Crimson (55 page)

The front door slammed behind her. As,she clutched a column to steady herself and hailed an approaching taxi, Miranda remembered Adam’s parting words.

Exactly what could Adam do to her family? She felt a lurch in her stomach, a feeling she had often experienced when he took her in his arms but this time it was a lurch of fear.

Miranda suddenly remembered that Adam had made the arrangements to set up the Dove Trust. Suppose Buzz was right and Elinor was being deliberately kept in a drug induced stupor so that Adam could do as he pleased wit her money? “You all right, lo veT asked the taxi driver as he stopped at the kerb.

Miranda, angry and worried, telephoned for an emergency appointment with Mr. Worthington, senior partner of Swithin, Timmins and Grant.

In his sunny, dusty office, Mr. Worthington reminded her that STG had relinquished control of the Dove Trust, at her grandmother’s specific request.

“I appreciate that,” Miranda said, “but I’ve come to ask you to find out what’s happening to the trust now.” Mr. Worthington said politely, “Regrettably, STG cannot be involved because there’s a conflict of interest between the parties concerned even though Adam Grant and Paul Littlejohn are no longer connected with STG.”

“But couldn’t you tell me what you think might have happened? Off the record?” Mr. Worthington hesitated.

“Strictly off the record … after what you’ve told me … there might be a possibility of embezzlement, arranged so that it is not illegal.” Bitterly Miranda said, “I expect that two international lawyers, who’ve worked together for years, wouldn’t find it difficult to legally defrauda client who trusted them. But can’t a trust be bro kenT “Often the reason for setting up a trust is specifically so that it cannot be broken,” Mr. Worthington said.

“Of course, when the trust deeds were originally drawn up, it would have been possible to insert special trust-breaking clauses. But had Adam Grant intended, at that stage, to defraud the beneficiaries, then he would have been careful to insert no such clauses. If I were you, I would immediately get a good lawyer to check the trust deeds.”

FRIDAY, 3 JANUARY 1969

What do you want to see me about, Miranda?” As Miranda ‘idtered his office, the Earl of Brighton rose from behind a ‘black leather desk. A thin, stooped figure, he unhooked his gold-rimmed half-spectacles from rather large ears and moved forward with a tentative, shambling walk; he looked far more amiable and far less intelligent than he was.

Briefly Miranda told Lord Brighton what Adam had said to her about SUPPLY KITS She tried to sound dalm, reasonable, and businesslike, explaining that she was there for one purpose only to see that Adam did not control the company.

“What’s his shareholdine.” Lord Brighton asked.

“I went to the registrar myself, James, to check the shareholders. Adam holds only fifteen per cent of the shares the fifteen per cent that he bought from me on option and the shares he was entitled to buy at the one-for-three rights issue.”

“But Adam might control some of the other shareholders h ” romised a few big shareholders some special inC S P ducement provided they vote with him.”

“The biggest single holding belongs to a firm called Highland Croft Holdings. Have you ever heard of them? My broker hasn’t.”

“No. It’s certainly not a publicly quoted company,” Lord Brighton said, “but even if Adam does control forty-six per vent of the shares, as he claims, if there’s a real showdown he won’t control the company because he needs over fifty per cent to do that.”

“What can I do? How can I stop Adam controlling the other four or five per cent?” “We need more information,” Lord Brighton said.

Miranda hesitated.

“Perhaps I should also now tell you, in confidence, that I don’t particularly want to control SUPPLY KITS I’m not interested in acquiring businesses. I’m really interested in only one business KITS. “She spoke with determination: “I don’t want to be the figurehead of a public company. I want to be the real head of my own company! Ideally, I’d like to own one hundred per cent of the KITS shares.”

“So you want to purchase KITS from SUPPLY KITS Miranda nodded.

“If KITS again became a private company, I could develop the business as I wish. I could make long-term plans without constant pressure to provide quick profits. And I wouldn’t find my hands tied by some overcautious director who’s terrific at pushing figures around on paper but doesn’t understand the cosmetics business.” Lord Brighton said, “As chairman, I don’t feel that SUPPLY KITS should let you go at this stage.” Miranda played what she hoped was her trump card.

