16
“WHAT POSSESSED YOU to do something quite so stupid?” said Virginia.
“I just wanted Robert to know how fair I considered the settlement was.”
“Well, that backfired spectacularly.”
“But I never thought for a moment he’d let go of his beloved company.”
“And I’m not convinced he has,” said Virginia. “Those two are up to something.”
“Those two?”
“Yes, I should have realized that Sebastian Clifton would have an ulterior motive for being in court. He may have taken me by surprise this time, but he won’t get away with it again.”
“But he’s only a child.”
“A child who is fast gaining a reputation in the City as a whiz kid. And never forget, he’s the son of Emma and Harry Clifton, so he’s not to be trusted.”
“But what’s in it for him?”
“I haven’t worked that out yet, but you can be sure he’s after something. However, we can still stop them both in their tracks if we move quickly.”
“But what can I do, now I’m penniless and homeless?”
“Pull yourself together, Priscilla. You own a company worth fifteen million pounds that only last year declared a profit of over a million.”
“But for how much longer, now Robert’s no longer around to manage it?”
“You needn’t worry about that. I know exactly the right person to take his place. He has considerable experience of management, has served as the director of a public company, and, more important, he’s available at short notice.”
* * *
Sebastian, Bob, and Clive Bingham met in Seb’s office later that morning to discuss what needed to be done next.
“The first part of our plan went smoothly enough,” said Seb. “But it won’t be long before Virginia works out what we’re up to. So we’re going to have to move quickly, very quickly, if we’re to get all the pieces off the chessboard in time.”
“Then I’ll have to drive up to Grimsby this afternoon,” said Bob.
“It can’t be too soon,” said Seb, “because you need to be back in London by tomorrow evening at the latest. I want everyone at Bingham’s, from the management to the factory workers, and all of its customers up and down the country, to think the only reason you’re visiting the factory is to say good-bye to the staff and wish them luck under the new management. Just before you leave, Clive will issue the press statement he’s been working on.”
Clive opened his briefcase and took out two sheets of foolscap paper.
“The statement needs to be short, unequivocal, and to the point,” he said, passing a copy to his father and Seb. “I won’t release it until I know Dad’s on his way back to London, when I’ll send a copy to the Grimsby Evening Telegraph. It’s sure to make the front page. After that, I’ll release it to every business correspondent in Fleet Street.”
Bob read through the statement slowly, and was impressed by what his son had come up with. However, he realized that a lot more needed to be done if the public, and not least Lady Virginia, were to believe he meant what he said.
“And once I’m back in London, what do I do then?”
“Fly to Nice, go straight to the house at Cap Ferrat, and stay put,” said Seb.
“And after that?” asked Bob. “I’ve never lasted more than a few days in the South of France before I was bored out of my mind and had to fly home.”
“Well, you’re going to have to do a lot better than that,” said Clive, “if you’re going to convince the world how much you’re enjoying early retirement, and that you have absolutely no interest in returning to Grimsby.”
“Mind you, most people won’t find that too hard to believe,” said Seb.
“Retirement?” said Bob, ignoring Seb’s comment. “I’d die rather than retire. And as for enjoying myself, I wasn’t built for leisure, so perhaps you can tell me, Seb, how I’m supposed to pass the time of day?”
“Perhaps the occasional round of golf, followed by a long lunch at one of the many Michelin-starred restaurants along the Riviera, topped off by a visit to one of Nice’s more exotic nightclubs?”
“And where will I find a pint of Bateman’s, and cod and chips served in newspaper?”
“I don’t think you’ll find too many fish and chip shops at Cap Ferrat,” admitted Seb.
“And there’s not much demand for mushy peas on the Riviera,” added Clive.
The three of them burst out laughing.
“I feel sorry for your mother, Clive,” said Bob. “She’s about to discover just how close a friend Lady Virginia Fenwick really is.”
* * *
“Well, at least this time, major, you’ll be chairman of a company that doesn’t have a board, or anyone else you have to answer to. You can start with a blank sheet of paper and set your own ground rules.”
