'Good heavens,' said Anne, 'what will he be like when he's thirty?, 'That will depend,' said Alan, 'on whether he is lucky enough to fall in love with someone as lovely as you. That was always Richard's strength.'
'You are an old flatterer, Alan. Can we leave the problem of the five hundred thousand until I have had a chance to discuss it with Henry?'
'Of course, my dear. I told you I had come to seek your advice!
Alan ordered coffee and took Anne's hand gently in his. 'And do remember to take care of yourself, Anne. You're far more important than the fate of a few thousand dollars.
When Anne returned home from lunch she immediately started to worry about the other two letters she had received that morning. Of one thing she was now certain, after all she had learned about her own son from Alan Lloyd; she would be wise to give in gracefully and let William spend the forthcoming holidays with his friend, Matthew Lester.
Henry and Millys relationship raised a problem to which she was unable to compose so simple a solution. She &at in the maroon leather chair, Richard's favourite, looking out through the bay window on to a beautiful bed of red and white roses, seeing nothing, only thinking. Anne always took a long time to make a decision, but once she had, she seldom went back on it.
Henry came home earlier than usual that evening, and she couldn't help wondering why. She soon found out.
'I hear you had lunch with Alan Lloyd today,he said as he entered the room.
%Vho told you that, Henry?,'
'I have spies everywhere,' he said, laughing.
Tes, Alan invited me to lunclL He wanted to know how I felt about the bank investing five hundred thousand dollars of Williams trust money in your company!
'What did you sayT asked Henry, trying not to sound anxious.
'I told him I wanted to discuss the matter with you first, but why in heavens name didn't you let me know earlier tb,at you had approached the bank, Henry? I felt such a fool hearing the whole thing from Alan for the first time.'
'I didn't think you took any interest in business, my dear, and I only found out by sheer accident that you, Alan Lloyd and Mlly Preston are all trustees, and each have a vote on William's investment income!
'How did you find out,' asked Anne, 'when I wasn't aware of the situation myself?'
'You don't read the small print, my darling. As a matter of fact, I didn't myself until just recently. Quite by chance Milly Preston told me the details of the trust, and as William's godmother, it seems she is also a trustee. It came as quite a surprise. Now let's see if we can turn the position to our advantage. Milly says she wiil back me, if you agree.
The mere sound of Milly's name made Anne feel uneasy.
'I don't think we ought to touch William's money,' she said. 'I've never looked upon the trust as having anything to do with me. I would be much happier leaving well enough alone and just continue letting the bank reinvest the interest as it has always done in the past.'
'Why be satisfied with the bank's investment programme when I am on to such a good thing with this city hospital contract? William would make a lot of money out of my company. Surely Alan went along with that?'
'I'm not certain how he felt. He was his usual discreet self though he certainly said the contract would be an excellent one to win and that you had a good chance of being awarded it., 'Exactly!
'But he did want to see your books before he came to any firm conclusions, and he also wondered what had happened to my five hundred thousand!
'Our five hundred thousand, my darling, is doing very well as you will soon discover. I'll send the books around to Ahm tomorrow morning so that he can inspect them for himself. I can assure you that he will be very impressed.'
'I hope so, Henry, for both our sakes,' said Anne. Wow lees wait and see what opinion he forms; you know how much I have always trusted Alan.'
'But not me,'said Henry.
~Oh, no, Henry, I didn't mean...'
'I was only teasing. I assumed you would trust your own husband!
Anne felt the tearfulness that she had always suppressed in front of Richard welling up. For Henry she didn't even try to hold it back.
'I hope I can. I've never had to worry about money before, and it's all too much to cope with just now. The baby always makes me feel so tired and depressed!
Henry's manner changed quickly to one of solicitude. 'I know, my darling.
I don't want you ever to have to bother your head with business matters; I can always handle that side of things. Look, why don't you go to bed early and I'll bring you up some supper on a tray? that will give me a chance to go back to the office and pick up those files I need to show Alan in the morning.'