He enjoyed having Fern around the place — she livened up number fifty-two. The home had been built originally with a large family in mind, and it was good to hear the piano in the music room being played again by Caroline, and to hear Fern’s teenage noisiness and laughter about the place. He nodded his head approvingly as he continued to reflect. Caroline and Fern being there was having a beneficial effect on his mother, too.
Laura was three weeks into retirement, showing signs of being more relaxed and content. He knew that Rupert MacIntosh would be just as pleased as he was by her response … which reminded him of something. Rupert had given him the name of a professor, Harry Grebeveski, at the University of New South Wales, who was researching alternative methods of treatment for the type of cardiac problem his mother had. Her specialist said the professor wanted an undergraduate to do part-time research: collating articles and seeking obscure data on the subject. He was sure he could handle that, and if it helped his mother in the future then he wanted to play a role in making that happen. Providing the professor found him suitable.
He stroked his jaw thoughtfully as he picked up his set of keys. Maybe young Fern would like to take a spin with him in his Corvette … They could go for a run up to Katoomba and he’d show her the Three Sisters. Guilt made him glance at the mountain of textbooks piled on one side of his desk. He should be boning up on oncology, the human nervous system, etc. Aawww, to hell with it! A bloke needed to take some time off every now and then …
The legal office of Jeffrey Markham and Associates was located in Sydney’s CBD, on the fifteenth floor of the prestigious Australia Square building in George Street. Jeffrey and his junior partner, Leith Danvers, were expecting Laura Beaumont and Daniel Blumner to arrive any minute for a meeting they had requested. The two men sat in Jeffrey’s spacious office, going over what they expected Laura to cover.
‘The company is solvent, there’s no question about that.’ Jeffrey’s tone was emphatic. ‘And Laura, in her own right, is a very wealthy woman. Jack made sure of that in his will, leaving her a sizeable cash inheritance and a share portfolio that has tripled over the years.’
‘I agree. However, you can’t deny that Ashworths is going through a bad spell. Sales are down, the share price, too. During the last two years the company has stretched itself thin setting up the new-style boutiques Michaela suggested. In the long term I believe it’s good strategy to diversify and, if successful, they may want to set up more in the future, but the boutiques have drained the company of considerable assets.’ Leith leant forward and added confidentially to Jeffrey who had assigned the Ashworths account to him, ‘According to Daniel, and this was backed up by Neil, investors aren’t likely to receive a dividend before this year’s AGM unless there’s a dramatic financial turnaround.’
Leith studied how Jeffrey absorbed this information. His boss was in his late sixties, a tall, spare man with a thick thatch of white hair, and still very much on the ball when it came to legal and financial matters, especially those pertaining to Laura Beaumont. Leith had learned that the business relationship and personal friendship between Laura and Jeffrey went back to before the first Ashworths’ boutique department store had been created.
‘This theft problem can complicate matters,’ Leith advised, his expression serious. ‘The Melbourne store has also reported incoming stock losses. Boris flew down to investigate and, if the press gets a sniff of it and judges it newsworthy, the share price could tumble further. Well, it’s not impossible but,’ the shrug of his wide shoulders said it all, ‘the company’s future could eventually be in jeopardy, especially if a wide-scale sell-off ensues. Investors cutting their losses and getting out.’
‘You’re painting a damned gloomy picture, Leith,’ Jeffrey remarked grumpily. He took off his gold-rimmed spectacles and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. ‘I don’t think we should appear to be negative with Laura, especially with her health being somewhat delicate.’
Before Leith could answer, the intercom buzzed and Jeffrey’s secretary informed them, ‘Mrs Beaumont and Mr Blumner are coming in.’
Leith ran his hands through his spiky blond hair, did up the top button of his shirt and straightened his tie. Fleetingly, his thoughts turned to Michaela Beaumont. She intrigued and excited him, but there were moments when the level of intensity she projected almost alarmed him. His feelings towards his client, Laura Beaumont, were understandably different; he held the founder of Ashworths in great esteem because of what she had accomplished in business, almost singlehandedly.
