Raise The Price

by Mark Stanley

  "I don't know what you mean."

  "You've been with me how long?"

  "Seven years next month."

  "In seven years you have never hidden your feelings even when I had wished that you had. You're always outspoken, sadly and now you take a vow of silence. Come on, what's wrong?"

  "I don't think that I can carry on working here, not if you're not going to be here."

  "Why, what's happened to make you think like this?"

  She sat looking out of my window. I was in no rush and I was happy to sit and stare at her because she wasn't going to be leaving.

  "I love working for you. I love the excitement, the unpredictability and yes even the stress you cause me but this place just isn't the same without you and..."

  "And what?"

  "I'd rather not say."

  "Well that's just too bad because you are going to say and you'll say it now."

  More silence and then finally a very deep sigh.

  "It's Charles."

  "Okay, what's wrong with Charles?"

  "This is between us isn't it? I wouldn't want Charles to find out."

  "It is and he won't, now what's wrong?"

  "I don't know whether it's his corporate background or just the heavy handed way that he deals with people but he’s taking the fun out of it and it's not just me, there are others that are looking around for jobs and I think unless you do something, well I think that there will be a mass exodus."

  "By do something, you mean what? Sack him?"

  "It's not for me to say. I wouldn't want a man to lose his job because of me, but I just think that he's a square peg in a round hole. Giles loves him. I tried to have a chat with Giles but he shot me down and refused to discuss it. Mark this business is all about you, it's built on your ideals but also your charisma and if you're not going to be here, well maybe some of us need to look elsewhere and you can get new people in who will never know what it used to be like."

  "Leave it with me, tell the people that you've been speaking too and are perhaps starting to look elsewhere, to stop and what is wrong will be resolved."

  "Thanks Mark, I'll do it as discreetly as you've asked." She got up.

  "I haven't finished. Sit down please."

  She did and looked decidedly uncomfortable.

  "What do you want?"

  She screwed her eyes up and peered at me through the slits.

  "What do I want? I thought we'd covered that?"

  "That's a separate issue, what do you want?"

  "I want another assistant, I want to be considered for promotion and I want to stay here at MSP."

  "Well I suggest you find two people. One to replace yourself and a further assistant to help your replacement."

  She looked alarmed. "You're sacking me?"

  "Of course I'm not, I'm promoting you. I want you to be our Director of Support Services, obviously with a seat on the Board. Don't think it's a knee jerk reaction because it isn’t, I wanted you to do this job two years ago and you turned me down. This time you'll take it, we need you as much as you say that MSP need me and from the Board you'll have a big voice in a small company."

  She sat with her mouth open and her eyes darting around the room as she began to assimilate the information. Then she went to ask a question, her mouth moved but no words came out, I suppose there are still firsts. Eventually she spoke, pointing at the carpet.

  "Here, as a Director?"

  "Well not in here, this is still my office, but why not? You can do the job standing on your head, but there's more than MSP, Victoria wants you to do the same job at Brompton Estates and that's a much bigger job. They need you to establish a department for good practice, corporate governance and much more. Obviously we'll need to sort out your remuneration. Your contract will be at MSP and you'll be charged out on a day rate to Brompton's. I was looking at it last week and thought that a realistic level would be a hundred and seventy five, obviously you would be put onto the Directors bonus scheme and that will add at least thirty to the bottom line. Okay, can we move on? Thank you Felicity, congratulations, it's normal to take the staff to the wine bar on the corner of Berkeley Square when you're promoted, so shall we say next Monday about 6pm?" She nodded. "Super, thanks very much, leave the door open and ask Josie to come down please?

  "Yes Mark, eh, thanks." The poor girl was in a daze but it truly hadn't been a spur of the moment decision, but what to do about Charles-Goodwin-Doyle?

  Victoria and I were due out for dinner with some friends tonight and it seemed a good opportunity to broach the subject, so I did, what followed slightly surprised me.

  "I wasn't going to say anything, I know how fond you are of Charles and him you, but there's a fair bit of dissension at Brompton's too? I don't know what it is but it needs resolving because if you leave it then it will fester and before you know it, well it will be a crisis and we don't need any more of them."

  I was in early the next morning, for a reason, as I wanted to be in the kitchen when Giles arrived.

  "Good morning Mark, back to the old ways then? First in for the coffee?"

  "The first one is always the most satisfying Giles. How're things going?"

  He looked at me, trying to gauge what was happening. "Generally or specifically?"

  "As it comes."

  He poured himself a coffee and joined me at the table.

  "This about Ludo?"

  "Could be."

  "Kensington Garden Square by any chance?"

  "Might be."

  "Look Mark it's a good deal but when I went with it to Charles he convinced me it wasn't a runner for a variety of reasons and I was persuaded that he was right."

  "Even though he was wrong?"

  "Alright, I knew it would bite me but Charles has a sense of...gravitas that bears down on you and you feel obliged to conform and agree. I know I should have shown more resilience but..." His voice trailed away and he looked disappointed in himself.

  "What are your feelings about Charles?"