“Possibly. But you will have noticed that the company’s shares collapsed yesterday following Bingham’s press statement.”
“What statement?” said Virginia.
Fisher picked up a copy of the Times from the coffee table and turned to the lead story in the business section. Virginia stared at a photograph of Bob shaking hands with some members of the factory staff following his farewell speech, then carefully read his statement: “Of course I’m sad to be leaving the company my grandfather founded in 1857, especially after serving as its chairman for the past twenty-three years. But I have no fear for the future of Bingham’s while it’s in the capable hands of my former wife, Priscilla. I hope everyone will continue to support her, as they have always supported me. However, it’s time for me to retire to my beautiful home in the South of France and enjoy a well-earned rest.”
“I don’t believe a word of it,” said Virginia. “So the sooner you get yourself off to Grimsby, the better, major. It’s going to take all your skills and experience as an army officer to keep those people in their place.”
* * *
When Clive drove his father to Heathrow later that evening, he couldn’t get a word out of him.
“What’s the problem, Dad?” he asked eventually.
“Some of the staff were in tears when I left. People I’ve worked with for over twenty years. It took all my willpower not to roll up my sleeves and start loading the lorries.”
“I understand how you feel, Dad, but believe me, you’ve made the right decision.”
“I hope so,” said Bob, as they came to a halt outside the terminal.
“And don’t forget, if you spot a photographer, just smile and look relaxed. We don’t want the press thinking you’re unhappy, because then Lady Virginia will work out exactly what we’re up to.”
“I’ll bet she already has.”
“Dad, we can beat her, as long as you don’t lose your nerve.”
“Please make my imprisonment as short as possible,” he pleaded after he’d checked his one bag in and given his son a hug.
“I’ll phone every day,” said Clive, “and bring you up to date with everything that’s going on at this end.”
“And keep an eye on your mother. It’s going to come as a dreadful shock when she meets up with the real Virginia for the first time.”
* * *
By the time the major stepped on to the platform at Grimsby station, he knew exactly what needed to be done. His plan was foolproof, and his strategy honed to the finest detail.
He already knew a great deal about Robert Bingham and the way he had run the company from the research he’d carried out for Lady Virginia. And on this occasion she hadn’t even tried to bargain with him. She had met all his demands: ￡20,000 a year plus expenses, including a suite of rooms at the Royal Hotel whenever he had to stay in Grimsby.
Fisher felt there wasn’t a moment to lose and instructed the taxi driver to take him straight to the factory. During the journey he went over the speech he’d prepared, which wouldn’t leave the workers in any doubt who was the boss. It shouldn’t be too difficult to run a fish-paste factory. After all, he’d commanded a company in Tobruk with the Germans snapping at his heels.
The taxi dropped him outside the factory. A scruffy man wearing a peaked cap, open-necked shirt, and greasy overalls peered at the major from the other side of the locked gates.
“What do you want?” he demanded.
“I’m Major Fisher, the new chairman of the company, so open up immediately, my good man.”
The man touched the peak of his cap and pulled the gate open.
“Where’s the chairman’s office?” demanded Fisher.
“Bob never had what you’d call an office, but management are at the top of those steps,” the man said, pointing to the other side of the yard.
The major marched across the yard, a little surprised by the lack of activity because he knew the factory employed over two hundred full-time workers, with another hundred part-time. He climbed the iron steps up to the first floor and pushed open the door to be greeted by a large open-plan office with a dozen desks, only two of which were occupied.
A young man leapt to his feet. “You must be Major Fisher,” he said as if he’d been expecting him. “I’m Dave Perry, the assistant manager. I was told to show you around the factory and answer any questions you might have.”
“I was rather hoping to have a meeting with the managing director so I could be brought up to speed as quickly as possible.”
“Ah, you haven’t heard?”
“Heard what?”
“Mr. Jopling handed in his notice yesterday. Told me that as he only had a couple of years before he retired, this might be a good time for someone else to fill his boots.”
“And are you that someone else?” asked Fisher.
“Not on your nelly,” said Perry. “I’ve only been here a few months. And in any case, I don’t fancy any more responsibility.”
