Inherit the Skies (3 page)

‘Yes, darling, something did happen. Or, to be more precise, I was informed of something that might be
going
to happen.' She hesitated. ‘There is talk of a merger, Kirsty.'

‘A merger? Morse Bailey?'

Sarah smiled in spite of herself. ‘Of course. Who else?'

‘Whew!' Kirsty's breath came out in a soft whistle. ‘ Who are they proposing to merge with?'

‘That's just it,' Sarah said. ‘To be truthful I would look very carefully at
any
merger. Morse Bailey is quite big enough in my opinion.' And that was no more than the truth, she thought wryly – besides the parent company there was Morse Bailey Aero Engines and Morse Bailey Air Speed as well as the Canadian, Australian and South African companies. ‘No, I wouldn't be very happy about any further involvements,' she repeated, ‘but in this particular case it's the company it is proposed we should merge with that is worrying me.'

‘Well?' Kirsty persisted. The scones and sandwiches were forgotten now; she sat tensely on the edge of her sofa regarding her grandmother with a piercing gaze. ‘Who is it, Granny?'

‘De Vere Motors,' Sarah said simply.

Kirsty's blue eyes widened still further. ‘De Vere Motors? You mean
Leo
de Vere's company?'

‘The same,' Sarah said and added drily, ‘ is there another de Vere?'

‘But they make motor cars,' Kirsty protested.

‘Yes. It hardly makes sense, does it? At least not in my opinion. But Guy disagrees. He's very keen to push it through – and he has enough sway to do it. Quite apart from his own voting shares and the others he can carry along with him he has his mother's proxy to vote with her shares in any way he thinks fit. It's years since Alicia has taken any active interest in the running of the company. That gives him power. Using Alicia's shares in concert with his own he can outvote me and the real support I can count on any time he chooses. It's been worrying me for some time though he has never before proposed anything which I felt really detrimental to the company. I have always been able to accept his decisions as in our best interests. This is different. I'm totally opposed to it, Kirsty.'

‘I should think so!' Kirsty raised a slender, long-fingered hand to brush her light brown hair behind one ear in a gesture which betrayed the sense of shock she was experiencing. ‘As you say any merger is something that needs really careful consideration. But merger with Leo de Vere … it's unthinkable! How can he
do
it?'

‘Very easily by the sound of it,' Sarah said wryly. ‘I had heard rumours that Guy had been seen with Leo – dining with him at his club, that sort of thing. But I discounted it as mere idle gossip. Now it seems I should have taken more notice. Guy is in Leo's pocket – not a doubt of it. I don't know what Leo has promised him if the deal goes through, but it must be good. A seat on the board at de Vere Motors, certainly, and more too if I'm not mistaken. Guy would never sacrifice his autonomous position at Morse Bailey unless he was getting something even bigger in return. But whatever the deal is, whatever he promises, you can be sure of one thing. The end result will be the same – Leo de Vere will effectively gain control of Morse Bailey, just as he's always wanted, with Guy as his puppet. That is how serious the situation is, Kirsty.' She shook her head slowly, her lips a tight-drawn line. ‘My God, your grandfather and greatgrandfather would turn in their graves if they knew about it. Leo de Vere back in Morse Bailey – and in a position of power that even they never dreamed of. With him at the helm it would be the end of the company as we know it, make no mistake of that.'

Kirsty sat silent for a moment, lost in thought. She knew very little about Leo de Vere, except that he was the stepson of Gilbert Morse, founder of the Morse Bailey empire. The Morse and Bailey family trees were complex and intertwined and their feuds did not help matters, cutting off some of the members of the family altogether. Leo de Vere fell into this category. For as long as she could remember Kirsty had noticed that Leo de Vere was spoken of in scathing tones or not at all, and though like every other citizen of the United Kingdom she had heard of de Vere Motors she had been almost grown up before she had realized he was actually related in some way. What she did know, of course, was that he was rich and powerful – and that practically everyone she held dear hated him. On the occasions when she had seen him on television, discussing business, or when his photograph had been in the newspapers as it often was, she had looked at him curiously, marvelling that the handsome old man with the aristocratic face and thick snowy white hair could inspire such hatred. Leo de Vere did not look like a monster. He did not even look like a prominent businessman, but more like an aging nobleman or exiled prince whose throne in some obscure state had been snatched by revolutionaries. Yet hate him they did, including her beloved grandmother, who, in spite of her strong character and business acumen, was one of the kindest, most generous women alive.