Both men stood as Laura and Daniel came into the room. Jeffrey greeted Laura with a kiss on the cheek and shook Daniel’s hand enthusiastically.
‘Sit down, sit down. Anyone want coffee, tea?’
Everyone declined refreshments and Laura got the meeting under way. ‘I suppose you’ve been discussing Ashworths’ situation. As my legal representatives, I’d expect you to be doing that.’
‘I know we’re more legal representatives than financial but, yes,’ Leith confirmed, ‘Jeffrey and I have completed a rough report on how Ashworths has been travelling financially over the last two years.’
Laura’s gaze turned to Leith, but her clear brown eyes gave nothing away. ‘And?’
‘We believe that Ashworths is at a crossroads. You’ve expanded dramatically over the last few years, become a public company, though you and the family still own a large parcel of shares, and you introduced those new boutiques. In the long term that’s for the good of the company, but …’
‘In the short term there’s a lack of capital and profits to generate a dividend to investors,’ Laura finished for him. ‘Correct?’
‘Yes, my dear, that’s how we see it,’ Jeffrey put in, but went on to add quickly, ‘not that a lot of other companies aren’t experiencing the same problem.’
‘I’m not interested in other companies, Jeffrey, only in Ashworths. I want to do the right thing by our investors too — the company can’t afford an en masse sell-off of shares. It would make us vulnerable, perhaps for a takeover bid.’ She glanced towards Daniel for confirmation. ‘Isn’t that so?’
‘In the current situation it would be bad.’
‘You have a plan, Laura?’ Leith asked. His gaze focused on the woman whose manner — her sharpness, the no-nonsense look in her eyes — reminded him so much of her youngest daughter. Like Michaela, Laura dressed expensively and was always perfectly groomed. In her long-sleeved fawn suit with a blouse in autumn shades of orange, brown and gold, she was, for her age, a spectacularly attractive woman.
‘Daniel and I have talked it over — rather, we’ve thrashed it through. I’ve decided to sell off some property I own, a warehouse in Ultimo. Neil has been encouraging me to hold on to it until land prices go up. However, the entire board agrees that it’s imperative to show faith to our shareholders. I’ll put the warehouse on the market immediately and use the sale’s proceeds to fund a modest dividend for shareholders.’
Jeffrey and Leith looked at each other. The older man blinked several times, betraying his surprise, but the younger one took Laura’s words in his stride, nodding his head in agreement.
‘Isn’t that somewhat drastic? Ashworths’ shares could rise during the next few months,’ Jeffrey pointed out.
‘They could,’ Daniel agreed. ‘But Laura doesn’t want to take the chance of the opposite happening. Selling the warehouse is a move calculated to boost investor confidence. We will instruct a commercial real estate agent to handle it on our behalf and do it in such a way as to lessen attention that it’s being done to provide finance for the dividend.’
‘It’s an interesting short-term strategy,’ Leith said, ‘but it isn’t something you would want to do year after year.’
‘God, I hope I don’t have to,’ Laura said with a short laugh. ‘I expect Ashworths’ shares to stabilise and start gaining ground again, soon.’
‘I can see no legal impediment to the company doing this, seeing tha
t it’s for the overall betterment of Ashworths,’ Jeffrey said.
‘It’s a gutsy thing to do, if you don’t mind me saying so,’ Leith cut in, his opinion of Laura Beaumont rising a couple of notches.
Daniel smiled at the two men as he answered on Laura’s behalf. ‘Good. We were sure there wouldn’t be a legal problem, but we wanted to run it by you just in case.’
‘Now, Leith, if you can spare another ten minutes, I want to make some changes to my will,’ Laura said.
‘Whatever for?’ Jeffrey wanted to know. ‘You re-wrote your will last year, remember.’
‘I’m not in my dotage yet.’ Laura’s tone was sharp, but she softened it with a smile. ‘I remember. There have been some family changes. Caroline and Fern are home. And, if you must know, I want to add a bequest for Fern. I’m just getting things in order before I take that cruise I talked to you about.’
