face they now saw was older than its thirty - nine years and the deep, worn ridges on his forehead showed that the war had left its mark on him. Hetook the lift to his forty - second floor office, and a security guard told him firmly he was on the wrong floor.
'Where's George Novak?' asked Abel.
'He's in Chicago, Colonel,' the guard replied.
Vell, get him on the phone,' said Abel.
'Who sball I say is calling him?'
'Abel Rosnovski.'
The guard moved quickly.
George's familiar voice crackled down the line with welcome. At once Abel realised just how good it felt to be back home. He decided not to stay in New York that night but to fly the eight hundred miles on to Chicago.
He took with him George's up - to - date reports to study on the plane. He read every detail of the Baron Group's progress during the war, and it became obvious that George had done well in keeping the group on an even keel - during Abel's absence. His cautious stewarxlship left Abel with no complaints; the profits were still high because so many staff had been called up to fight in the war, while the hotels had remained full because of the continual movement of personnel across America. Abel decided that he would have to start employing new staff immediately, before other hotels picked up the best of those returning from the Front.
When he arrived at NEdway Airport, Terminal 11C, George was standing by the gate waiting to greet him. He'd hardly changed, a little more weight, a little less hair perhaps, and within an hour of swapping stories and bringing each other up to date on the past three years, it was almost as though Abel had never been away. Abel would always be thankful to the Black Arrow for the introduction to his senior vice - president.
George, however, was uncharitable aboutAbel's limp which seemed more pronounced since he'd gone off to the war.
'The Hopalong Cassidy of the hotel business,' he said mockingly. 'Now you don't have a leg to stand on.'
'Only a Pole would make such a dumb crack,' replied Abel.
George stared at Abel, looking slightly hurt, as a puppy does when scolded by its master.
'Thank God I had a dumb Polack to take care of every. thing while I was away looking for Germans,' Abel added reassuringly.
Abel couldn't resist checking once around the Chicago Baron before he drove home. The veneer of luxury had worn rather thin during the wartime shortages. He could see several things that needed renovation, but they would have to wait, because now all he wanted to do wag see his wife and daughter. That was when the first shock came. In George he had seen little change in three years, but Florentyna was now eleven and had blossomed into a beautiful young girl, while Zaphia, although only thirty - eight, had become plump, dowdy and distinctly middle - aged.
To begin with, the two of them were not sure quite how to treat one another, and after only a few weeks Abel began to realise that their relationship was never going to be the same again. Zaphia made little effort to excite Abel or take any pride in his achievements. It saddened Abel to observe her lack of interest and he tried to get her involved in his life once again but she did not respond to any of his suggestions.
She only seemed contented when staying at home and having as little to do with the Baron Group as possible. He resigned himself to the fact that she could never change and wondered how long he could remain faithful to her. While he was enchanted with Florentyna, Zaphia, without her looks and with her figure gone, left him cold. When they slept together he avoided making love, and, on the rare occasions when they did, he thought of other women. Soon he began to find any excuse to be away from Chicago and Zaphia's despondent and silently accusing face.
He began by making long trips to his other hotels, taking Florentyna along with him during her school holidays. He spent the first six months after his return to America visiting every hotel in theBaron Group in the same way he had done when he had taken over the company after Davis Le - roy's death. Within the year, they were all back to the high standard he expected of them, but Abel wanted to move forward again. He informed Curtis Fenton at