Jeffrey Archer - Sons of Fortune

Yet another selection. ‘I don’t know, sir.’ The finger moved scornfully on, in search of someone who did.

‘The government was able to defend its position when it was shown that Rush had signed an agreement stating...’ The finger moved.

‘... that he’d received full instructions as demanded by law.’ The finger moved again.

‘That he had also been in their employ beyond the statutory three-year period.’ The finger continued moving...

‘... but the government went on to prove they were not a company in the meaning of the word, as the bill had been badly drafted by the politicians.’

‘Don’t blame the politicians,’ said Abrahams. ‘Lawyers draft legislation, so they must take the responsibility. The politicians were not culpable on this occasion, so once the courts accepted that the government was not subject to its own legislation, who caused the law to be changed yet again?’ He pointed the finger at another terrified face. ‘ Demetri versus Demetri, ’ came the reply.

‘How did this differ from past laws?’ The finger came to rest on Fletcher.

‘It was the first time that one member of a family sued another for negligence while they were still married, as well as being fifty-fifty shareholders in the company concerned.’

‘Why did that action fail?’ he continued to stare at Fletcher.

‘Because Mrs Demetri refused to give evidence against her husband.’

The finger moved on to Jimmy. ‘Why did she refuse?’ demanded Abrahams.

‘Because she was stupid.’

‘Why was she stupid?’ demanded the professor again.

‘Because her husband probably made love to her, or hit her, the night before or possibly even both, so she caved in.’ A little laughter broke out.

‘Were you present to witness the love-making, Mr Gates, or the attack on her?’ asked Abrahams, to even more laughter.

‘No, sir,’ said Jimmy, ‘but I’ll bet it’s what happened.’

‘You may well be right, Mr Gates, but you would not have been able to prove what took place in the bedroom that night unless you could provide a reliable witness. Had you made such a rash statement in court, opposing counsel would have objected, the judge would have sustained his objection, and the jury would have dismissed you as a fool, Mr Gates. And more importantly, you would have let down your client. Don’t ever rely on what might have happened, however likely it appears, unless you can prove it. If you can’t, remain silent.’

‘But...’ began Fletcher. Several students quickly bowed their heads, others held their breath, while the rest just stared at Fletcher in disbelief.

‘Name?’

‘Davenport, sir.’

‘No doubt you feel able to explain what you mean by the word “but”, Mr Davenport?’

‘Mrs Demetri was advised by her counsel that if she won the case, as neither of them owned a majority holding, the company would have to cease trading. The Kendall Act 1941. She then placed her shares on the open market and they were picked up by her husband’s greatest rival, a Mr Canelli, for $100,000. I cannot prove that Mr Canelli was, or wasn’t, sleeping with Mrs Demetri, but I do know that the company went into liquidation a year later, when she repurchased her shares for ten cents each, at a cost of $7,300, and then immediately signed a new partnership deal with her husband.’

‘Was Mr Canelli able to prove the Demetris were acting in collusion?’ Fletcher thought carefully. Was Abrahams setting him a trap? ‘Why do you hesitate?’ demanded Abrahams.

‘It wouldn’t constitute proof, professor.’

‘Nevertheless, what is it you wish to tell us?’

‘Mrs Demetri produced a second child a year later, and the birth certificate indicated that Mr Demetri was the father.’

‘You’re right, that is not proof, so what charge was brought against her?’

‘None; in fact, the new company went on to be very successful.’

‘Then how did they cause the law to be changed?’

‘The judge brought this case to the attention of the attorney general of that state.’

‘Which state?’

‘Ohio, and as a consequence, they passed the Marriage Partnership Act.’

‘Year?’

‘1949.’

‘Changes of relevance?’

‘Husbands and wives could no longer repurchase shares sold in a former company in which they had been partners, if that directly benefited them as individuals.’

‘Thank you, Mr Davenport,’ said the professor, as the clock struck eleven. ‘Your “but” was well qualified.’ A ripple of applause broke out. ‘But not that well qualified,’ added Abrahams, as he left the lecture theatre.

Nat sat on the wall opposite the dining hall and waited patiently. After he had seen about five hundred young women leave the building, he decided the reason she was so slim was because she simply didn’t eat. Then she suddenly came rushing through the swing doors. Nat had been given more than enough time to rehearse his lines, but still felt nervous when he caught up with her. ‘Hi, I’m Nat.’ She looked up, but didn’t smile. ‘We met the other day.’ She still didn’t respond.

‘On the top of the hill.’

‘Yes, I do remember,’ she said.

‘But you didn’t tell me your name.’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Have I done something to annoy you?’

‘No.’

‘Then can I ask what you meant by “your reputation”?’

‘Mr Cartwright, you may be surprised to learn that there are some women on this campus who don’t think you have the automatic right to claim their virginity simply because you’ve won the Medal of Honour.’

‘I never thought I did.’

‘But you must be aware that half the women on campus claim they’ve slept with you.’

‘They may well claim it,’ said Nat, ‘but the truth is that only two of them can prove it.’

‘But everyone knows how many girls chase after you.’

‘And most of them can’t keep up, as I’m sure you remember.’ He laughed, but she didn’t respond. ‘So why can’t I fall for someone just like anyone else?’

‘But you’re not just like anyone else,’ she said quietly. ‘You’re a war hero on a captain’s salary, and as such you expect everyone else to fall in line.’

‘Who told you that?’

‘Someone who’s known you since your schooldays.’

‘Ralph Elliot, no doubt?’

‘Yes, the man you tried to cheat out of the Taft student government presidency...’

‘I did what ?’ said Nat.

‘... and then passed off his essay as yours when you applied for Yale,’ she said ignoring his interruption.

‘Is that what he told you?’

‘Yes,’ the young woman replied calmly.

‘Then perhaps you should ask him why he isn’t at Yale.’

‘He explained that you transferred the blame on to him so he lost his place as well.’ Nat was about to explode again, when she added, ‘And now you want to be president of the student senate, and your only strategy seems to be to sleep your way to victory.’

Nat tried to control his temper. ‘First, I don’t want to run for president, second I’ve only slept with three women in my life: a student I also knew when I was at school, a secretary in Vietnam, and a one-night stand I now regret. If you can find anyone else, please introduce me because I’d like to meet them.’ She stopped and looked at Nat for the first time. ‘Anyone else,’ he repeated. ‘Now can I at least know your name?’

‘Su Ling,’ she said quietly.

‘Su Ling, if I promise never to try and seduce you until after I’ve asked for your hand in marriage, sought your father’s permission, produced a ring, booked the church, and had the banns read, will you at least let me take you out to dinner?’