hands in despair. The property boom was fast becoming a landslide, and Alex had allowed loans to companies, taking their properties as collateral. Now many of those companies were sinking so fast that the bank looked as if it was on the brink of closure. On the good side, however, the Carnaby Street shops were making huge dividends, the money rolling in in waves. But Alex was moving it out again, and without Edward’s signature.
Edward checked over the Banks sale to Jasper Golding and Sir Francis Coleman, and discovered that it was yet again a flourishing, successful business. Renamed, the private gaming house was making a vast profit. From the documents he found in Alex’s desk he reckoned that the men’s stakes of one million each had already trebled . . . he also discovered the shares Alex had hung on to. He was furious, Alex was cheating him, going behind his back. Edward’s trust in his brother suddenly disintegrated – he was just like everyone else, like Walter, lining his own pockets.
Edward turned to the company’s financial records. It was more and more obvious that Alex had been steadily losing money, the company’s money. Edward sighed, so much for honest, straightforward dealing. To date, he alone had been responsible for the lucrative side of the Barkley Company.
He returned to his own office and began to outline a plan to salvage the failing St James’ Bank, to try to recoup the losses incurred during his absence. He was so engrossed in working his way through the files that he didn’t even look up when the door opened.
‘Well, well, this is your Uncle Edward, go on, say hello.’
Alex carried his son in his arms. Although the same age as Jinks, he was twice her size, and had thick, black, curly hair. His eyes were dark, his skin tawny, and his lungs were in good working order. He bellowed, wriggling to get down.
‘This is Evelyn – what do you think of him?’
He put the little boy down and he clung unsteadily to the desk, then fell over. Edward bent down and picked him up. He could feel how much heavier Evelyn was than Jinks.
‘He looks like him, doesn’t he Edward, like Dad?’
Edward looked down into the upturned face. Papers tumbled to the floor as the little hands grabbed.
‘You’ve got your hands full here, Alex, eh? What a big fella. So this is what’s been keeping you away from the office?’
Alex picked up the insult fast, and immediately led Evelyn by the hand to the office door. ‘Go to Nanny, there’s a good boy . . . bye-bye.’
Turning unsteadily on his fat little legs, Evelyn waved to Edward. Beyond the door a nanny in uniform waited for him. As soon as the door closed, there was a scream which continued into the distance as the nanny carried the wailing child away.
Alex looked at the closed door, then at the desk. ‘I see you’ve been over the files. I admit we’ve taken a few setbacks, but we lost the takeover of Buchanan House because you weren’t here and the board wouldn’t accept the deal without you . . . And you have the nerve to make digs about me not being in the office . . . where in God’s name have you been?’
A cigar clamped between his teeth, soberly dressed and with his hair cut short, Edward was back to his old self.
‘Well, it’s a bloody good job I showed up when I did, you’re certainly making a right balls-up of it. Christ, whatever made you buy stock in that fucking heap?’
Alex tried hard to control his temper. ‘I made a list of the properties we can let go, cover our losses.’
Edward tossed Alex his own list of companies they could sell off fast. Alex looked at them quickly, noting that they were mostly his own deals, and threw the paper back.
Miss Henderson heard the argument escalating into a full-scale row. Before long everyone could hear the brothers screaming at each other.
‘There’s not a memo or a note on Ming’s contract with the Japs that I set up. Do I have to do everything, for Chrissake? If she’s gone into business without us then we get over there . . . Plus we get shot of this prat of a son-in-law, what’s his name, Conrad St James. Guy couldn’t run a bowling alley, never mind a fucking bank! I want a meeting set up with all the board members of the bank and I want it fast . . . Think you can handle that, buddy? Think you can do one simple thing and not cock it up?’
All through dinner Alex was quiet, and Barbara knew something was wrong.
‘Edward’s back, things have not been going all that well, especially at the bank . . .’
‘Why didn’t you tell me, Alex? What things?’
Alex didn’t usually discuss business with her, but slowly he began to tell her about the problems. Conrad St James was proving incapable of running
the bank, and Alex had delayed confronting him because he was married to Alex’s stepdaughter, Selina. ‘Edward wants to take a look at the accounts. I’ve had to fund a lot of the bank with Barkley monies . . . He has every right, I’ll go over and have a talk with them this evening.’
Barbara sighed. She had had very little to do with her daughter since she had been married off. With either of her daughters, come to think of it – her new life left little room for them. She was a grandmother now, and didn’t like that, either.