Now, it seemed, there was a chink in the armour. There was one of the family who did not hate him, and that someone was Guy Bailey.

‘What
did
happen when Leo was drummed out of the company?' she asked now. ‘ It couldn't have been that he wasn't good at his job, whatever that was. If he hadn't been good he couldn't have built up a successful company of his own. So what was it? What went wrong?'

Sarah made a small impatient gesture. ‘Oh Kirsty it's much too long a story for me to go into now. And besides it all happened nearly fifty years ago. It's ancient history. Suffice it to say that this is what Leo has always wanted. I dare say he's spent the biggest part of his life scheming for it one way or another. He has always had to accept defeat before. Now, with Guy on his side, it looks as if he's about to get it.'

Kirsty thought for a moment. ‘What about Uncle Max? Can't he help?'

Sarah's face softened slightly. Max Hurst,
Sir
Max nowadays, had always been her closest ally. He had been Adam's original partner; he had been in Morse Bailey from the beginning. But Max was an old man now. That was the trouble. They were all growing older – those that were left.

‘Max has been very sick,' she said. ‘ He's never really recovered from that last bout of pneumonia. And though I'm sure he'll vote with me his shares are not sufficient to make any difference. No, I'm afraid there's nothing Max can do to help.'

For a moment Kirsty sat turning it over, then she spread her hands eloquently. ‘I don't believe you'll lose Morse Bailey now, Granny,' she said. ‘ You'll think of something.'

‘That's what I keep telling myself. But so far I have come up with only one solution.'

‘There you are, Granny!' Kirsty said triumphantly. ‘ One solution is all you need – provided it works.'

‘Exactly,' Sarah said drily. ‘I should save your enthusiasm, Kirsty, until you've heard what it is.'

‘Well – go on.'

Sarah touched her hand to her forehead. Suddenly she was feeling tired again.

‘I shall have to appeal to Alicia,' she said. She raised her eyes and caught the shocked surprise reflected in Kirsty's face.

‘Aunt Alicia? But you haven't spoken to one another for years and years. Not since …' she broke off, not wanting to re-open old wounds and Sarah let the sentence hang unfinished in the air.

‘That was only the last straw,' she said at last. ‘Alicia and I never got on.' She paused, thinking what an understatement
that
was. Never got on … bland words to mask a lifetime of resentment and rivalry that had finally culminated in bitter hatred. Alicia, whom she had wronged and who had wronged her in a hundred ways; Alicia, whom she had once admired and envied until attitudes and events had alienated the two women for ever.… Well, there was no point raking over old coals now. ‘I can see no other way,' she went on slowly. ‘As I say, Alicia has given Guy proxy to vote with her shares any way he thinks fit. But she wouldn't want this merger any more than I do. She loathes Leo, just as I do. And if I could persuade her to come to the meeting and throw in her voting shares with mine, then we could carry the day. Alicia and I still have sixty per cent between us – that was the way Gilbert intended it.' She smiled wearily. ‘He was a wily old bird, you know, Kirsty. Perhaps he realised that one day just such a situation as this might arise. No, Alicia is the only one who can help me. I think after all this time I have to swallow my pride and ask for her assistance.'

Kirsty shook her head. She looked as worried now as her grandmother.

‘She'll refuse to see you,' she said. ‘ She will, Granny. And even if she
did
see you – well, just think how upsetting it would be for you.'

‘Not half as upsetting as seeing the company that has been my life fall into the hands of the one person its founders would never contemplate in a position of power,' Sarah said decisively. ‘ I've been in upsetting situations before, Kirsty. I've survived – and I'll survive again. It would be worth it, just as long as I can persuade Alicia to my point of view.'

Kirsty remained unconvinced.

‘How can you hope to talk her round even if you do see her?' she demanded. ‘Guy will have her on his side – he's bound to. He is her son, after all. She'll want to do whatever is best for him.'

‘That is a possibility, yes,' Sarah admitted. ‘Alicia dotes on Guy, it's true. But when she hears what I have to say she may change her mind. Morse Bailey is bigger than any of us. We
are
Morse Bailey – you must see that.'