‘You’re really going?’ Jeffrey’s tone held a note of amazement.
‘After Easter.’ She looked at her longtime friend and waggled a finger at him. ‘Don’t look at me like that, Jeffrey Markham. Rupert, my specialist, has given his blessing. Says it’s just what I need, a four-month around-the-world cruise. Kitty Smithers is coming with me.’
‘I’m just envious, Laura. You’ll have a wonderful time,’ Jeffrey replied. ‘I’ll miss our regular Sunday luncheons.’
Laura took pity on him; he looked so crestfallen, as if he’d misplaced something he valued greatly. ‘Jeffrey, it’s only for four months. I’ll be back before you have a chance to miss me.’ She looked at the three men and smiled. ‘Caroline’s organised a family-cum-work get-together and you’re all invited to number fifty-two for Easter Sunday lunch. I hope you’ll all be able to make it.’
‘I will,’ Leith said promptly. As Laura rose from her seat, so did he. ‘If you’d care to come to my office, Laura, I’ll get your file and we’ll attend to the matter of the will.’
Laura nodded. She liked this young man, she decided. No airs and graces, no overt attempts to impress her. The more she saw and knew about Leith Danvers, the more she realised that he was an intelligent, conscientious and trustworthy individual. She liked a man to have such attributes. Like her Jack. Her thoughts turned to Michaela and how Leith had rescued her and sent her flowers. Her daughter could do worse than this lawyer. And Jeffrey had confided that he was considering offering the young man a full partnership next year because he didn’t want him being head-hunted by a rival legal firm. A contemplative smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she preceded Leith to his office. Yes, indeed, Michaela could do a lot worse.
Like Sydney University, the University of New South Wales’ faculty of medicine was a modern labyrinth of offices, corridors, laboratories and lecture rooms. Joel felt quite frustrated by the several wrong turns he’d made by the time he got to Professor Grebeveski’s office. He opened the door and walked into a minuscule office which contained a desk and a secretary at work entering data into a computer.
Controlling his irritation at the woman’s lack of response, Joel was the first to speak. ‘Good afternoon. I’ve come to see Professor Grebeveski.’
She looked up from the VDU briefly. ‘Do you have an appointment?’
‘No, but …’
‘He won’t see you without an appointment. The professor’s much too busy,’ came the frank reply.
Joel dropped his backpack to the floor and stood stolidly in front of the desk. Something about the young woman’s manner — it was close to being abrasive — irked him. He wasn’t easily irritated but after the race from Sydney Uni, the difficulty in finding a parking space around Kensington, the unguided tour through the faculty’s offices, he was a tad short-tempered.
‘Look, Miss … I spoke to the professor yesterday. I’ve come about the research position. Professor Grebeveski said he’d see me whenever I could make it over here.’
The redhead paused in her keyboarding to glance at a note tucked under the corner of her in-tray. ‘You’re Joel Beaumont?’
‘Yes.’
‘Professor Grebeveski’s lecturing. He won’t be here for another half hour at least.’ Offhandedly she pointed to a utilitarian chair inside the doorway. ‘You can wait if you want to.’
‘Thank you,’ Joel looked at her ID badge, ‘Miss Markovitch. Very kind of you.’
Joel didn’t think she noticed his sarcasm as he slumped into the chair and her attention returned to the keyboard. He spent a few minutes studying the unremarkable small office, then bent down and took a textbook out of his backpack and scanned, without a lot of concentration, the chapter his lecturer had discussed that morning.
Curiously, the redhead piqued his ire and, conversely, his interest. He threw several sideways glances in her direction as she worked. She had the reddest, curliest mop of hair he’d ever seen, which she’d tried to control by scraping it back off her face and twisting an elasticised ribbon around it, but wisps kept escaping to form a curling frame around her face. Nice-looking but not ravishingly beautiful, Miss Markovitch had interesting features, perhaps even arresting ones, and hazel eyes that, whenever she looked in his direction, challenged him to remain quiet so she could continue with her work.
After forty minutes had laboriously ticked by, Joel ventured a question. ‘Do you think the professor will be much longer?’
