Raise The Price

by Mark Stanley

  "But we've got other businesses; we've got three of the best hotels in Dublin." He smiled at his Father who nodded and then sneered at me.

  "Mm, you do and your valuation for those hotels is?"

  "Over a billion, not that it's any fecking business of yours!"

  I sat and opened another file and perused the contents.

  "I see I own seventy percent of those too."

  "Feck off you fecking cunt, no you don't, you fecking liar!"

  I said nothing, as I pulled out of the file, copies of a bill of sale that I passed to the Corrigan's and also to Giles and Cosmo. Both of which I must really play at poker as they showed astonishment at the revelation.

  "As you can see gentlemen, you have a further seven hundred and fifty million euro loan with NAMA or should I say, did have, because I've bought that seventy percent shareholding...as well, so now not only do I own a majority share in Kensington but also in your or should that now be, my hotels?" I let the news digest as I took the opportunity to top up my own water as I waited for the news to reach its destination. Mickey was first to react. "What do you want?"

  "What I don't want is to run...a bed and breakfast chain."

  "These are fecking five star hotels."

  "My apologises, a five star bed and breakfast chain. I've no interest in diversifying and becoming a hotelier, but you, I think have, Mickey? It's where your own Dah made his name and his money, they mean a lot to you and your family and I respect that. What do I want? You know exactly what I want, I want the forty percent of Kensington that you have but do you know what Mickey? I'm not paying you three billion not even two. Not you or your sons have more than a few quid to your names which isn't a loan from a bank, you're in hock everywhere. Your forty percent is pledged as security for the hotels, the supermarkets that you own, the haulage business, your fucked Mickey completely and utterly fucked. Now I can wait or I can squeeze, squeeze until your pips pop. It won't come as a surprise, but I'm excellent at both, but I especially enjoy the latter, it gives me more satisfaction, not you of course. The choice is ultimately yours. You can have back your bed and breakfasts, as I've already said I don't want them. In return you'll give me the shares in Kensington Estates and I'll let you leave with some dignity, which is much more than you deserve. I've learnt how you procured some of those assets and it doesn't do you any credit, I suspect you old Ma would be ashamed to call you her son, so what do you say Mickey?"

  "Fecking cunt!"

  "I actually think you meant to say, ' Deal Lord Stanley, thank you very much for saving my families inheritance, because before your intervention Lord Stanley, the banks were all going to foreclose and we would have been fecked!', I think that's what you meant to say Mickey. Now you can leave and return to Dublin's fair city, where the girls certainly are very pretty, with no debt and a profitable future.”

  Mickey looked hard at me and could see that it was no bluff.

  "Chuck in fifty million for seed capital and you've a deal."

  I looked back, equally hard contemplating the offer.

  "I'll pay you ten million but only if you sign the papers today." He thrust out his hand.

  "Deal. You're a fecking tough cunt but never come to Dublin because I'll never forget."

  I stood and walked out of the room, but no one could see the smile from behind.

  A little while later, I was drinking coffee in my wife's office.

  "So Billy, how much did it cost?"

  "The company is valued by JKY at £5.1 billion sterling. The loans at NAMA was in euros and so were the hotels and the loans which we still need to redeem and which Cosmo is doing as we speak."

  "C'mon Billy, how much? I can see it's given you a stiffy, all the excitement of this morning, I expect I'm in for a torrid time in the bedroom later, I will be in for a torrid time won't I Billy?"

  "You will be."

  "Thank goodness. Now, how much Billy?"

  "A few thousand under four billion sterling."

  She stared at me and stood, walking around the desk, before joining me on the sofa. She dropped her hand onto my groin feeling my hardness. "So a twenty percent discount to the net asset value?" As she pulled down my zip, releasing my throbbing penis.

  "Mm, good aren't I?" But she didn't answer, she had her mouth full.

  "Markey! I bet your life is quiet now that Nippers, resting?"

