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William received Alan Lloyd’s letter at St Paul’s on the Thursdaybreakfast with Matthew

Breakfast on Thursday s and bacon, hot toast, cold oat coffee Henry was si with a junior city official who telephoned to say the name of the company who had been awarded the hospital contract would be posted on the notice board at City Hall around ten o’clock Anne was al with Glen Ricardo She flicked through Vogue, trying not to notice that Henry’s hands, clutching the Boston Globe, were tre?’ Henry asked, trying tomuch before we have our celebration lunch

Will you be able to build the c1d1dren’s wing in memory of Richard?’Anne asked

’Not inThis will be my achievement, so let it be in your honour - ’qle Mrs Henry Osborne Wing",’he added grandly

’What a good idea,’ Anne said, as she put her azine down and snAled at hine at lunch as I have a full check - up with Doctor MacKenzie this afternoon, and I don’t think he would approve ofdrunk only nine weeks before the baby is due When will you know for certain that the contract is yours?’

’I kno,’ Henry said ’The clerk I just spoke to was a hundred per cent confident, but it will be official at ten o’clock!

qbe first thing you ood news I’uilty about the way I treated hiuilt; he didn!t bother to keep you informed of William’s actions!

’No, but he tried to explain later, Henry, and I didn’t give hiht, all right, anything you say If it’ll make you happy, I’ll phone him at five past ten, and then you can tell William I’ve made him another million’

He looked at his watch ’I’d better be going Wish ht you didn’t need any luck,’ said Anne

’I don’t, I don’t It’s only an expression See you at the Ritz at one,o’clock’ He kissed her on the forehead ’By tonight, you’ll be able to laugh about Alan, William, contracts, and treat the!

’I hope so, Henry!

An uneaten breakfast was laid out in front of Alan Lloyd He was reading the financial pages of the Boston Globe, noting a s that the city would be announcing at ten o’clock thatwhich company had been awarded the five - million - dollar hospital contract

Alan Lloyd had already decided what course of action he must take if Henry failed to secure the contract and everything that William had claimed turned out to be accurate He would do exactly what Richard would have done faced with the same predicament, and act only in the best interests of the bank The latest departmental reports on Henry’s per - sonal finances disturbed Alan Lloyd greatly Osborne was indeed a heavy gambler and no trace could be found of the trust’s five hundred thousand dollars having gone into Henry’s coe juice and left the rest of his breakfast untouched apologised to his housekeeper and walked to the bank It ~as a pleasant day

’Williaame of tennis this afternoon?’

Matthew Lester was standing over William as he read the letter from Alan Lloyd for a second ti deaf or just b ’ ecorning a senile adolescent? Do you want me to beat you black and blue on the tennis court this afternoon?’

’No, I won’t be here this afternoon, Matthew I have s to attend to’

’Naturally’ old buddy, I forgot that you’re off on another of youris looking for someone to be his new fiscal advisor, and you’re exactly the rightfool, Charles G Dawes Tell hi Matthew Lester to be the Ad - ministration’s next Attorney General!

There was still no response froht it worthy of some comment,’ said Matthew as he sat down beside William and looked s, isn’t it? Taste as though they’ve come out of a Russian prisoner - of - war camp’