Chapter 80: Chapter 81

James said he has a problem accepting help….

…. Carefully….

“Ummm.…Take this the right way, but I’d be happy to help.”

Glass in hand, Michael freezes, knuckles. His voice is barely polite. “Thanks, Richard, but I’m not a charity.”

James’ meets my eyes again with a ‘Told you’ look. He laughs softly. “Now, who’s suffering from stiff-

necked pride?”

Michael gives him a look that should have dissolved him on the spot, but James simply gives him a mild look, sucking at his teeth as he tries to extract a bit of peanut.

I follow Michael’s lead, keeping my own tone cool. “It wasn’t a charitable offer, Michael. I’m a businessman. It was a proposal.”

He flushes. “Ah…. My apologies.” He opens the second bag of nuts. “What did you have in mind?”

“I’ve been watching the reaction of Elizabeth’s friends to this ever since you told us about your ideas, and I know they’re queuing up to visit, especially since most of them already use your City Centre….”

And there’s one hundred per cent truth….

“So?”

He’s listening now, receptive….

Time to go for it….

“Okay, my cards on the table. Michael, I’ve been itching to find a way of getting in on your project. And it seems to me that this might work for both of us. I’d like to fund whatever’s needed to get the spa-

hotel project up and running….” His face tips back, his eyes on me. “.... as it should be, from Day One, in exchange for a shareholding…. How would you feel about that?”

His lips purse. “What size of share are you thinking of?”

“Got your figures to hand?”

“No, but I’ve got them in my head.… Anyone got a pen and paper?”

James whips a paper bag from among Charlotte’s purchases and I watch while Michael jots down figures. Some he clearly knows right off….

Income per customer….

Staff wages….

Some of the building quotes….

Some he is apparently estimating, staring into space and whistling tunelessly under his breath….

Legal costs….

…. Interest….

…. The rest of the building work….

…. Turnover….

…. Numbers of clientele….

His knowledge is clear, and his estimates make sense….

And he understands profit and loss….

…. He knows what he’s doing….

After a couple of minutes, he passes me the bag and I assess his figures.

Looks good….

…. but we can improve on it….

Michael is trying to maintain a poker face….

…. I’ve been at this far longer than you, my friend….

I make a few amendments and jot down some notes on a couple of items to follow up on.

James is suppressing laughter and Charlotte looks bored. As I draw a line under my amended version of the figures, her expression turns to consternation as I push the bag across to her.

“Let’s see how your accountancy’s coming on, Charlotte. What does that lot mean?”

And consternation turns to dismay….

She really hates the financial side of the work….

…. This is a girl who auctioned herself for money….

…. and yet, is utterly indifferent to it….

She swallows, looking around the three of us. Michael looks a little indignant, but James simply waves her to the task….

She simply wants control of her own life….

…. but money is the key….

…. and James understands that….

With a face like a five-year-old being served broccoli, she starts. “Um…. Michael’s put down the value of the site from a surveyor’s assessment, along with what he paid, plus the mortgage from the bank.

There’s the value of the work done so far, and what’s still needed. There’s an estimate of numbers of clients, income and expenses over the next three years….” She looks up. “Michael… you hold all this in your head?”

And now he looks amused. “You run a business, that’s what you do, at least if you expect to stay in business.”

“Keep going, Charlotte,” I say.

“Okay, um, Richard’s over-written some of the estimates on income and expenses, some upwards and some down. Err…. you’ve scrubbed out interest payments entirely but added in some legal fees….”

“If I put cash into the project to replace bank funding, there won’t be any interest payments,” I point out.

Her face washes with an Of Course…. She turns back to the sheet. “You’re offering to cover all the building and development costs, plus some marketing, in exchange for a thirty per cent share?”

Michael sniffs. “I think thirty-per-cent is a bit steep, don’t you?”

Lol! Of course it is….