‘I won’t be able to join you, darling, I have a charity meeting for the Spastic Association, do you mind going alone?’
Alex held her hand and kissed it. ‘Just a few things to remember . . . Keep quiet about my stake in the club should Edward start sniffing around. Now he’s back, he’ll be poking his nose into every transaction I’ve done since he left.’
‘Did he ask after Evelyn at all?’
Alex smiled. ‘I took him to the zoo this morning and then Edward met him at the office. You know, he was jealous, I could see it in his face.’
‘You spoil that child, you know. Maybe you’ve been spending too much time with him.’
Alex gave Barbara a strange, veiled look, and spoke quietly. ‘Well, one of us has to.’
Barbara pursed her lips. She didn’t want to discuss it, they invariably argued about Evelyn.
Suddenly the little boy ran into the room. ‘Daddy . . . Daddy . . .’ He threw himself into Alex’s arms, and chortled with laughter as his father twirled him around, tossed him up in the air and caught him.
‘Who’s Daddy’s boy, then, eh? Who’s Daddy’s boy?’
Watching them, Barbara was terrified that Alex would notice Evelyn’s likeness to Edward, it was so obvious to her. ‘I don’t want Edward seeing him, Alex, he’s such a foul-mouthed man. I don’t want Evelyn near him.’
Alex held his son close and buried his face in the thick curls. ‘We’ll keep him away from the big, bad wolf . . . Now, Daddy’s got to go out, but . . . tomorrow, what are we doing tomorrow?’
‘Zoo . . . zoo . . .’
Alex carried Evelyn to the nursery and the nanny smiled. He so obviously adored his son, in a way he made up for the lack of motherly affection. Evelyn began crying because he didn’t want Alex to leave, but he got a tap on the nose and was told Daddy had important work to do.
When Alex arrived at Selina and Conrad’s house, he found his stepdaughter alone. She was a strange, quiet girl, and although he was fond of her he found her trying, she was so shy and introverted.
‘How are your boys?’
Selina murmured that they were all well, then lapsed into silence.
‘I really need to talk to Conrad urgently, you expecting him soon? If so, I’ll wait.’
Selina shrugged, her mouth turned down. ‘He comes and goes as he chooses, perhaps you should try at the office in the morning.’
Alex tilted his head to one side. ‘Nothing wrong between you, is there?’
Selina laughed, humourlessly. ‘There’s nothing between us, but I’ll pass your message on if I see him.’
‘I’d appreciate that, tell him we’re in trouble, Edward’s back, and kicking.’
Alex felt sorry for her, and made a mental note to have a word with Barbara, perhaps she should talk to the girl. He sighed, irritated by Selina’s lack of energy. She had everything money could buy, a handsome husband, two lovely boys, and yet she was never enthusiastic about anything.
Edward was sitting up in bed with stacks of files on each side of him. Dewint brought a dinner tray, and Edward lay back. ‘I dunno, I leave for a few months and he gets us into such deep water, you know what’s the matter with him, he’s a big softie; can’t do business on favours, keep it in the family, doesn’t work . . .’
Harriet shrieked for Edward. He leapt out of bed, overturning the tray, and ran from the bedroom. He threw open the nursery door. ‘What, for Chrissake? What is it?’
‘She’s cross-eyed – look for yourself, she’s cross-eyed. Mavis agrees with me – can you see, hold your finger up . . . See, it’s her left eye . . . Oh my God, she’s cross-eyed.’
Edward picked up his daughter and stared into her face, while she tried to ram her fingers in his mouth. She had round, rosy cheeks and auburn hair, darker than her mother’s, and strange black eyebrows. No one could actually describe her as beautiful, but to Edward there was nothing wrong that he could see. ‘She’s not, she’s just got strange-coloured eyes! You’re not cross-eyed, are you sweetie?’
‘She is! Give her to me and I’ll show you. It’s bad enough to have hair like a burnt orange, now she’s cross-eyed. There! See – the left eye swings in towards the corner . . .’
Mavis was hovering at the door, and Edward brought her into the debate. ‘What do you think, Mavis?’
‘Well, I’d no say it was crossed, maybe a wee bit lazy.’
‘Oh, bloody hell, you know what’s going to happen – she’s going to be one of those children with glasses and a patch over one eye. She certainly suits her name, she’s jinxed all right.’
Edward carried Jinks on his shoulder for a third opinion, and Dewint peered up into her face. ‘Well, I couldn’t say for sure, sah, but they can do wonders nowadays, you know. They can straighten it out.’
