‘Right.’

*

Three weeks later, an article appeared in London’s Financial Times newspaper speculating about Conquer’s bribing of the NWA oil minister. The company’s share price took a dive. Its public relations people went into overdrive defending their business practices, saying that ‘Conquer would never knowingly bribe a minister of a foreign government.’

Soon afterwards NWA’s oil minister resigned. Conquer fired its African Operations Manager without explaining why. The industry saw it as ‘minor’ mismanagement. Conquer’s share price rose again.

Haut read the Financial Times report and rang Cavalier.

‘That should put pressure on them,’ Haut said, elated that someone was pushing back against his enemies. ‘I have been under attack for more than two decades. This is encouraging, thank you.’

‘Not enough, though. As I said a month ago, the federal treasurer should be lobbied, after a fashion.’

*

Jacques Bleulance tossed an email of the Financial Times articles on the glass coffee table on the balcony of his villa on the Greek Island of Spetses. He phoned his top security man, Schwartz, in London.

‘Have you read those pieces, Mawnie?’ Bleulance asked.

‘I have, Baron.’

‘I have a big share in that damned company. I want to know who wrote the pieces. Heads will roll at that paper, if they don’t tell me.’

‘Right, sir.’

‘And I want you to put a little scare into Haut …’

*

Cavalier secured an interview with the Australian federal treasurer, a tall man with a penchant for droll humour, in his plush Melbourne offices overlooking the city’s Treasury Gardens, a refreshing sea of green next to the New York–style grid of a city. Over coffee and biscuits, the two sat on a dark red leather sofa and discussed the unofficial story that Conquer would try to take control of Shelf Energy.

‘Yes, I’ve heard that tale,’ the treasurer said, brushing crumbs from his black and red tie, the sole colour in an otherwise bland look of grey suit, socks and black shoes. ‘It’s a bit of a Grimms’ fairy tale, isn’t it? We’ve had no submission from the company or any of its reps.’

‘But if you do, how will you react?’

‘That’s a hypothetical. Can’t answer it.’

‘Well, let me ask a real hypothetical. If a major energy company wanted to buy a controlling chunk of a big Australian energy operation, would you block it?’

‘That depends,’ the treasurer said, stroking his upper lip as if deep in thought.

‘On what?’

‘Oh, on a variety of issues.’

‘How would you expect the electorate to react? The media in general and the great unwashed have not responded well to foreign takeovers of household names. You know, Bigger Cheese for instance.’

‘Well, in the case of a cheese or big wine company I would step in, of course,’ the treasurer said with a look of mock concern.

‘There would be revolution otherwise.’

‘Oh, yes, there would.’