“Lucky man. Why didn’t I learn from Cedric Hardcastle? A handshake should always be enough to close a deal.”

“Ah, I presume it’s Maurice Swann we’re now talking about.”

“You know about Mr. Swann?”

“Only from what Cedric told me. He was convinced that if you closed the Shifnal Farm deal, you’d keep your side of the bargain. So I must assume you didn’t?”

Seb bowed his head. “That’s why Sam left me. I lost her because I wanted to live in Chelsea, and I didn’t realize she couldn’t give a damn where we lived, as long as we were together.”

“It’s never too late to admit you’re wrong,” said Ross. “Just pray that Mr. Swann is still alive. If he is, you can be sure he’ll still be desperate to build his theatre. And Kaufman’s, is that enough for you?” asked Ross, changing the subject.

“What do you mean, is it enough?” asked Seb, picking up his brandy.

“It’s just that you’re the most ambitious young man I’ve ever come across and I’m not sure you’ll be satisfied until you become chairman of the bank.”

“Which bank?”

Ross laughed. “I’ve always assumed that it’s Farthings you’ve had your eye on.”

“You’re right, and I haven’t been idle. On Bob Bingham’s advice, I’ve been picking up shares for the past five years, always investing fifty percent of the commission I earn on any deal. I already own more than three percent of Farthings’ stock. Once I’ve got my hands on six percent, which shouldn’t be long now, I intend to take my place on the board and wreak havoc.”

“I wouldn’t be too confident about that, because you can be sure Adrian Sloane will have spotted you on his radar and, like a submarine, he’ll attack when you least expect it.”

“But what can he do to stop me? The bank’s statutes specify that any company or individual who owns six percent of the stock is automatically entitled to a place on the board.”

“Once you’ve acquired your six percent, he’ll simply rewrite the statutes.”

“Can he do that?”

“Why not? He appointed himself chairman while we were at Cedric’s funeral, so why wouldn’t he rewrite the bank’s statutes if it meant he could stop you getting on the board? Just because he’s a despicable man doesn’t mean he isn’t a clever one. But frankly, Seb, I think you’ve got a far bigger problem facing you on the home front.”

“At Kaufman’s?”

“No, at Barrington’s. I did warn your mother that if she allowed Desmond Mellor to become a director, it would end in tears. He’s been on the board for four years, and I’m sure you know he now wants to be deputy chairman.”