Night Over Water - Ken Follett [51]
While she waited for the connection, she had time to reflect on the irony of her situation. Peter’s coconspirator against her was Nat Ridgeway, her father’s onetime deputy and her old flame. Nat had left the company—and Nancy—because he could not be boss; and now, from his position as president of General Textiles, he was trying again to take control of Black’s Boots.
She knew Nat had been in Paris for the collections, although she had not run into him. But Peter must have held meetings with him and closed the deal there, while pretending to be innocently buying shoes. Nancy had not suspected anything. When she thought how easily she had been deceived, she felt furious with Peter and Nat—and most of all with herself.
The phone in the booth rang and she picked it up: she was lucky with connections today.
Mac answered with his mouth full of breakfast. “Hmm?”
“Mac, it’s Nancy.”
He swallowed rapidly. “Thank God you called. I’ve been searching Europe for you. Peter is trying to—”
“I know, I just heard,” she interrupted. “What are the terms of the deal?”
“One share in General Textiles, plus twenty-seven cents cash, for five shares in Black’s.”
“Jesus, that’s a giveaway!”
“On your profits it’s not so low—”
“But our asset value is much higher!”
“Hey, I’m not fighting you,” he said mildly.
“Sorry, Mac, I’m just angry.”
“I understand.”
She could hear his children squabbling in the background. He had five, all girls. She could also hear a radio playing and a kettle whistling.
After a moment he went on: “I agree that the offer is too low. It reflects the current profit level, yes, but it ignores asset value and future potential.”
“You can say that again.”
“There’s something else, too.”
“Tell me.”
“Peter will be retained to run the Black’s operation for five years following the takeover. But there’s no job for you.”
Nancy closed her eyes. This was the cruelest blow of all. She felt sick. Lazy, dumb Peter, whom she had sheltered and covered for, would remain; and she, who had kept the business afloat, would be thrown out. “How could he do this to me?” she said. “He’s my brother!”
“I’m really sorry, Nan.”
“Thanks.”
“I never trusted Peter.”
“My father spent his life building up this business,” she cried. “Peter can’t be allowed to destroy it.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Can we stop it?”
“If you could get here for the board meeting I believe you could persuade your aunt and Danny Riley to turn it down—”
“I can’t get there—that’s my problem. Can’t you persuade them?”
“I might, but it would do no good—Peter outvotes them. They only have ten percent each and he has forty.”
“Can’t you vote my stock on my behalf?”
“I don’t have your proxy.”
“Can I vote by phone?”
“Interesting idea ... I think it would be up to the board, and Peter would use his majority to rule it out.”
There was a silence while they both racked their brains.
In the pause she remembered her manners, and said: “How’s the family?”
“Unwashed, undressed and unruly, right now. And Betty’s pregnant.”
For a moment she forgot her troubles. “No kidding!” She had thought they had stopped having children: the youngest was now five. “After all this time!”
“I thought I’d found out what was causing it.”
Nancy laughed. “Hey, congratulations!”
“Thanks, although Betty’s a little ... ambivalent about it.”
“Why? She’s younger than I am.”
“But six is a lot of kids.”
“You can afford it.”
“Yes.... Are you sure you can’t make that plane?”
Nancy sighed. “I’m in Liverpool. Southampton