  "Of course it is Robert, I only sit at home waiting for his next run, that's how I pay for next seasons horses, laziness."

  "They look a super bunch Markey. Not that we're doing much with them at the moment, but they're all now broken, still can't believe that you and Victoria spent so much at the sales."

  Robert and Katie had shared in the prize money and they will share, once Royal Quest is sold, in the proceeds, which will be vast, at least for them. Victoria and I had decided that they should be further rewarded by training additional horses. Because of Royal Quest, we have changed our modus operandi. In the past, Robert and his bloodstock agent, had purchased six yearlings at an average cost of fifty thousand each, these had then raced as two year olds before being sold at the end of the season and six new horses being purchased. Last year we had sold all of the horses with the exception of Royal Quest, but this season, three of the new intake had performed well, winning Group three races and in one case a Group two race and so we had retained these. Victoria wants to establish a broodmare operation to take advantage, ultimately of Royal Quest, so that we can race his progeny. So this sales season Robert had been given precise instructions to purchase not only a dozen yearlings but also to purchase some top-class mares which would become foundation mares at Ascot Park Stud. This was to be established on some of the additional land that we had subsequently purchased on the farm that had been renamed The Meadows. Furthermore, we wanted to remove the restraints from buying horses in the lower to middle market and to upgrade the horses that Robert trains for us so the cost for this excursion to the sales had left me with a bill of a little over ten million pounds, as the three broodmares had cost four million pounds in total.

  "Let's hope that they're some decent ones in the bunch."

  "Money doesn't buy success, at least not in horse racing but it does improve the odds as you know."

  "I know. Are all of your stables full now?"

  "Absolutely full and a waiting list, thanks to Nipper, anyway that's not the reason I rang. It's the Cartier awards next week and I was wondering whether we could stay with you?"

  "Cheapskate.”

  "You've got all of those rooms and I'm just a poor Newmarket trainer!"

  "Now there's an oxymoron. Yes you can have a bed for the evening but we'll be gone early as we're flying to New York, I have to give a speech at the UN in the afternoon."

  "And there you have it, just when you think he's a normal bloke he tells you he's about to give a speech at the UN, so you've got the gig then?"

  "Yes I have and I need to try and prise some additional funding out of the General Assembly plus it coincides with Victoria needing to be there for a Vogue shoot, so two birds, one stone."

  "UN, Vogue shoot, next you'll be telling me you're having dinner with the President."

  "Thursday evening actually we're hosting a small intimate dinner, President Obama, Ban ki Moon, President Putin, Xi Jinping and our own Prime Minister."

  "VICTORIA!" We were going to be late for the fucking UN.

  "Stop shouting Billy I'm ready, let's go."

  "I'm sorry for shouting."

  "That's alright Billy, you're understandably a little stressed now take my hand and let’s get moving."

  In the USA, we no longer had a town car or a cab, no we had upgraded to a cavalcade. Not only our personal security, but we now have a Secret Service detail, with Police outriders. Tonight is the night of the dinner; we’re hosting it in our suite at The Carlyle at the request of all. We could have taken over a restaurant but tonight was a group discussion without all of the normal advisors, unheard of. Would anyt
hing be decided? Probably not, but it was doubtful that a more high level dinner had ever been hosted, the only surprise is that they all accepted knowing who would be in attendance. Victoria has worked so hard at making sure everything, from the flowers to the cutlery and the food will be perfect and now, as I kiss her before I leave to make my speech I realise every call that I have to answer to satisfy her parent’s megalomania, is worth it.

  I've been speaking for, slightly under twenty-five minutes; I know that from where I am in the speech. The delegates, many with headphones on, were getting simultaneous translation of the speech.

