lot of their stuff, and they’re having the rest sent on. Some friend of theirs is sorting everything out. They’ll pay the rent due in full,’ he added hastily. ‘But to all intents and purposes, the property is now vacant.’
‘What a shame,’ said Jonathan. ‘I had gathered from my daughter that they’d left Silchester for the moment. She was rather upset when she found out that they’d gone.’ His brow wrinkled. ‘But I didn’t realize it was for good.’ He looked up anxiously at Marcus. ‘We really needed the income from their rent, you know. How long do you think it’ll be before you find another tenant?’
‘Well, there may be no need for that,’ said Marcus breezily. ‘As it turns out, it’s not such bad news for you after all.’ He paused, and studied his fingernails for a few seconds. When he looked up, his face was blank. ‘I believe,’ he said slowly, ‘that I may have found a buyer for your house.’
‘What? Really?’ Jonathan looked at Marcus in amazement. ‘I’d almost given up on that front.’
‘The buyer,’ said Marcus steadily, ‘is a foreign purchaser who wishes to make an investment in the Silchester area. I have advised him to make an offer of two hundred thousand pounds for the property.’ There was a short silence. He looked up. Jonathan was gaping at him in astounded disbelief.
‘I should add that the buyer wishes to remain anonymous,’ added Marcus quickly. ‘So all the dealing would be done with myself. If you were to find the offer satisfactory.’ Jonathan recovered himself.
‘Find the offer satisfactory?’ he said, in an incredulous voice. ‘My God, it would solve everything.’
‘Good,’ said Marcus in neutral tones, needlessly rearranging the pile of property details on his desk. ‘So I can take it that you accept?’ He glanced up. Jonathan still looked stunned. Unsuspicious, but stunned.
Marcus thought rapidly, then said lightly, ‘It’s been a very fortunate turn of events for a number of vendors in your position.’ He smiled at Jonathan. ‘This particular buyer is planning a number of purchases in the area. He wishes to take advantage of current depressed prices.’
‘I wouldn’t call two hundred thousand pounds a depressed price for our house!’ said Jonathan. His eyes were faintly shining.
‘Relatively speaking,’ said Marcus smoothly. ‘I take it the sale will help you out financially?’ he added, in unconcerned, polite tones.
‘I’ll say,’ said Jonathan. ‘You may not realize it, but the tutorial college is mortgaged up to the hilt.’
‘Really?’ said Marcus. ‘Well, then, this is good news.’ He beamed at Jonathan.
‘It certainly is,’ said Jonathan in heartfelt tones. ‘How can I begin to thank you? We thought we’d never sell the place.’ Marcus waved a self-deprecating hand.
‘Just our job,’ he said, in professional tones. ‘There is one other thing,’ he added lightly. ‘It may not be of interest to you.’
‘Oh yes?’
‘The purchaser,’ said Marcus carefully, ‘has expressed a willingness to let the house out. At very reasonable terms, if he can find the right tenants.’ He paused. ‘Before advertising it, I thought I would give you first refusal.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t know if you’re interested in the idea. Perhaps you’d prefer to stay where you are.’
‘I don’t know about “prefer to”,’ said Jonathan, giving him a rueful grin. ‘Try “have to”. Until the business is really off the ground—’
‘You may find that the rent is sufficiently low for you to consider it,’ said Marcus. ‘The buyer has expressly said that he values quality of tenant over rental income. He is, after all, purchasing the property primarily for capital gain.’
‘Goodness,’ said Jonathan. ‘Well, I don’t know. I mean, what sort of sums are we talking? Per month?’
Marcus got up from his chair. He wandered over to the window, and stared out at the courtyard for a few seconds. A lone daffodil stared bravely back at him. Then he turned round, and named a sum.
For a moment, he thought he’d got it hopelessly, disastrously wrong. Then Jonathan’s brow cleared.
‘Well, I’m not sure,’ he said. ‘But I think we might be able to manage that.’
‘The buyer is open to negotiations,’ said Marcus hastily. ‘If necessary.’
‘I don’t think they will be necessary,’ said Jonathan. He beamed at Marcus, and Marcus, after a moment, smiled back. ‘I’m going to have to talk about this with my wife, of course,’ Jonathan added.
‘Of course,’ said Marcus sagely. ‘She might, perhaps, prefer to stay where you are?’ he risked. Jonathan gave him a rather strange look.
‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘But I’d better talk to