  "I'm not sure I have too many of those anymore. It's been difficult, you've been away and I think everyone felt that Charles was being shipped in as your replacement it was as if we didn't matter anymore it's all about..."

  "Don't stop, get it out."

  "We've been mates for years and years and we've always, well most of the time, we've seen eye to eye, but Charles...suffocates you, you feel that you can't do anything in case it goes wrong and that was never the case when you held the reins? You positively encourage free-thinking and enterprise but Charles...Mark, he's very dogmatic, it's Charles way or there's no way and it's wrong, I know it is and so does everyone else but we're all paralysed with fear of telling him."

  "Charles, can I have a few minutes please?"

  "Of course Mark, I was hoping that we could sit down, there’s a lot to discuss and a number of changes I want to make so this would be a splendid opportunity."

  I replaced the phone. I wanted to resolve this but in the right way and to try not to lose a friend. The door knocked and I was bought back to the present.

  "Come in Charles no need to stand on ceremony. Shut the door please. How're you settling in?"

  "Excellent, you've a fine team and they've made me feel very welcome. There's a few that need a bit of knocking into shape but nothing I can't handle. Now about my ideas..."

  "Hold on Charles before we get onto that there's something else, not connected with here that I need a bit of advice and your input will, I'm sure, prove invaluable."

  "Of course Mark, anything that I can be assistance with."

  "Obviously, it goes without saying anything that we speak about is confidential."

  I almost burst out laughing as he winked at me and then tapped the side of his nose. "Nods as good as a wink Mark."

  "Thank you Charles, I knew I could rely on you. Now it's about the future, my future really. I'm in need on an enforcer at the UN in New York, someone who can ensure that my ideas and policies are knocked into sh
ape, followed through, and adhered too? I've been pondering on who could do such a job? He would need...gravitas, a certain bearing, quite possibly done a stint in the armed forces, know how to run a campaign? He'd need to be tough and quite fearless as some of the recipients of the instructions might be prepared to give some backchat, if you know what I mean Charles?"

  He snorted with derision at the very thought of backchat. "I do Mark, too many prepared to answer back and question when they need to just carry out the job, as I used to tell them at the bank, I've done all of the thinking so you don't have to, that's the way to control them Mark."

  "Exactly Charles I knew you'd be on the same wavelength, it's so difficult to find the right people. I'm having terrible trouble at the UN to get them moving in the same direction as me they need a..."

  "Regimental Sergeant Major?"

  "Charles you're a mind reader, that's exactly what they need. You know, so many nationalities and all those languages, a word in English means something totally different in...Cameroon?"

  He sat nodding along thoughtfully, come on Charles pick up the baton!

  "What you need is a 'chef d'équipe'!"

  "Precisely Charles that's exactly what I need, a team leader, someone who can, in my absence, carry the policies forward a chef d'équipe would be splendid, but where to find one? He'd have to have impeccable credentials of course; he'd need to be of a certain age to carry off the role and to command the respect. Well dressed might I suggest, debonair with a certain...style of his own probably developed in a financial institution because I find those people to be worldly wise."

  "Indeed, indeed, but where to find someone like that, I suppose I could have a shop around some old buddies but they'll be few and far between."

  "How's Sara?"

  "Sara? She well gets a bit bored now there's very few functions, not like at the bank, invited here there and everywhere, she enjoys the socialising does Sara and very good at it too."

  "That's another thing Charles, he'd need to have a wife and she'd need to be…discreet."

  "Of course, you couldn't have some flibbertigibbet, oh no that would never do."

  "So there's the problem that faces me. Of course they'd have to relocate to New York. I'd rent them an apartment that would be in keeping with this very senior position so that they could entertain. They'd obviously have staff to cater for guests and the suchlike whilst representing me and then when my tenure there ends, well let’s just say that I'm hoping that both of us would be elevated to higher positions." And to seal the deal I tapped my nose and returned the wink, all with a straight face.

  "Remuneration?"

  "Well it would need to reflect the seniority of the role, I would think somewhere in the region of, half a million I suppose for the right person, plus his accommodation and of course all of the expenses. First Class air travel, six weeks holiday a year, pension, healthcare, the normal package for such a senior position.

  "You know Mark, the more we speak and the more we look at the attributes that the person would need, I think, and you'll be disappointed I know for it'll leave you with a big hole elsewhere, but I think, if you'll pardon the self-promotion, that I and Sara would be the perfect candidates?"

  I sat and opened my mouth before I slapped my forehead with my palm and started laughing. "Of course, it was staring at me all of the time, exactly you and Sara, why didn't I see it, you'll be perfect!"

  "You cunning, conniving, bastard!"

  "Thank you for your endearments."

  "Don't confuse the words, as they are meant in admiration but what about the UN won't they mind?"

  "There are so many people there that he'll have left before they realise who he is."

  "Do you think he'll fit in?"

  "Of course, they'll love him and his manners, he's British we're all a bit eccentric, don't ya know and they'll be really good at covering up any diplomatic incidents. I'll have to pay for the accommodation and top up his salary but I'm just so happy."