  "...We have lived at the precipice for too long. Many of us live with the spectre of war, famine and disease. We've come a long way, but we still have further to go. Our children deserve your commitment, they demand your commitment. No longer can we turn away and say it's not our problem. To you, that represent the countries that pay only the compulsory contributions I say this; you are the biggest receivers and you MUST do more. You cannot sit and expect the wealthier countries to continue to finance this great organisation whilst you and your colleagues cause mayhem and destruction within your own countries. You cannot continue to rape your country of its wealth, you must face up to your social, moral and financial responsibilities and you need to face these responsibilities now. The greatest gift that we can give to our children is life and eradicating extreme poverty will give an immediate improvement in their life expectancy. But the amount that we put into education must increase for it is with education that our children will be released from poverty. I leave you with a final thought. There are now almost one billion people living in slums, if we fail to address the contributions that you make to the UN family that figure will increase to two billion by 2025, don't let us be the generation that walk over the precipice."

  Much, much later, as the staff were clearing the dining room, Victoria and I retired to the bedroom. The early editions of the national American papers had been delivered and my speech had made the front page. As seems to be the case with journalists, they were all dealing in vast quantities of hyperbole, calling the speech the 'Precipice Speech'.

  "So Billy, a ten minute standing ovation, invitations to visit Russia, China and everywhere else in-between..."

  "I don't think there is much in-between Russia and China. Ow, don't start hitting me!"

  "... A dinner, that even I couldn't believe everyone turned up for and to cap it all a load more funding."

  "And I'm really grateful to all, for ring-fencing separate payments to the poverty fund but it's not enough."

  "Step by step Billy, step by step, but now that you're big and powerful in the UN can you come and be big and powerful in bed please?"

  "Excellent speech Mark. It's getting front page headlines throughout Europe, just what we needed. I understand that there are requests for visits to many countries and we need to stage manage them. No point going anywhere where the Press won't be, what we need are some war zones or mass famine..."

  "You really are a merciless bastard."

  "Don't be naïve for we can make great capital out of this but it must be played right."

  "And I want to do the right thing not the wrong thing. I've given my commitment and I want to follow that through. If I do it right, it'll get all of the publicity that you want but I won't be a part of anything that is immoral it’s too late for you to raise the price."

  "Bit late to try and take the moral high ground Mark, but very well, we'll look at doing it your way, if that doesn't get us where we need to be then we'll do it my way."

  It wasn't a request.

  We're staying in New York until Sunday to fulfil the Vogue commitment. It also gives me the opportunity to speak with a lot of the UN delegates and to try and get the begging bowl overflowing. So whilst Victoria does her thing I do mine. In the late afternoon we meet up, compare our days and then we jointly go wining and dining to try and raise yet more money.

  "Billy, I love you so very much, but are we never going to get some us time?"

  I made a sad face and pouted, trying to imitate her own face.

  "Saturday night. The delegates are all going home Friday and Saturday so you and I will paint the town red."

  "Yay!"

  But of course it didn't happen. I tried to make it happen, but things seemed to conspire against me and we finished up at yet another dull dinner as Victoria sparkled and charmed, together we were successful and we left New York in the hope that things were about to improve, but for now they were just words spoken and now we needed to see them turn into deeds.

  Chapter 13 - December

  With the new jobs at the UN and Brompton Estates, life was a little busier than even I was used too. Giles was handling MSP just, with a lot of help from Felicity and Ellie and thankfully Ludo was joining next month, that would lessen the load, I think. Ludo working with me at MSP would be a challenge. Despite my reputation for making fast decisions they are always or at least I hope they are, considered. Ludo on the other hand is an act now and think later merchant so it was vital that Giles was there as a counter-balance. Charles Goodwin-Doyle residency as Chairman at both MSP & Brompton's had been welcomed and endorsed by all, especially Giles who viewed Charles as a steadying influence in an ever growing company. The news of Victoria's pregnancy had inevitably been splashed over and in the various magazines and papers. She looked, if anything, even more magnificent pregnant. We had been in South America beating the collection drum with varying levels of success and had returned late on Friday in time to have the children for the majority of the weekend. Now on a bleak December day, I along with a sparse set of parents was standing on the touch-line at an away match watching two schoolboy rugby matches. Rather fortuitously, at least for me, the pitches ran parallel and so I was able to watch one match with Charles playing and by turning a hundred and eighty degrees I could see Hugo on the adjacent pitch. We had arrived with me, them and three CPO’s. I had been asked by Tom not to refer to them as 'security detail', as they felt that title was more synonymous with bodyguards. No they are 'close protection officers' or as they prefer CPO’s. There wasn't more than thirty people watching three matches, you couldn't blame the parents, it was darn cold but even so the boys deserved support. Simon was standing with me watching his two sons and sheltering behind the mass of the CPO’s, roll on the cricket season.