“I would only be prepared to stay on as managing director provided I could buy back KITS.” Lord Brighton leaned back in his chair and stared through the window at the river traffic silently drifting on the ochre water of the Thames. Reflectively he said, “We’ve just had that valuation of KITS.” Miranda smiled.

“Leases and stock, less debts, are valued at fourteen thousand pounds.”

“That’s a very low figure. What about the value of the goodwill?” Miranda said firmly, “The goodwill of KITS is so bound up with my public image that it’d be difficult for the accountants to put a price on the goodwill if I’m not there. If SUPPLY KITS dares to ask me to pay a premium for XF Irs then I will immediately resign from SUPPLY’ Which as I’ve said, SUPPLY KITS can’t afford at the moment,” Lord Brighton said.

“As the face of the firm, you are publicly perceived to be responsible for the success of SUPPLY KITS If you went, the share price would undoubtedly fall. SUPPLY KITS can’t afford to lose you or have any rival company acquire your services.” IExactly, James. But I want to make it clear to you that I intend to withdraw gradually from SUPPLY KITS The company is now established, and my deputy, Alex Stanton, can take over as MD.”

“Then I assume you’d like SUPPLY KITS to call an EGMT An extraordinary general meeting was the only way that such a matter could be decided. As fast as possible, please.”

“We need to give three weeks” notice of an EGM. Let’s hold it on Friday, thirty-first January, which gives us a week extra.” Miranda nodded. Official approval to sell KITS back to her must come from bank, stockbroker, and stock exchange, after which the circular had to be printed and posted to all shareholders.

As he escorted Miranda to the door, Lord Brighton added” By the way, Adam Grant should be informed as fast as possible. We’ll then know his reaction well in advance.”

“Could you telephone him, Jam esT Lord Brighton nodded.

“I could also tactfully bring up that other matter of who holds the controlling interest claimed by Grant. He’ll have to give me a truthful answer, evade the question, or lie: any of those possibilities will be interesting-I “If he doesn’t control those shares, I can fire him.” Miranda was no longer able to maintain her carefully businesslike facade; her voice shook.

“You can’t fire Grant just because you feel like doing so,” Lord Brighton warned.

“He’s a director of a public company. Officially, you haven’t complained about him and I’m not sure that you even have the right to complain about his behaviour: Grant has been very successful at his job, and he’s entitled to acquire as many shares as he can like any other member of the public. Be careful, Miranda, to keep your feelings under control.”

“I can still dream,” Miranda said.

“If you need me for anything, I’ll be in Paris early next week for the Cosmetics Safety Conference. At the Ritz, as usual.” When Lord Brighton telephoned, Adam listened in silence as he was told of the purpose of the EGM. Reminded of the book valuation of KITS, he said angrily, “With the greatest respect, that’s giving KITS away. The reason KITS is currently worth so little on paper is because it’s been our cash cow we’ve milked it to finance our expansion in other areas.”

“I believe that’s one of the things Miranda objects to.”

Adam snapped, “What Miranda forgets or maybe she doesn’t is that in a couple of years, KITS will once again be worth a fortune! So whatever Miranda O’Dare offers for KITS I’ll offer ten per cent more.” Lord Brighton telephoned Miranda with this news. He added, “Of course, I’ll have to include Grant’s counter bid in my letter to the shareholders, but in view of the other considerations, I shall still recommend acceptance of your offer, Miranda. However, the decision doesn’t depend on my views it depends on the votes. And, as interested parties, neither you nor Adam will be allowed to vote, nor will shareholders controlled by either of you.”

“Does that mean assuming Adam’s telling the truth about controlling forty-six per cent that the decision will f outside shareholders? be made by only the nine per cent o “It does.”

Adam and I allowed to lobby the shareholder sT I, careful,” Lord Brighton warned again.

“You don’t want to overexcite the press. The share price might drop if it looked as though the directors were squabbling among themselves instead of efficiently running the company.”

“Don’t worry,” Miranda said grimly.

“I’ll be careful.”

“By the way, I checked on Highland Croft Holdings. The company is apparently owned by an offshore holding company, so we can’t trace it further. They own four point eight per cent of SUPPLY KITS and there’s no way of telling whether those shares are among the percentage that Grant claims to control.”

