‘TODAY THE BOARD must decide,’ said the chairman, ‘who will lead Mellor Travel into the twenty-first century. Two highly respected companies, Sorkin International and Thomas Cook, have each made a bid of two million pounds for the company, but it is for us to decide which we feel is best suited to our present needs. I should point out at this juncture,’ continued Knowles, ‘that I wrote to both Mr Sorkin and Mr Brook of Thomas Cook inviting them to address the board so we could assess the merits of both their offers. Mr Brook failed to reply to my invitation. Make of that what you will.’ Knowles didn’t add that although he’d signed the letter to Brook a week ago, he’d only posted it the previous day. ‘Mr Sorkin, however, not only replied immediately, but interrupted his busy schedule to be with us today, and this morning deposited two million pounds with our bank to prove his intent.’
Knowles smiled, but then he’d already been promised that a further million would be transferred to his numbered account at Pieter & Cie in Geneva, to be cleared the moment Conrad Sorkin took control of the company. What Knowles didn’t know was that Sorkin never had any intention of paying two million for the company. In a few hours’ time he would own 51 per cent of Mellor Travel, and everyone sitting around that boardroom table would be out of a job, Knowles included, and he could whistle for his million, because he would no longer be the chairman.
‘And so,’ continued Knowles, ‘I would now like to invite Mr Sorkin to address the board, so he can tell you how he sees the future of Mellor Travel were we to accept his takeover bid.’
Sorkin, dressed in an elegantly tailored dark grey suit, white shirt and a crimson-and-yellow-striped MCC tie that he didn’t have the right to wear, rose from his place at the other end of the table.
‘Mr Chairman, may I begin by telling you a little about the philosophy of my company. First and foremost, Sorkin International believes in people, and therefore its first priority is to its employees, from the tea lady to the managing director. I believe in loyalty and continuity above all things, and can assure the board that no one currently employed by Mellor Travel need fear being made redundant. I consider myself to be no more than a guardian of the company, who will work tirelessly on behalf of its shareholders. So let me assure you from the outset that if Sorkin International is fortunate enough to take over Mellor Travel you can look forward to a rapid expansion of the workforce, because I intend to employ more staff, not fewer, and in the fullness of time, I would hope it will be Mellor Travel that is making a bid for Thomas Cook, and not the other way round. This of course will require a large capital investment, which I can promise the board I’m happy to commit to. But my company will also require a firm and reliable hand at the tiller, following the distressing circumstances of the past few months. To misquote Oscar Wilde, To lose one chairman is unfortunate, but to lose two . . .’
Knowles was pleased to see one or two members of the board smiling.
‘With that in mind,’ continued Sorkin, ‘I think it’s important to show my confidence not only in your chairman, but in the entire board. So let me say unequivocally, if my company is chosen today to take over Mellor Travel, I would invite Jim Knowles to stay on as chairman, and would ask each and every one of you to remain on the board.’
This time only one director wasn’t smiling.
‘Let’s work together and quickly rebuild this company to where it used to be, and then look forward to expanding, so that Mellor International will be the envy of the travel business throughout the world. Let me finish by saying I hope you will consider me the right person to take the company into the next century.’
Sorkin sat down to cries of ‘Hear, hear!’ and one director even patted him on the back.
‘Gentlemen,’ said Knowles, ‘as the chairman of Thomas Cook has failed to make an appearance, perhaps we should move on and decide which company should take over Mellor Travel, Sorkin International or Thomas Cook? I will now ask the company secretary to conduct the vote.’
Mr Arkwright rose slowly from his place and said, ‘Would those members of the board who wish to cast their vote in favour of Sorkin International raise their—‘
The boardroom door burst open, and three men and a woman entered the room.
‘What is the meaning of this intrusion?’ demanded Knowles, leaping to his feet. ‘This is a private board meeting and you have no right to be here.’
‘I think you’ll find we do,’ said Arnold Hardcastle, speaking first. ‘As you know, Mr Knowles, I am the legal representative of Farthings Kaufman, and I am accompanied today by Mr Sebastian Clifton, the bank’s managing director, and Mr Ray Brook, the chairman of Thomas Cook, who only received an invitation to attend this meeting earlier this morning.’
‘And the young lady?’ said Knowles, not attempting to hide his sarcasm. ‘Who invited her?’
‘She didn’t receive an invitation,’ said Hardcastle. ‘But I will leave it to Miss Mellor to explain to the board why she is here.’
Knowles collapsed back into his chair, as if floored by a heavyweight boxer.