Raise The Price

by Mark Stanley

  Can't take my eyes off You

  Pardon the way that I stare

  There's nothing else to compare

  The sight of You leaves me weak

  There are no words left to speak

  But if you feel like I feel

  Please let me know that is real

  You're just too good to be true

  I can't take my eyes off You

  Then the orchestral side started the familiar introduction to the chorus and I held my hands up praying to the guests for their participation, but I shouldn't have worried, for after the champagne and wine there was no danger of them letting me sink. Do, da, do, da, do, do, do, do, do, do, da, do, da, do, do, do, do, do, do, da,do, da, do, do, do ,do, do, do, da, do, da, dooooo.

  He loves You baby

  And if it's quite all right

  He needs You baby

  To warm a lonely night

  He loves You baby

  Trust in him when He says

  Oh pretty baby

  Don't bring him down we pray

  Oh pretty baby

  Now that he's found You stay

  And let him love You, baby

  Let him love You

  You're just too good to be true

  I can't take my eyes off you

  You'd be like heaven to touch

  I wanna hold You so much

  At long last love has arrived

  And I thank God I'm alive

  You're just too good to be true

  Can't take my eyes off You

  He loves You baby

  And if it's quite all right

  He needs You baby

  To warm a lonely night

  He loves You baby

  Trust in him when He says

  Oh pretty baby

  Don't bring him down we pray

  Oh pretty baby

  Now that he's found You stay

  And let him love You, baby

  Let him love You..."

  It all seemed to go down well with lots of smiling faces and clapping as I made my way back to the table, kissing Victoria as I sat. And then the fat oaf took to centre stage for his speech. Of course I knew it was going to be irreverent, risqué and funny, after all, that's why he was chosen, but he drew this part of the Reception to a fitting closure.

  "Well done!"

  "Didn't drop too many clangers did I old boy?"

  "No it was a fine job. Thank you for getting it so right."

  "It was never in doubt old man!"

  We then had to go through the cutting of the cakes, cakes because one wouldn't feed two thousand people and this took a considerable amount of time and then as the guests began to get restless, we could finally start the dancing.

  "Can I ask the Bride & Groom to come up onto the dance floor and set the evening in motion and will you; the guests please come and stand around the edge to witness their first dance?"

  I helped Victoria up and the bridesmaids came into their own ensuring that the train was position to full effect before the music to, 'The Way You Look Tonight' rang out and as it did, I took Victoria into my arms just as Michael Bublé began to serenade us.

  "Go away!"

  "We have to leave, time to wake up!"

  "If we have to leave so quickly why are you pushing your dick between my legs and...oh that's rather nice!"

  "Do hurry up Victoria."

  "My Lady to you, boy!"

  "You look lovely."

  "I know and I've bought you a present."

  She passed me a box and extracted a kiss before I was allowed to open it. "Very fancy wrapping paper, I wonder what it could be?" As I peeled away the paper, the first thing I saw was a box that I recognised, sort of and as I remove the rest of the wrapping I knew I'd seen the box before. I flipped the lid and there was the Patek Philippe watch that I had been out-bid on a few weeks after Victoria and I had first met.

  "Are you crying?"

  “NO, YES! Thank you so very much it's a beautiful gift, but I didn't know that we were bidding against each other!"

  She kissed me. "What have you bought me Billy?"

  I looked shamefaced. "I'm sorry but I didn't realise that we were supposed to be exchanging gifts today." She looked on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry, I'll get something, I promise I will." I smiled and gave her a hug as the Porter came for the cases. I took Victoria's hand and we went to the lift, being joined by the ever present Tom and John. Tom raised an eyebrow and just about gave a small nod and I could relax. The doors opened and we walked through the lobby out to the cars on the forecourt.

  "Mark look it's a La Ferrari! I wanted to get one but I was too late putting my order in, isn't it just divine?" As she ran her hand along the paintwork, touching this supercar the way that would make any man jealous.

  "It's a Ferrari, no big deal." Feigning indifference. Victoria looked at me the way she would if she had stepped in some dog-shit.

  "Please don't utter anymore cretinous words."

  "Alright I won't." I pulled the keys from my pocket and dangled them in front of her. "Will you drive or shall I My Lady?"

  For one of the few times in our relationship and certainly the first time in our married lives, Victoria was speechless.

  "Are you crying?" I chided her as she had me. Before she threw her arms around my neck and smothered me in kisses. What a fine way to start the honeymoon!

  The drive down to Farnborough was quick, bloody quick, as Victoria stretched her Ferrari's considerable talents. On arrival, more congratulations and then the walk out to the new aeroplane, the first time that either of us had set eyes on it. Big, luxurious, exclusive were all words that came to mind. John Carmichael the pilot stood at the top of the staircase to welcome and congratulate us as the cases, all fifteen of them, were loaded along with the security.

  We made our way inside and admired the new addition to the Brompton fleet and it was mightily impressive. Victoria went to speak with the crew and I, for the first time in a while, had some privacy as I stood in one of the new bedrooms and looked at the envelope that Danny had passed to me as we left the Reception. I tore it open and inside was a single piece of paper onto which was printed confirmation of a bank transfer to my personal Coutt's account, for three hundred million pounds.

