He was surprised when William did not discuss Henry Osborne!s proposal at all during lunch. Far from it, the boy talked knowledgeably about President Harding's views on tariff reform and the incompetence of Charles G. Dawes as the President's fiscal adviser. Alan began to wonder whether William, having slept on it, had now changed his mind about discussing Henry Osborne's loan, but was going through with the meeting not wishing to admit a change of heart. Well, if thaes the way the boy wants to play it, thought Alan, thaes fine by me. He looked forward to a quiet afternoon of golf. After an agreeable lunch, and the better part of a bottle of wine - William limited himself to one glass - they changed in the clubhouse and walked to the first tee.
'Do you still have a nine handicap, sir?' asked William.
'nereabouts, my boy. Why?'
'Will ten dollars a hole suit you?'
Alan Lloyd hesitated, remembering that golf was the one game that William played competently. 'Yes, fine.'
Nothing was said at the first hole, which Alan managed in four while William took a five. Alan also won the second and the third quite comfortably, and began to relax a little, rather pleased with his game. By the time they reached the fourth, they were over half a mile from the clubhouse. William waited for Alan to raise his club.
'There are no conditions under which you will loan five hundred thousand dollars of my trust money to any company or person associated with Henry Osborne!
Alan hit a bad tee shot which went wildly into the rough. Its only virtue was that it put him far enough away from William, who had made a good drive, to give him a few minutes to think about how to address both William and the ball. After Alan Lloyd had played three more shots, they eventually met on the green. Alan conceded the hole.
'William, you know I only have one vote out of three as a trustee and you must also be aware that you have no authority over trust decisions, as you will not control the money in your own right until your twenty~first birthday. You must also realise that we ought not to be discussing this subject at all.'
'I am fully aware of the legal implications, sir, but as both the other trustees are sleeping with Henry Osborne. .
Alan Lloyd looked shocked.
'Don't tell me you are the only person in Boston who doesn't know that Milly Preston is having an affair with my step - father?'
Alan Lloyd said nothing.
William continued. 'I want to be certain that I have your vote, and that you intend to do everything in your power to influence my mother against this loan, even if it means going to the extreme of telling her the truth about Milly Preston.'
Alan hit an even worse tee shot. Williarn's went right down the middle of the fairway. Alan chopped the next shot into a bush he had never even realised existed before and swore out loud for the first time in forty - three years. He had got a hiding on that occasion as well.
'Thaes asking a little too much,' said Alan, as he joined up with William on the fif th green.
'It's nothing compared with what I'd do if I couldn't be sure of your support, sir!
"I don't think your father would have approved of threats, William,' said Alan as he watched William's ball sink from fourteen feet.
'The only thing of which my father would not have approved is Osborne,'
retorted William. Alan Lloyd two - putted four feet from the hole.
'In any case, sir, you must be well aware that my father had a clause inserted in the deed that money invested by the trust was a private affair, and the benefactor should never know that the Kane family was personally involved. It was a rule he never broke in his life as a banker. That way he could always be certain there was no conflict of interest between the bank's investments and those of the family trust.'
'Well, your mother obviously feels that the rule can be broken for a member of the family!
'Henry Osborne is not a member of my family, and when I control the trust it is a rule I, like my father, would never break.'
'You may live to regret taking such a: rigid stance, William.'
'I think not, sir.'
'Well, try and consider for a moment the affect such actions might have on your mother,' added Alan.
'My mother has already lost five hundred thousand dollars of her own money, sir. Isn't that enough for one husband? Why do I have to lose five hundred thousand of mine as well?'
'We don't know that to be the case, William. Ile investment may still yield an excellent return; I haven~t had a chance yet to look carefully into Henry's books.'
William winced when Alan Lloyd called his step - father Henry.