you happy, I'll phone him at five past ten, and then you can tell William I've made him another million.'
He looked at his watch. 'I'd better be going. Wish me luck!
'I thought you didn't need any luck,' said Anne.
'I don't, I don't. It's only an expression. See. you at the Ritz at one,o'clock.' He kissed her on the forehead. 'By tonight, you'll be able to laugh about Alan, William, contracts, and treat them all as problems of the past, believe me. Goodbye, darling!
'I hope so, Henry!
An uneaten breakfast was laid out in front of Alan Lloyd. He was reading the financial pages of the Boston Globe, noting a small paragraph in the right hand column reporting that the city would be announcing at ten o'clock that morning which company had been awarded the five - million - dollar hospital contract.
Alan Lloyd had already decided what course of action he must take if Henry failed to secure the contract and everything that William had claimed turned out to be accurate. He would do exactly what Richard would have done faced with the same predicament, and act only in the best interests of the bank. The latest departmental reports on Henry's per - sonal finances disturbed Alan Lloyd greatly. Osborne was indeed a heavy gambler and no trace could be found of the trust's five hundred thousand dollars having gone into Henry's company. Alan Lloyd sipped his orange juice and left the rest of his breakfast untouched apologised to his housekeeper and walked to the bank. It ~as a pleasant day.
'William, are you up to a game of tennis this afternoon?'
Matthew Lester was standing over William as he read the letter from Alan Lloyd for a second time.
'What did you say?'
'Are you going deaf or just b ' ecorning a senile adolescent? Do you want me to beat you black and blue on the tennis court this afternoon?'
'No, I won't be here this afternoon, Matthew. I have more important things to attend to.'
'Naturally' old buddy, I forgot that you're off on another of your mysterious trips to the White House. I know President Harding is looking for someone to be his new fiscal advisor, and you're exactly the right man to take the place of that posturing fool, Charles G. Dawes. Tell him you'll accept, subject to his inviting Matthew Lester to be the Ad - ministration's next Attorney General!
There was still no response from William.
'I know the joke was pretty weak, but I thought it worthy of some comment,' said Matthew as he sat down beside William and looked more carefully at his friend. 'It's the eggs, isn't it? Taste as though they've come out of a Russian prisoner - of - war camp.'
'Matthew, I need your help,'said William, as he put Alaes letter back into i Ls envelope.
Tou've had a letter from my sister and she thinks you'll do as a temporary replacement for Rudolf Valentino.'
William stood up. 'Quit kidding, Matthew. If your father's bank was being robbed, would you sit around making jokes about it?'
The expression on William's face was unmistakably serious. Matthew's tone changed. 'No, I wouldn't.'
'Right, then lees get out of here, and I'll explain everything.'
Anne left Beacon Hill a little after ten to do some shopping before going on to her final meeting with Glen Ricardo. The telephone started to ring as she disappeared down Chestnut Street. The maid answered it, looked out the window 'and decided that her mistress was too far away to be pursued.
If Anne had returned to take the call she would have been informed of City Hall's decision on the hospital contract, whereas instead she selected some silk stockings and tried out a new perfume. She arrived at Glen Ricardes office a little after twelve, hoping her new perfume might counter the smell of cigar smoke.
'I hope I'm not late, Mr. Ricardo,' she began briskly.
%lave a seat, Mrs. Osborne.' Ricardo did not look particularly cheerful, but, thought Anne to herself, he never does. Then she noticed that he was not smoking his usual cigar.
Glen Ricardo opened a smart brown file, the only new thing Anne could see in the office, and unclipped some papers - 'Let's start with the anonymous letters, shall we, Mrs. Osborne?'
Anne did not like the tone of his voice at all or the word start. 'Yes, all right,' she managed to get out.
'ney are being sent by a Mrs. Ruby Flowers!
'Who? Why?' said Anne, impatient for an answer she did not want to hear.
'I suspect one of