Jeffrey Archer - As the Crow Flies

"No, thank you," said Mr. Baverstock. "But a dry sherry would be most acceptable."

Becky poured Mr. Baverstock a Tio Pepe and her husband a whisky before she joined the two men round the fire and waited for the lawyer to explain his uncharacteristic interruption.

"This isn't easy for me, Sir Charles."

Charlie nodded. "I understand. Just take your time."

"Can I first confirm with you that you did not reveal to your son any details of Sir Raymond's will?"

"We did not. We were saved that embarrassment first by the announcement of Daniel's engagement to be married and then by your fortuitous telephone call."

"Oh, that is good news," said Mr. Baverstock. "To the charming Miss Ross, no doubt. Please do pass on my congratulations. "

"You knew all along?" said Becky.

"Oh, yes," said Mr. Baverstock. "It was obvious for everyone to see, wasn't it?"

"Everyone except us," said Charlie.

Mr. Baverstock permitted himself a wry smile before he removed a file from his Gladstone bag.

"I'll waste no more words," continued Mr. Baverstock. "Having talked to the other side's solicitors during the past few days, I have learned that at some time in the past Daniel paid a visit to Mrs. Trentham at her home in Chester Square."

Charlie and Becky were unable to hide their astonishment.

"Just as I thought," said Baverstock. "Like myself, you were both obviously quite unaware that such a meeting had taken place."

"But how could they have met—when?" asked Charlie.

"That we may never get to the bottom of, Sir Charles. However, what I do know is that at that meeting Daniel came to an agreement with Mrs. Trentham."

"And what was the nature of this agreement?" asked Charlie.

The old solicitor extracted yet another piece of paper from the file in front of him and reread Mrs. Trentham's handwritten words: "'In exchange for Mrs. Trentham's withdrawing her opposition to any planning permission for the building to be known as Trumper Towers, and in addition for agreeing not to proceed with her own scheme for the rebuilding of a block of flats in Chelsea Terrace, Daniel Trumper will waive any rights he might be entitled to now or at any time in the future from the Hardcastle estate.' At that time, of course, Daniel had no idea that he was the main beneficiary of Sir Raymond's will."

"So that's why she gave in without putting up a fight?" said Charlie eventually.

"It would seem so."

"He did all that without even letting us know," said Becky as her husband began to read through the document.

"That would appear to be the case, Lady Trumper."

"And is it legally binding?" were Charlie's first words after he had finished reading the page of Mrs. Trentham's handwriting.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is, Sir Charles."

"But if he didn't know the full extent of the inheritance . . . ?"

"This is a contract between two people. The courts would have to assume Daniel had relinquished his interest to any claim in the Hardcastle estate, once Mrs. Trentham had kept her part of the bargain."

"But what about coercion?"

"Of a twenty-six-year-old man by a woman over seventy when he went to visit her? Hardly, Sir Charles."

"But how did they ever meet?"

"I have no idea," replied the lawyer. "It seems that she didn't confide the full circumstances of the meeting even to her own solicitors. However, I'm sure you now understand why I considered this wasn't the most appropriate time to raise the subject of Sir Raymond's will with Daniel."

"You made the right decision," said Charlie.

"And now the subject must be closed forever," said Becky, barely louder than a whisper.

"But why?" asked Charlie, placing an arm around his wife's shoulder.

"Because I don't want Daniel to spend the rest of his life feeling he betrayed his great-grandfather when his only purpose in signing that agreement must have been to help us." The tears flowed down Becky's cheeks as she turned to face her husband.

"Perhaps I should have a word with Daniel, man to man."

"Charlie, you will never even consider raising the subject of Guy Trentham with my son again. I forbid."

Charlie removed his arm from around his wife and looked at her like a child who has been unfairly scolded.

"I'm only glad it was you who has brought us this unhappy news," said Becky, turning back to the solicitor. "You've always been so considerate when it comes to our affairs."

"Thank you, Lady Trumper, but I fear I have yet more unpalatable news to impart."

Becky gripped Charlie's hand.

"I have to report that on this occasion Mrs. Trentham has not satisfied herself with one blow at a time."

"What else can she do to us?" asked Charlie.

"It seems that she is now willing to part with her land in Chelsea Terrace."

"I don't believe it," said Becky.

"I do," said Charlie. "But at what price?"

"That is indeed the problem," said Mr. Baverstock, who bent down to remove another file from his old leather bag.

Charlie and Becky exchanged a quick glance.

"Mrs. Trentham will offer you the freehold on her site in Chelsea Terrace in exchange for ten percent of Trumper's shares"—he paused—"and a place on the board for her son Nigel."

"Never," said Charlie flatly.

"If you should reject her offer," the solicitor continued, "she intends to sell the property on the open market and accept the highest bidder whoever that might be."

"So be it," said Charlie. "We would undoubtedly end up buying the land ourselves."

"At a far higher price than the value of ten percent of our shares, I suspect," said Becky.

"That's a price worth paying after what she's put us through."

"Mrs. Trentham has also requested," continued Mr. Baverstock, "that her offer should be presented to the board in detail at your next meeting and then voted only—"

"But she doesn't have the authority to make such a demand," said Charlie.

"If you do not comply with this request," said Mr. Baverstock, "it is her intention to circulate all the shareholders with the offer and then call an extraordinary general meeting at which she will personally present her case and bring the issue to a vote."

"Can she do that?" For the first time Charlie sounded worried.

"From everything I know about that lady, I suspect she wouldn't have thrown down such a gauntlet before taking legal advice."

"It's almost as if she can always anticipate our next move," said Becky with feeling.

Charlie's voice revealed the same anxiety. "She wouldn't need to bother about our next move if her son was on the board. He could just report back to her direct after every meeting."

"So what it comes to is that we may well have to give in to her demands," said Becky.

"I agree with your judgment, Lady Trumper," said Mr. Baverstock. "However, I felt it was only proper that I should give you as much notice as possible of Mrs. Trentham's demands as it will be my painful duly to acquaint the board with the details when we next meet."

There was only one "apology for absence" when the board met the following Tuesday. Simon Matthews had to be in Geneva to conduct a rare gems sale and Charlie had assured him that his presence would not be vital. Once Mr. Baverstock had finished explaining the consequences of Mrs. Trentham's offer to the board, everyone around the table wanted to speak at once.

When Charlie had restored some semblance of order, he said, "I must make my position clear from the outset. I am one hundred percent against this offer. I don't trust the lady in question and never have. What's more, I believe that in the long term her only purpose is to harm the company."

"But, surely, Mr. Chairman," said Paul Merrick, "if she is considering selling her land in Chelsea Terrace to the highest bidder, she could always use the cash from that sale to purchase another ten percent of the company's shares at any time that suited her. So what real choice are we left with?"