‘Hard to say, Mr Beaumont. Sometimes he gets caught up with the students, answering questions.’ She studied him frankly for a couple of seconds and, after a momentary hesitation, asked, ‘Are you by any chance related to the Beaumonts, I mean, to Nick Beaumont?’
Joel masked his surprise. Maybe she was bored with just typing, typing, typing. ‘We’re half-brothers. Do you know Nick?’
‘Goodness, no, not personally.’ The possibility seemed to throw her for a minute. ‘I know the name because my dad used to work for B & S Constructions. He was a brickie’s foreman until he retired due to a back problem.’
‘I don’t know much about Nick’s business, except that it’s doing well. Nick’s a good deal older than me.’ Joel ventured the information as she seemed to have thawed slightly towards him.
‘Why do you want the research job? Your family has buckets of money, hasn’t it?’
Oddly, he didn’t take offence at her forthright manner; the question was honestly asked. ‘We’re not poor, that’s true. I’ve a personal interest in the professor’s research. I have one year of medicine left to do before my internship, and later I’m thinking about going into research.’
‘Really. There isn’t much money in it — research — you know. Ask the professor.’ She gave him a brief, sly smile. ‘But then, money’s not a problem for you, I guess.’
If she wanted a ‘discussion’, he’d give her one. ‘What is it with you, Miss Markovitch? Do you have a predilection to dislike people who are financially comfortable?’ Joel watched her cheeks colour delicately and knew he’d hit the mark.
‘I believe people should earn what they get, not have it handed to them on a plate for no effort whatsoever.’
‘Spoken like a true socialist, Elissa.’ A short, thin man with bifocals and thinning grey hair spoke as he opened the door. He came into the room and dropped a dilapidated briefcase on the floor beside the desk. He turned to Joel. ‘Joel, isn’t it?’ He waited for Joel to nod agreeably. ‘I see you’ve met Elissa. She’s the best assistant I’ve had, that’s why I put up with her political views and general outspokenness.’
‘It is not necessarily a political view, Professor Grebeveski, it’s what I was brought up to believe. We live in a democracy, and I have a right to my opinions,’ Elissa Markovitch ably defended herself.
Harry Grebeveski looked at Joel and gave a long-suffering sigh. ‘See what I mean? A difficult woman to get along with, but she does superb work for me. If you’re right for the job, Joel, you’ll have to work closely with Elissa. I hope that won’t be a problem.’
Joel barely controlled the corners of his mouth, which were twitchin
g to form a smile. The professor seemed to enjoy baiting his assistant and, from the put-out expression on her face, she regularly rose to the challenge. ‘Not at all, sir, I admire people who speak frankly, rather than those who say one thing and mean another. I believe we’ll be able to work together.’
The professor nodded, satisfied. ‘Come into my office. We’ll talk about what I’m doing.’
Grinning as he left Elissa’s small office, Joel followed the professor into his marginally larger office. Wall-to-wall bookcases, filing cabinets and boxes upon boxes of paperwork; it all looked thoroughly disorganised. However, he’d done his homework and knew the professor’s reputation. Professor Harry Grebeveski was highly respected in the field of non-surgical cardiovascular research. He was sure he was going to enjoy working with the professor, and with the outspoken Elissa Markovitch …
Caroline passed one of her cousins, Mark McRae — Neil’s youngest brother — as she walked down the corridor towards Michaela’s office. They smiled formally at each other, but neither stopped or was inclined to speak, especially not Caroline and not today. Today marked the six-week anniversary of her beginning at Ashworths and, overall, she was pleased with what she had tackled and the rate at which she was learning how the company worked.
Her job in public relations was, she conceded, fairly lightweight: preparing copy for press releases, making contact with media representatives, getting to know how the public relations department worked, as well as intermittently spending time in other departments such as accounts, marketing, advertising and on the shop floor to get a feel for Ashworths. Nothing too taxing, nothing she could get into too much trouble with. Primarily, she was there to watch, listen and to learn and, generally speaking, the staff were friendly and helpful, with one notable exception: Michaela.
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