SATURDAY, 4 JANUARY 1969

Although it was past midday, the only light in the room entered through a chink in the mustard brocade curtains.

They lay silent once more, enjoying closeness. Adam felt that he knew the body beside him almost as well as he knew his own feelings, reactions, and needs. And his partner knew precisely what aroused the force of Adam’s passion. Slowly each in turn, with the utmost tenderness, softly kissed the other’s body and face … lips, nose, eyelids … and each trembled beneath the other’s touch.

Afterwards, as they lay side by side and mouth to mouth, their bodies still intertwined, Adam cherished the closeness and subtle tenderness that made him feel the two of them had just fused into one person. For him, it had been an all-encompassing, overwhelming experience of soaring rapture, total understanding, and bliss, emotional as well as physical.

Adam sometimes wondered whether as he had many times been told he had lost the capacity to feel, whether it had really been cauterized away before he was old enough to realize it. But he never had such

misgivings when he lay enfolded in these arms: here he was always totally involved; he never felt as if, from above, he were dispassionately watching himself manipulate his partner towards spasm.

In these arms, Adam felt as if he were at last truly in touch and at peace with himself as he both gave and received. He felt loving and trusting as, in turn, he was loved and trusted. Adam knew this to be true intimacy.

His arms tightened around the smooth shoulders. In the clear, grey, wide-set eyes, so close to his, Adam could see not only his reflection: he could see that this was the person with whom he belonged, the only person with whom he felt at peace, without pretence, and free. He felt tremendous joy.

SUNDAY, 5 JANUARY 1969

After seeing Lord Brighton, Miranda spent two sleepless nights thinking about Adam’s triple treachery and worrying about the future of SUPPLY KITS and the Dove Trust. She couldn’t cancel her trip to Paris, but luckily she was only billed to make the opening speech at the conference, and for those two days she was determined to forget her problems, and be professional.

On Sunday morning, the sky was cloudy. Gatwick Airport informed Miranda that the cloud base on her route would be around fifteen hundred feet, with a risk of icing at that level. On a more cheerful note, the operator added that there might be a layer of clear sky between three thousand and four thousand feet. Luckily, Miranda had recently acquired her pilot’s instrument rating, which permitted her to climb through cloud in weather such as this.

At ten a.m.” Miranda’s new plane, a pale blue Beechcraft Bonanza, took off from Redhill for Lydd, where she would clear customs.

But the higher the Bonanza climbed, the worse the a.oftther became. That layer of clear sky must be a lot Uglier than forecast, Miranda thought crossly, realizing that, as she couldn’t see through the cloud that now surrounded the plane, she was committed to an instrument fight. Unfortunately, Gatwick Met had been right about the ice. At four thousand feet, Miranda couldn’t raise the Jo,wer or any other airport, because ice had built up on the cabin, and when it separated, it damaged the cominunications radio aerial: the Bonanza had no contact with ground control. Miranda, who had been relying on air traffic control for navigation, could no longer receive instructions from the controller.

The Bonanza’s air speed indicator, compass, and all instruments that didn’t rely on radio were working. However, Miranda was now flying a very basically equipped aeroplane in some trouble. In an emergency situation, she would have to continue to follow her-last instruction from ground control. She cheered herself up by thinking that ground control could still see her on their radar and they would know she had’a problem, because she wasn’t answering them.

Although Miranda knew exactly in which direction she was flying, she did not know her precise position, although she reckoned she was somewhere over the South Downs. So th here was no question of putting the plane down, for she risked hitting high ground. She had better stay at four thousand feet and hope for a clear patch of sky below her, which would allow her to see the ground and check her bearings.

Miranda’s plan was to descend, slowly and carefully, over the sea near Lydd airport. She hoped that there was no low cloud there, because she then risked hitting the water. A crash landing, in January, in the English Channel would be fatal: she was unlikely to be rescued and wouldn’t last twenty minutes in such cold water.

As she flew on in thick, oppressive cloud, Miranda felt increasingly lonely. She cursed herself for having climbed above fifteen hundred feet instead of flying below the cloud base: she should have been more cautious.