Джеффри Арчер - The Short, the Long and the Tall [С иллюстрациями]

‘There’s always room for bargaining, whatever one is selling,’ said Victor. ‘I repeat my offer. Half a million.’

‘I fear that in this case, sir…’

‘I feel confident that you’ll see things my way, given time,’ said Victor. ‘But I don’t have that much time to spare this morning, so I’ll write out a cheque for half a million, and leave you to decide whether you wish to cash it or not.’

‘I fear you are wasting your time, sir,’ said Graff. ‘I cannot let the Kanemarra heirloom go for less than one million.’

Victor took out a chequebook from his inside pocket, unscrewed the top of his fountain pen, and wrote out the words ‘Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Only’ below the name of the bank that bore his name. His wife took a discreet pace backwards.

Graff was about to repeat his previous comment, when he glanced up, and observed Mrs Rosenheim silently pleading with him to accept the cheque.

A look of curiosity came over his face as Consuela continued her urgent mime.

Victor tore out the cheque and left it on the table. ‘I’ll give you twenty-four hours to decide,’ he said. ‘We return to New York tomorrow morning – with or without the Kanemarra heirloom. It’s your decision.’

Graff left the cheque on the table as he accompanied Mr and Mrs Rosenheim to the front door and bowed them out onto Bond Street.

‘You were brilliant, my darling,’ said Consuela as the chauffeur opened the car door for his master.

‘The bank,’ Rosenheim instructed as he fell into the back seat. ‘You’ll have your little bauble, Consuela. He’ll cash the cheque before the twenty-four hours are up, of that I’m sure.’ The chauffeur closed the back door, and the window purred down as Victor added with a smile, ‘Happy birthday, darling.’

Consuela returned his smile, and blew him a kiss as the car pulled out into the traffic and edged its way towards Piccadilly. The morning had not turned out quite as she had planned, because she felt unable to agree with her husband’s judgement – but then, she still had twenty-four hours to play with.

Consuela returned to the suite at the Ritz, undressed, took a shower, opened another bottle of perfume, and slowly began to change into the second outfit she had purchased the previous day. Before she left the room she turned to the commodities section of the Financial Times, and checked the price of green coffee.

She emerged from the Arlington Street entrance of the Ritz wearing a double-breasted navy blue Yves Saint Laurent suit and a wide-brimmed red and white hat. Ignoring her chauffeur, she hailed a taxi, instructing the driver to take her to a small, discreet hotel in Knightsbridge. Fifteen minutes later she entered the foyer with her head bowed, and after giving the name of her host to the manager, was accompanied to a suite on the fourth floor. Her luncheon companion stood as she entered the room, walked forward, kissed her on both cheeks and wished her a happy birthday.

After an intimate lunch, and an even more intimate hour spent in the adjoining room, Consuela’s companion listened to her request and, having first checked his watch, agreed to accompany her to Mayfair. He didn’t mention to her that he would have to be back in his office by four o’clock to take an important call from South America. Since the downfall of the Brazilian president, coffee prices had gone through the roof.

As the car travelled down Brompton Road, Consuela’s companion telephoned to check the latest spot price of green coffee in New York (only her skill in bed had managed to stop him from calling earlier). He was pleased to learn that it was up another two cents, but not as pleased as she was. Eleven minutes later, the car deposited them outside the House of Graff.

When they entered the shop together arm in arm, Mr Graff didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow.

‘Good afternoon, Mr Carvalho,’ he said. ‘I do hope that your estates yielded an abundant crop this year.’

Mr Carvalho smiled and replied, ‘I cannot complain.’

‘And how may I assist you?’ enquired the proprietor.

‘We would like to see the diamond necklace in the third window,’ said Consuela, without a moment’s hesitation.

‘Of course, madam,’ said Graff, as if he were addressing a complete stranger.

Once again the black velvet cloth was laid out on the table, and once again the assistant placed the Kanemarra heirloom in its centre.

This time Mr Graff was allowed to relate its history, before Carvalho politely enquired after the price.

‘One million pounds,’ said Graff.

After a moment’s hesitation, Carvalho said, ‘I’m willing to pay half a million.’

‘This is no ordinary piece of jewellery,’ replied the proprietor. ‘I feel…’

‘Possibly not, but half a million is my best offer,’ said Carvalho.

‘The sheer beauty, not to mention the craftsmanship involved…’

‘Nevertheless, I am not willing to go above half a million.’

‘… the word unique would not be inappropriate.’

‘Half a million, and no more,’ insisted Carvalho.

‘I am sorry to say, sir,’ said Graff, ‘that with this particular piece there is no room for bargaining.’

‘There’s always room for bargaining, whatever one is selling,’ the coffee grower insisted.

‘I fear that is not true in this case, sir. You see…’

‘I suspect you will come to your senses in time,’ said Carvalho. ‘But, regrettably, I do not have any time to spare this afternoon. I will write out a cheque for half a million pounds, and leave you to decide whether you wish to cash it.’

Carvalho took a chequebook from his inside pocket, unscrewed the top of his fountain pen, and wrote out the words ‘Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Only’. Consuela looked silently on.

Carvalho tore out the cheque, and left it on the counter.

‘I’ll give you twenty-four hours to decide. I leave for Chicago on the early evening flight tomorrow. If the cheque has not been presented by the time I reach my office…’

Graff bowed his head slightly, and left the cheque on the table. He accompanied them to the door, and bowed again when they stepped out onto the pavement.

‘You were brilliant, my darling,’ said Consuela as the chauffeur opened the car door for his employer.

‘The Exchange,’ said Carvalho. Turning back to face his mistress, he added, ‘You’ll have your necklace before the day is out, of that I’m certain, my darling.’

Consuela smiled and waved as the car disappeared in the direction of Piccadilly, and on this occasion she felt able to agree with her lover’s judgement. Once the car had turned the corner, she slipped back into the House of Graff.

The proprietor smiled, and handed over the smartly wrapped gift. He bowed low and simply said, ‘Happy birthday, Mrs Rosenheim.’

Cortoglia is a delightfully picturesque town in the heart of Campania. It rests high on a hill, forty miles north of Naples, with commanding views towards Monte Taburno to the east, and Vesuvius to the south. It is described in Fodor’s Italy quite simply as ‘heaven on earth’.