  Chapter 10 – September

  "Typical. Absolutely typical. One at a time isn't good enough for Billy; oh no he has to deal two. Why not give me some notice? Why not forewarn me that this might happen?"

  I didn't speak, what was the point. Today was the first day of the first full week back in London since the wedding. Three weeks of cavorting in the Mediterranean as we cruised the Greek Islands aboard the Melissa, which had been freely given over for the honeymoon, then a week in the South of France before we had taken the children for three weeks to an exclusive hotel in Sardinia and finally after returning the children to Daphne, I had taken Victoria on a long weekend to Capri to celebrate her twenty ninth birthday. During our absence lot's had happened, not least the company had moved from Bruton Street to our new corporate residence and so had Victoria's, now the only time we seemed to spend apart was in the lavatory and I wasn't sure that would be allowed to continue.

  "...Perhaps it's a family trait because your parents never mentioned anything either..."

  Tom gave me a glance which suggested sympathy at my plight; just as well Victoria hadn't seen it.

  "...So there we are, the first time there's even a suggestion is when Professor Johnson says that he has two heart beats and you say, oh I forgot to say twins run in the family and don't say that you didn't think because we all know where that leads!"

  "But I thoug...imagined that you would be pleased to have twins, kick-start the dynasty and all of that."

  We then travelled the last few minutes in silence. It had been as much of a shock for me as it had been for Victoria. Judging by the dates of the conception it must have happened either the wedding night or the following day. We were newlywed and so there was alwa
ys going to be an excess and relieved from the restraints of condoms, I had felt invigorated.

  "People will think I was up the duff as I walked down the aisle!"

  "We can manage that, easily. We'll leak the news..."

  "Great we'll say, 'Lord & Lady Stanley conceived twins on their wedding night. They know it must have been their wedding night as Lord Stanley had been forced to wear a condom for the three months leading up to the consummation!'"

  "Does it matter, really? People will think what they wish to think. We'll know the boys were conceived in The Dorchester and that's all that matters, isn't it?"

  She smiled the smiled that could warm my heart or strike fear into it and I waited to see which way it was all about to go.

  "Still, mighty fine work Billy, ten hours married and two buns cooking in the oven!"

  "So old boy, finally surfaced, how long have you been gone, two months?"

  "You're starting to sound like Felicity."

  "Hardly surprising, London has been a desert without you and the lovely Lady Victoria. How is she, still madly in love with you?"

  "Stupid question even for you Ludo how's the new sprog?"

  "Expensive and having too much of Cara's attention, babies are just so time-consuming. Anyway, back for good now are we?"

  "Mm. What's your news?"

  "Well it's a rum affair, been out voted by my darn relatives, that's the trouble when one's company is owned by a family trust. Some beggar comes in, plonks a few quid on the table and that's your lot, the company's sold and so I'll be unemployed as of the first of next year, anyway, you my fine fellow undoubtedly have need for a shrewd operator, one whom at Director level brings a certain something."

  I stared at him as he made the pitch that I had known had been coming for a week or more. "What makes you think that I'll find you a job, not exactly selling yourself are you? I'm more concerned about our supply stream drying up."

  "Self interests must be put to one side until you find me gainful employment; anyway the one that takes me will have my undivided and quite remarkable talents all to themselves."

  "Mm."

  "Not embracing the opportunity very quickly old man? Look I'll take two hundred grand as a retainer and a share of the profits, which might I add, will soar once my feet are firmly under the table."

  "Hopefully they would, anyway I've more important things to be thinking about?"

  He looked more than a little dismayed. "I do hope you're not going to forget our friendship of over thirty glorious years?"

  I had already established with Giles a position for Ludo and so no I wasn't going to forget or let him down but a little humility would serve him well.

  "Have you seen the new offices? Very expensive and very luxurious more befitting on me and my new status."

  "You're only in them so that Victoria can keep a wary eye on you." He was still disgruntled.

  "My office overlooks a rather lovely secret garden, whereas yours overlooks Pall Mall, still better that then nothing."

  "Quite, but moving...did you say my office! Oh you fine fellow, what a joy it will be for all at MSP to have me to look up to!"

  We had, had lunch back at Scott's which was a bit of a trek for me, with the new offices location not as conducive as the old one, but that was a very small price to pay as they had so much more to offer. I walked with Tom & Craig my CPO’s, on the way back enjoying the autumnal sun and reflected that life really was good despite people snapping away with infernal cameras as we walked.

  "Ah you're finally back, Victoria's wishes to see you?" Felicity managed to make a smile look like a sneer, as I turned around and made my way up the stairs to Brompton Estates, smiling at Francis, one of Victoria's assistants as I dutifully knocked, no 'open door' policy here. The door opened and my wife stood, looking surprised.

  "Why do you always knock and wait?"

  "To give you time to throw your lover out the back-door."

  She smiled and kissed me."My, my, kisses and hugs at work whatever have I done to deserve such affection?"