  "When do they leave?"

  "He's packing tonight. I said that he needed to be there as a matter of some urgency, so Felicity has made all of the arrangements. They fly out on Saturday to pastures new."

  Monday and I was a little late in as Victoria had me meeting a decorator that she wanted to use for the children's rooms. Think, camouflage, fairies, aquariums, they don't float my boat but they were the children’s choices.

  "Good morning to our illustrious leader!"

  "Ludo please don't spoil Charles departure by resurrecting your pain in the arse mode."

  "The day is glorious, the smiles are genuine and all is well in the World, again thank God!"

  It was much the same, albeit more low key from Giles and everyone else I saw on my way to my desk.

  "The wicked witch has been slain!"

  "Can males be called witches Felicity, I ask only on a point of accuracy?"

  "Of course they can, especially when they've been banished to America. Did you see his fond farewell email?"

  "No, did he send me a copy?"

  "Yes look in your inbox, it's titled, 'What might have been'"

  I found it and started to read, it was all about the friendships that he's made and how sorry he was to be leaving and how upset that he hadn't been able to offer proper goodbyes, but that he'd been chosen as Lord Stanley's, personal emissary to the UN and how he couldn't let me down. It was a good way to start the working week with a smile on ones face, but I was fearful of the call that would arrive from my PA in New York, for Caroline wouldn't choose her words, there will be fireworks.

  On Tuesday there was another late start, necessitated by the Courts, for we were to formally adopt Flora. We hadn't expected to be summoned, for some reason we had both thought that it would be done administratively and a document would be posted to us. I suspected it was slightly unusual, we both adopting Flora and then Victoria adopting the three children, taking over from Daphne. Poor Daphne, innocent in all of this and yet dragged in by me and my misdemeanours and now dead, but I would avenge her but I wasn't telling anybody how because I still didn't know how I’d do it.

  We were shown into the Judge’s Chambers, all dark wood panelling and old furniture; it gave one a sense of permanence. The Judge stood as we entered and we shook hands. He was probably in his sixties, slightly shorter than Victoria with a similar slim frame but an almost benign face.

  "Lord and Lady Stanley, I apologise for having to ask you to attend today but there were two reasons why I did, the first is that I wanted to meet you both in person..."

  We both smiled; well you do if a Judge tries to be funny.

  "...And secondly I wished to speak with you both, but primarily Lady Stanley? I should at the outset point out that I have no wish to put any obstacles in the way of the adoption? I know that the child will have the best of upbringings and care. No, my concern is for you Lady Stanley? I look at the reports and whilst they write in glowing terms about the two of you I am wary that you are still a very young woman and already Mother to two healthy boys? I wish to merely assure myself and in turn the Court that you are aware of what you are undertaking and that it is a lifelong commitment?"

  He smiled at Victoria and raised his eyebrows almost to indicate that he wished her to speak.

  "To be a surrogate Mother to Flora is the right thing to do. She is a half sister to the children and its right and proper that she should be brought up with them. She's also the most adorable little girl who was thrust onto us after the tragic death of her Mother but is a child that we have cherished and loved since the first day and I can think of no circumstances where my love or the love of my husband would not be there with her and for her for the rest of our lives."

  "Admirable Lady Stanley, but there are other concerns if you will pardon me Lord Stanley, there is a significant age gap between yourself and your wife?"

  "Which my wife rarely refers to and then only to chide me Your Honour. I am fully aware of the fourteen years difference betwe
en myself and Victoria I only wish that we were the same age and that I might have an extra fourteen years being married to her but sadly that isn't the case. What I am is physically fit and mentally sound and it's my intention to be on this Earth for at least another fifty years."

  It was his turn to smile at me as his gaze returned to Victoria.

  "Of course you do and everyone wishes it to be so but your recent problems, well they're not conducive to longevity and my concern is that your wife may be, in the future left a widow with six children to look after? I appreciate that you have funds available that will ensure that your life and theirs wouldn't change, financially at least but and this is where I come to the other concern, you adopting Lord Stanley's three children from his previous marriage is a huge commitment and one that I wish to assure myself that you have fully considered all of the ramifications of this action for no one in this Court would think badly of you if you wished to reconsider your position and your desire?"

  "When Mark asked me to marry him I was fully aware of the three children and I hope that they view me as I view them, as friends?"

  "I think that their view of you is on a different level to that which you aspire Lady Stanley? They were, as you know extensively interviewed, formally and informally and you were observed interacting with them? The report is very clear and their comments confirm it, they have a deep love and respect for you which is a remarkable testimony to you Lady Stanley, for as any second or third wife knows only too well step-children can be very difficult to form meaningful relationships with and you can be very proud that what you have achieved and that the children, collectively and individually speak of you in such glowing terms."

  I passed Victoria my handkerchief so that she could dry her eyes.

  "As for my husband he has promised me that he will take better care of himself in the future and to try and not put himself in the way of danger, quite as much as he has done in the past two years."