But I keep a straight face. “Well, that’s open to negotiation isn’t it.… but you’ve not stopped talking to me….”

He leans in. “I was thinking more like ten per cent.”

“What? For covering your future and projected current costs and providing working capital for two years?”

“I don’t need working capital. The projections show that.”

“With some hefty assumptions about the scale of the business you’ll get in the first few months….”

“I already have bookings and pre-orders for a lot of that. And a mailing list for expressed interest I’ve been building up over the last six months….”

“Really? Twenty-five per cent.”

He’s not a bad negotiator….

…. Knows how to defend his corner….

Charlotte watches us like a spectator at a tennis match. James whispers something to her and her mouth ‘O’s.

“Seventeen and a half per cent. And it goes in Elizabeth’s name.”

Realisation dawns. Michael stands, offering his hand. “Done! Charlotte, meet your new shareholder.”

He thinks she’s just going to proxy for me?

Hmmm….

We’ll see….

Charlotte jerks alert. “My new shareholder?”

Oh… Charlotte….

Michael presses a hand to his forehead. “Didn’t you read any of those papers I showed you? About the purchase of the hotel and house?”

Shame-faced, “Er… well, I scanned them quickly, but it all seemed a bit….”

The hand moves to support his chin, elbow on the table. “Boring? Is that the word you’re looking for?”

She hangs her head. “Yes.”

Let’s press the point home….

…. Lessons to be learned here….

“You’d better start taking an interest in these things now, Charlotte. It’s a bit odd that I should know already that you’re a shareholder in ‘Life and Beauty’, but you don’t.” But I laugh as I say it, to keep the bite from my words.

Her cheeks pinking, “Sorry. I didn’t realise.”

She is so unused to having anything of her own….

…. Anything at all….

…. We’ll see about that….

Michael holds his hands to heaven, then grabs her by the chin. “We’re getting married. Of course you’re a shareholder.”

“On that subject.…” I say, “Have you set a date?”

And Michael all but freezes over. His smile fades and he looks away….

What’s wrong?

What am I missing?

I look to Charlotte and James.

His face is a blank, the shutters down fast.

And hers….

She stutters. “Er, we’d not really discussed it. With everything that’s happened….” She looks to Michael….

…. Her fiance….

…. who remains very still….

James breaks the impasse. “I was rather hoping that I’d be asked to be Best Man.” He points a long finger at his friend. “You can take that as a heavy hint.”

Michael beams. “Who else would I ask?”

And the two turn to Charlotte.

James, eyes flat and in neutral tones, says, “So, when were you thinking of, Charlotte?”

And the penny drops.

James persuaded her to agree to marry Michael….

…. but it was always James she wanted….

Or was it?

She bursts into a sunray smile, flinging her arms around Michael’s neck. “How about the Spring? You should have the house and the hotel ready by then. We could have the reception on the mountain.”

He pulls her in at the waist, kissing her, his face bright with joy….

Ye Gods, but you’re a handsome bastard….

“That would be wonderful,” he says.

…. No wonder she’s going for it….

She pulls back, looking him in the eye. “There’s one other thing though….”

And just like that, the tension is back. He stiffens, his smile fading. “And what would that be?”

“Who’s going to give me away? I don’t have a father. But since it looks as though Beth and I are related…. somehow…., the nearest thing I’ve got is….” Her eyes slide to me. “…. a sort-of brother-in-

law.” She chews her lower lip.

Sometimes you don’t know how much something could mean until it is on top of you. I never asked for this; certainly, didn’t expect it. But at her words, something ripples through me….

Pride?

Joy?

I don’t know, but the request made of me by this young woman, for most of her life living in fear, surviving, all but friendless, fatherless, probably motherless….

But not family-less….

…. Not now….

…. suddenly seems the most obvious, the most natural thing in the world….

“Charlotte, I would be honoured. And Elizabeth could be your bridesmaid?”

“I’d like that very much.”

*****