  "Actually lots of things but apart from all of them I need to talk to you about succession."

  “You make it sound like the Royal family."

  "It is in a way, for I wish to abdicate."

  Life was returning to normal but with a combination of new offices to get used to and a new wife installed on the first floor it was always going to take a little adjustment. What didn't change was Royal Quest for he was still a constant, a constant thorn in the sides of other horses, owners and trainers. After winning the Derby, we had seen him, or at least some of the males had, at the Irish Derby which had formed the centrepiece of my stag weekend. A rather fine weekend had been topped off with Royal Quest sauntering and there is no finer description because he did just that, sauntered to a emphatic eight length victory, which, had the jockey wished to 'show-boat', could have been doubled even trebled. From there he had gone to Ascot for the King George VI and Queen Elisabeth Stakes, the first meeting of the generations. The first time he would meet older horses as before this day, he had raced only against his own age group. We had watched from the Melissa, champagne in hand as he broke the track record and to wild applause maintained his unbeaten record. Now in early September he was approaching his greatest test yet. Not the opposition for it was felt by many, including Timeform, the Bible of horse-racing publications, that he was unbeatable, but for the distance. The Triple Crown has only ever been won by a meagre, fifteen horses in more than two hundred years and the majority of the winners were before the 1900's when it was far less competitive than today. The last winner was Nijinsky in 1970 and on Saturday we were hoping that Royal Quest would be the first of this Millennium. It's unfashionable, as breeders want milers not long distance horses, but for me it was a challenge that I relished. He had proven himself over all distances and now was his ultimate test, fourteen furlongs or a mile and three-quarters on Doncaster Town Moor, between himself and joining the record holders.

  "Any more thoughts about how to best facilitate my abdication?

  "I know that you’re pregnant, I was there for it and I do understand that you will need time off to do whatever it is Mothers do...stop hitting me! But you're not going to drop until...stop hitting me!...until late March then you'll work into the New Year..."

  "No, I'll be finishing at Christmas as that's a good cut off. It's the end of the financial year and then you'll have a New Year both in the calendar and in the company's financials to make your mark. Mark!"

  "How very droll. I can't see at this precise moment how I can cover MSP, Brompton Estates and do your parents bidding. Can we just leave it and have another look in a few days or weeks?" The whole idea was both exciting and inconvenient. I want to do it but I just can't see a way to do so without falling foul of Batman & Robin.

  "Lord Mark, may I have a moment?"

  We had just landed and Victoria was making sure that she and Lulu were just, so. Steven, our new employee was hovering. He was in charge of many things including all of our travel arrangements a sort of Mister Fix-it. We had done it ourselves before now but it was too busy and too fraught and we needed a direct liaison with SO15 to ensure that they knew in advance of major excursions and Poppy was too busy handling her work without diverting energy into, what turned out to be another fulltime position.

  "Yes Steven?"

  "Channel Four have sent a camera crew and interviewer across in the hope of a quick word with you and Lady Victoria could you spare them a couple of minutes?"

  We already had a camera crew with us but this one was from the BBC and was a continuation of the series they were looking to broadcast next year. They had filmed Summer now we we're onto Autumn, all I was hoping was that the audience wouldn't die of boredom watching. "Very well Steven, if it's okay with Tom."

  "Thank you Sir I'll check with Mister Wilson."

  "Victoria get your human side out of the hat box, your public awaits." The look she gave me was not one that I tried
to encourage. As we stepped down onto the grass the interviewer smiled and shuffled forward holding the microphone close to his mouth as he was speaking although I couldn't hear what he was saying.

  "Lord and Lady Stanley, welcome to Doncaster on St. Leger Day, how are you both feeling?"

  Victoria was closer to the microphone and so it was natural for her to speak.

  "Delighted to be here and even more so to be in Yorkshire enjoying this fabulous weather on this most auspicious of days, for its hugely exciting and we're just happy that so many people are here to enjoy seeing the oldest classic." One could only admire the easy way that she dealt with the questions.

  "Once Royal Quests participation was confirmed, there has been a rush to purchase tickets and the meeting has been sold out for some weeks. I'm reliably informed that a large part of that is not just Royal Quests participation but your family's attendance, does that surprise you?"

  "Very much so."

  "But surely you must be aware of the regards that you are held by the public?"

  "When Mark was shot, I was staggered by the affection and goodwill that we received, it was a very difficult time and the support was hugely gratifying."

  "But Lady Stanley have you not seen the poll in today's Daily Mail?"

  We have all of the daily papers delivered but this morning had been busy and so they had gone unread. Victoria smiled and shook her head.

  "No I'm afraid I haven't you'll have to enlighten me."

  "It was in fact two separate polls. The first question that they asked was to see who is the most admired family in Britain and your family won, even in front of the Royal Family, by the proverbial landslide. The second poll was about you Lord Stanley and it was between you, the Prime Minister Christopher Weeks and the Chancellor , asking, 'In a general election who would you vote for to be Prime Minister?' The results astonished in that the incumbent Prime Minister finished last with 17%, the Chancellor was second with 28% and you were top with over 50%?"