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“I’ift for Alistair”

“How thoughtful of you to remember Mr Stuart’s favorite shoe shop,” he said as Emma handed over the box “I know he’ll appreciate your kindness”

E to recall his name

“I do hope, Mrs Clifton, that the return voyage to Avonmouth will be equally successful”

Once again he bowed and closed the door quietly behind him

“Thank you, Parker,” she said

5

ONCE BOB BINGHAM had finished dressing, he checked hi mirror inside the wardrobe door His double-breasted, wide-lapelled dinner jacket was unlikely to coularly reood enough for his father when he was chairood enough for him

Priscilla didn’t agree, but then they hadn’t agreed on inia Fenwick, for Jessica Clifton’s untiaged to Jessica at the time—hadn’t been back to Mablethorpe Hall since that fateful day His as naïve and overahen it cainia, but he still lived in the hope that Priscilla would finally come to her senses and see the daain coether as a family But that, he feared, would not be for some time, and in any case Bob had ht, they would be on public display, as guests at the chairman’s table He wasn’t at all confident that Priscilla would be able to remain on her best behavior for et back to their cabin unscathed

Bob admired Emma Clifton, “the Boadicea of Bristol” as she was known by friend and foe alike He suspected that if she had been aware of the nicknae of honor

Emma had slipped a pourtheyinto dinner Bob checked his watch It was already ten to eight, and there was still no sign of his wife, although he could hear the sound of running water coan to pace around the cabin, barely able to hide his irritation

Bob ell aware that Lady Virginia had brought a libel suit against the chair just behind her when the exchange took place During question tiinia had asked from the floor if it was true that one of the directors of Barrington’s had sold all his shares with the intention of bringing down the co to Cedric Hardcastle’s little ploy to save the company from a hostile takeover by Don Pedro Martinez

Einia that it was Major Fisher, her representative on the board, who had sold her shares and then bought thee the co a handsome profit for his client

“You’ll be hearing froinia had to say on the subject, and a week later Emma did Bob wasn’t in any doubt which ca if the action ever came to court Were Priscilla to pick up any useful aht assist her friend’s cause, he was sure it would be passed on to Virginia’s legal tea ashore in Avonmouth And both sides ell aware that if Emma were to lose the case, it wouldn’t be simply her reputation that would be in tatters, but she would also undoubtedly have to resign as chairton’s

He hadn’t told Priscilla anything about the IRA or what had been discussed during the ee, other than to repeat the story about the Hoh she clearly didn’t believe hi other than that Sebastian had been appointed to the board