“Then it will have to be Pollock, the works manager,” said Fisher. “Where’s he?”
“Mr. Jopling sacked him yesterday, for insubordination. It was almost the last decision he made before he resigned. Mind you, Steve Pollock can’t complain. He’s been sent home on full pay until the union completes its investigations. No one doubts that he’ll be reinstated. The only trouble is, the committee usually takes a couple of months before they come to a decision.”
“But he must have had a deputy?” said Fisher, unable to hide his frustration.
“Yes, Les Simkins. But he’s on a time-and-motion course at Hull Poly. Waste of time and not a lot of motion, if you ask me.”
Fisher strode across the room and looked down onto the factory floor. “Why isn’t the machinery working? Isn’t this meant to be a twenty-four-hour nonstop operation?” he said, staring down at a dozen workers who were standing around, hands in pockets, idly chatting, while one of them rolled a cigarette.
“We usually work an eight-hour-shift system,” said Perry, “but you need a statutory number of qualified workers before the machinery can be turned on—regulations, you understand—and unfortunately an unusually large number of the lads are on sick leave this week.” The phone on his desk began to ring. He picked it up and listened for a moment. “I’m sorry to hear that, sir, but our new chairman has just arrived, so I’ll pass you over to him.” Perry covered the mouthpiece and said, “It’s the harbor master, Captain Borwick. Seems to have a problem.”
“Good morning, Borwick, it’s Major Fisher, the chairman of the company. How can I help?”
“Good morning, major. It’s quite simple really, you’ve got three days’ supply of cod piled up on my dockside, which I’d like picked up as soon as possible.”
“I’ll get on to it straightaway.”
“Thank you, major, because if it hasn’t been removed by four o’clock I’ll have no choice but to dump it back in the sea.” The phone went dead.
“Where are the lorries that pick up the morning catch?”
“The drivers hung around until midday, but as no one had the authority to give the order for them to go to the harbor, they packed up for the day and went home. You only missed them by a few minutes, major. They’ll be back at six tomorrow morning. Bob was always here first thing. Liked to go down to the docks and supervise the loading himself. That way, he could be sure no one palmed him off with yesterday’s catch.”
Fisher slumped into a chair and stared at a pile of unopened letters addressed to Mr. Bingham. “Do I have a secretary, by any chance?” he asked.
“Val. There’s nothing she doesn’t know about this place.”
Fisher managed a weak smile. “So where is she?”
“On maternity leave, and not expected back for some months. But I know she put an ad in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph for a temp,” he added as a man who looked like a heavyweight boxer stomped into the room.
“Which one of you’s in charge?” he demanded.
Perry pointed to the major.
“We need some help with the unloading, guv.”
“Unloading what?”
“’Undred and forty-eight crates of fish paste jars. Same time every Tuesday. If you haven’t got anyone to unload them, we’ll have to take them back to Doncaster, and that’ll cost you.”
“Perhaps you could give them a hand, Perry.”
“I’m management, major. The unions would down tools if I so much as looked at a crate.”
That was when Fisher realized that every one of them was singing from the same hymn sheet, and he wasn’t the choirmaster.
The major lasted for three days, during which time, not one pot of Bingham’s fish paste left the factory. On balance, he decided that doing battle with the Germans in North Africa was far easier than trying to work with a bunch of bolshie shop stewards on Humberside.
On Friday night, after the workers—all two hundred of them—had collected their wage packets and gone home, the curtain finally came down. The major checked out of the Humber Royal Hotel and took the last train back to London.
* * *
“Bingham’s shares have fallen another ten percent,” said Seb.
“What’s the spot price?” asked Bob.
Seb checked the ticker-tape machine in his office. “Seven shillings and sixpence. No, seven shillings and fourpence.”
“But they were a pound only a week ago.”
“I know, but that was before the major beat a hasty retreat back to London.”
“Then it must be time for me to come back and sort the place out,” said Bob.
“Not quite yet. But be sure to have the number of a local travel agent handy.”
“So what am I expected to do in the meantime?” growled Bob.
“Canasta?”