Proved correct, Harriet gave Edward a smug look. ‘Right, Mavis, we’re taking her to Harley Street. The last thing I want is a cross-eyed daughter.’
Edward shut himself in his study for the rest of the day. Late in the afternoon, Harriet returned with Jinks and stood, hands on hips, at his door.
‘Well, I was right, she’s cross-eyed, and it’s got to come from your family because none of mine squint – mentally a wee bit unstable, as Mavis would say, but no cross-eyes.’
Edward laughed, and she sat on his knee. It was the first time she had ever referred to her own condition with humour. She became serious, and told him they could operate, but not for a few years, then she burst into tears. ‘Oh, God, Edward, she’s going to have to wear glasses, and when she goes to school they’ll call her four-eyes, or three, because one side of the glasses will have to be blanked out. I knew it, I told you.’
Edward rubbed his head. His mind was still on the work littering his desk. He suggested they should get opinions from two or three specialists before they took any drastic steps.
‘I’ve been to the very best man at Great Ormond Street, and they said they will give her glasses and operate when it’s time. Well, you’re obviously busy and I’m obviously interrupting you, so I’ll let you get on with it.’
She waltzed out, and Edward shut the door. But after a moment, unable to concentrate, he went up to the nursery. He sat with Mavis – he found her a pleasant girl, and she adored Jinks.
‘Mavis, you know about Mrs Barkley? Well, she seems just a little frantic over this eye business. How do you think she is?’
‘Och, she’s lovely, and she’s such a sweet nature. She’s the easiest child I’ve ever taken care of.’
‘I meant Mrs Barkley, Mavis . . . Do me a favour and watch over her, just as much as Jinks. If she starts . . . well, acting a little bit strange, even the tiniest bit, let me know.’
‘Oh, yes, Mr Barkley, I will . . . And I’d like to say . . . well, I’d just like to say how much I like working here and how much I like your wife – she’s a verra special person.’
‘She is, Mavis, she is . . .’
Alex had to admire the way his brother had grasped the complexities of the banking system, and the formula they would use to put the bank back on its feet. All loans would be foreclosed on immediately, and those unable to meet the deadline would have to offer their companies to the bank. The Barkley Company was ready to ‘take a spin in the City’, and Edward had earmarked certain companies they would be able to ‘pump up’ and use inflated share prices. Conrad was staggered, said they could not even attempt to hoodwink the City in that manner, it would have a catastrophic effect on any later dealings.
&nb
sp; ‘The City has its own laws, we would be blacklisted.’
Edward snapped that they would only be blacklisted if they were caught. From what he had gathered, the City was as crooked as any other business. ‘All bloody used car dealers, Conrad son, and we will go in right at the top, offering companies that have good turnovers. The attitude to take is, if they can’t come up with the repayments then it’s their loss, the bank will not take the fall. They will all have the opportunity, and the Barkley Company will stand behind the bank, taking forty-five per cent of the shares of those with a high turnover . . . My company, however, will not make a penny from the issue, just the shares after the float.’
Conrad gasped as Edward continued to earmark one company after another, and he interrupted Edward. ‘Does your company have the financial backing for these negotiations? You are talking about millions?’
Alex looked at his brother and waited.
‘We have the finances. Second in line for this morning’s meeting is the takeover of Buchanan House. Alex lost to an Arabian company, and I believe they have over-extended themselves, judging by their unaudited mid-term accounts for ’74. Their interest payment is five million, but the Buchanan’s board of directors show a profit of thirty-eight million. Therefore it’s inevitable that interest payments on Buchanan’s own borrowings are a substantial hole, the company had to borrow extensively to get Buchanan House . . . So, Alex, let’s move in fast, this is not for public knowledge.’
Before Alex and Conrad had a chance to digest all of Edward’s schemes he had gone, hurrying to his next meeting.
‘He’ll never pull it off, Alex, it’s madness. We’ll all go down, not just the bank.’
Alex was already on the phone, arranging to meet the brokers for Buchanan House. He put his hand over the mouthpiece. ‘Do exactly as he says. I mean it – don’t trust him, ever, but believe me, he has the Midas touch.’
Edward had never lost money, not on any of the insurance companies, his properties, his sidelines. Everything he touched turned to gold. As much as Alex hated his brother, he would never question his decisions again. He would do what he was instructed to do, and do it to the letter.
The Talisman Page 57