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“Is there nothing I can tempt you with?”

“Well,” said Harry, “now youI’ve alanted, and if your masters can deliver it, I’m their man”

“And whathopeful for the first time

“The Nobel Prize for literature”

Alina looked puzzled, and Harry couldn’t resist leaning forward and kissing her on both cheeks as if she was a favorite aunt He quietly closed the door and crept back into bed “Damn the woman,” he said, quite unable to sleep

“There’s a Mr Vaughan on the line, Mr Clifton,” said the girl on the switchboard “Says he needs to speak to Mr Sloane urgently, but he’s away at a conference in York and isn’t expected back until Friday”

“Put the call through to his secretary and ask her to deal with it”

“Sarah’s not answering her phone, Mr Clifton I don’t think she’s back from lunch yet”

“OK, put hihan, how can I help you?”

“I’han, “and I need to speak to Mr Sloane urgently”

“Can it wait until Friday?”

“No I now have two other offers on the table for Shifnal Far closes on Friday I need to know if Mr Sloane is still interested”

“Perhaps you could giveup a pen, “and I’ll look into it immediately”

“Could you let Mr Sloane know that Mr Collingwood is happy to accept his offer of one point six million, which means I’ll need a deposit of £160,000 by five o’clock on Friday if he still hopes to secure the deal”