page37 (1/2)

He sed, focused The effort to ansas al the them—as the point?

He stared ahead

So -serving and loyal All the employees of the bank A whole endless strea And now his baby—his child And the woht dead, and then left hioing to be tied to for years and years to come

‘Indeed It looks like they’re having the tied to whisper the words from his dry and dusty throat

‘You were a sportsain with his bright-eyed stare ‘There was talk of you going professional You weren’t always going to follow your father into banking?’

Matteo frowned How did he know that? He must have done his homework The old fox was as wily as his reputation This was an interview, right enough The game was still on

‘I was a rugby player But it’s been a long time since I played’

‘But you are quite sure that it’s banking that is your passion now? Your world? You cannot lead well in any field without feeling passion Otherwise you’ll only ever be a er’

Frousto’s crinkled skin, the liver spotted hands, the sharp, inquisitive eyes

How did he knoas this old man he barely knew able to say words that cut to the core of who he was? How could he see the gnaorry that he just didn’t care enough and that hy the bank had never fully recovered?

Matteo fixed his gaze to the bunting fluttering in the evening breeze He could not look round He could not even speak He couldn’t trust himself

Augusto spoke on ‘Because we both know that the person who takes my bank on will be more than that I need sooing through the motions I have no time for that’

The , and fro one path or another He had been given the choice It was up to him now to shake his head and walk away or step forward

‘With every breath in my body I want to make Rossini into the bank it should have been And I am convinced that our two brands are unique in e offer What I want is to talk it over with you’

The old , and Matteo battled to keep his raging eazed back He would not lose yet He readied hi—to say whatever it took to convince hiive him a chance