‘Yes, but will Alicia?' Kirsty asked. ‘Even if she does agree to see you, surely the fact she hates you will go against her giving you any support? Why, she may go along with the merger simply to spite you, if for no other reason.'

‘That is a chance I shall have to take,' Sarah said crisply. She glanced down at her tea, gone cold now while they talked. ‘ Pour me a fresh cup, Kirsty, there's a good girl, and have one yourself. And for heaven's sake do try to eat some of these sandwiches or Grace will be terribly hurt.'

‘I couldn't eat a thing now, Granny. I feel far too choky,' Kirsty declared, but she poured fresh cups of tea and as Sarah sipped hers she began to feel her energy returning.

‘You're not to let this upset you, Kirsty,' she admonished. ‘I shouldn't have burdened you with my worries.'

‘I'm glad you did, Granny. No wonder you look so tired. Oh, when I think of it …'

‘It will be all right, Kirsty. It has to be. Now, let's forget it, shall we?'

Kirsty was silent for a moment and with some surprise Sarah thought she had acquiesced. But the thoughtful look was still there in her blue eyes and a moment later she said: ‘There may be another way, Granny.'

‘Another way? What do you mean?'

‘Maybe if
I
talked to Guy …'

‘
You
?' Sarah said in astonishment. ‘ What could
you
do?'

‘I'm not sure. But I think Guy likes me.' Kirsty's face had gone very pale but there were high spots of colour burning in her cheeks. ‘In fact I'm sure he does. He's made that plain on more than one occasion.'

‘
Guy
has?' Sarah exclaimed. ‘But he's old enough to be your father!'

‘I know. Unfortunately – or maybe fortunately – he has something of a penchant for much younger women,' Kirsty said drily. ‘You'll just have to take my word for it, Granny.'

‘But you've never so much as mentioned this before, Kirsty!' Sarah said, shocked. ‘You mean Guy has actually – made advances to you?'

Kirsty shrugged, adopting her woman-of-the-world pose, though those high spots of colour in her cheeks belied her attitude. ‘ I wouldn't put it quite that strongly. But I think I might be able to influence him, yes.'

‘Well I absolutely forbid you to do anything of the kind!' Sarah stormed. ‘ It's a dreadful thing to suggest!'

Kirsty's flush deepened. ‘Just now
you
were ready to do the unthinkable in a good cause.'

‘My dear child, that is quite different! I wouldn't dream of allowing you to compromise yourself with Guy. Even if I thought it would do any good, which I'm quite certain it would not. Guy might like his fling but he is a businessman through and through, ruthless where his ambitions are concerned. He might make you promises if he thought it would get him anywhere with you but it's almost certain he would fail to keep them. For goodness sake, Kirsty, put such a notion right out of your head or you really
will
upset me.'

Kirsty said nothing.

‘Promise me!' Sarah demanded.

‘Oh very well,' Kirsty said, but her eyes did not meet her grandmother's and Sarah thought: she's not so easily dissuaded. She is as wilful and headstrong as I was when I was her age – and she's worried about me. Oh, why did I tell her? Why didn't I keep it to myself, at least until I'd exhausted every possible avenue?

Kirsty finished her tea and set down the cup.

‘I'm going to have to go, Granny. I hate to leave you like this but …'

Sarah nodded. ‘I know. You expected to spend the afternoon with me, not half the evening. Have you got a date?' she asked, hoping still to forestall the nonsense of any ideas Kirsty might still have about Guy.

Kirsty laughed. ‘Not in the way you mean it. But a crowd of us are going to a Blues Session down in the Cellar Bars.'

Sarah wrinkled her nose. ‘That sounds perfectly dreadful, but I dare say you'll enjoy it. Anyway, sad as I am to see you go, I suppose I musn't sit too long over tea either. As I said earlier I have a dinner party tonight and there are still one thousand and one things to see to.'

‘And you need a rest first too,' Kirsty said solicitously. ‘Don't worry, Granny, I'll see myself out. My little Mini is parked around at the back.' She dropped a kiss on Sarah's forehead. ‘Take care, Granny. And don't worry too much. I'm sure everything will work out.'