  After the match, we made our way to a pub where our wives were meeting us with the other children. It was a popular destination on days like today with a big open fire roaring with flame and spitting the occasional ember onto the flagstone floor. Thankfully as we were eating the drinks were bought to the table for us. The children were sitting in a group at one end thawing out whilst we took over the opposite end.

  "Victoria you look amazing. I didn't think I could ever fancy a pregnant woman but I could make an exception for you!"

  "You're so kind Simon; I'll bear that in mind if Mark ever needs help with his duties."

  "Mind, I doubt whether Lucia will be very happy."

  "No go ahead don’t let me stop you two, you can let Victoria see what I have to put up with!"

  There was much laughter and a fair few jibes. We now share with the Burns, an ever increasing National Hunt stable of horses. It had started out with one, Verbier who is very successful. That success has led to Simon, unannounced, buying more admittedly high class beasts from France and now we own seven in the partnership. They were found most weekends, children in tow, at various racecourses but we rarely join them as it’s a time rather than an enjoyment issue for us and we never have enough of the former.

  "Two winners last weekend at Cheltenham and I think we'll have at least another two with any luck next weekend at Ascot's big Christmas meeting, will you be able to come?"

  Victoria shook her head before she answered the question.

  "No sorry, Mark has to be back at the UN next Tuesday as there’re various meetings, aren't there?"

  I smiled and nodded.

&nbs
p; "How much longer can you carry on flying Victoria?"

  "A fair while yet. My Consultant thinks that so long as I get plenty of rest that I can go right the way through until week thirty six, which is the end of February but whether I want to do that, well I just don't know. Anyway I'm not going next week, I've lots of work to catch up on and Daphne's having a real struggle with morning sickness. You do know Daphne's pregnant?"

  "Mm, I saw her in the supermarket last week."

  "Where you hav'in em?"

  "You're just so delicate with the choice of words Simon. 'I'm hav'in em', at St Mary's Hospital in their Lindo Wing?"

  "I thought you'd be in one on those posh private places?"

  "For your information Simon, this is one of those posh private places.

  "Too posh to push, though I wager?"

  "And you lose again. No, it'll be, at least we hope it'll be a normal birth, I want to at least try even if I finish up with a c-section."

  "Will you breast feed Victoria?"

  Victoria shook her head. "I'd like to but given my size, I could never produce enough milk. Still it means that Mark can help with the feeding, if he ever comes home."

  At that precise moment we were being snapped by three people with camera phones and the CPO’s moved position so that they blocked anymore attempts.

  "This shit continues then." Said Simon, indicating with his head.

  "It's impossible to stop and one hopes that people will respect you're out with friends and family on a private occasion, but it's getting worse. Anyway looking forward to Christmas?"

  "You are going to turn up then?"

  I gave Simon a look that I hoped said 'please don't give Victoria anymore ammunition', but rolling my eyes and thinning my smile.

  "Come on Mark, pray tell, are we to be graced with your appearance at anytime during the holiday?"

  We were spending a chunk of the Christmas holidays cruising the Caribbean on the 'Melissa' with Victoria's parents, mine were staying with my brother James and his family, the Burns had been invited to join us and had accepted.