Wackie. Duncan held up his hand in mock protest. Come now, Nicholas -
the salvage money will be there, on the due date set by the Court.,
That's fine/ Nicholas told him, still smiling. I have no taste for
another brawl in the debtors court. I wanted to remind you of something
that old Arthur Christy once said - Ah! of course, our mutual
father-in-law. Nicholas said softly, and Duncan pretended not to hear;
instead he went on unruffled.
He said, with Berg and Alexander I have put together one of the finest
teams in the world of shipping. The old man was getting senile towards
the end. Nicholas had still not smiled.
He was right, of course. We just never got into step. My God,
Nicholas, can you imagine if we had been working together, instead of
against each other. You the best salt and steel man in the business,
and I I'm touched, Duncan, deeply touched by this new and gratifying
esteem in which I find myself held. You rubbed my nose in it, Nicholas.
Just as you said you would. And I'm the kind of man who learns by his
mistakes, turning disaster to triumph is a trick of mine. 'Play your
trick now, Nicholas invited. Let's see you turn six million dollars
into a flock of butterflies., Six million dollars and Ocean Salvage
would buy you back into Christy Marine. We'd be on equal terms., The
surprise did not show on Nicholas, face, not a flicker of an eyelid, not
even a tightening of the lips, but his mind raced to get ahead of the
man.
Together we would be unstoppable. We would build Christy Marine into a
giant that controlled the oceans, we'd diversify out into ocean oil
exploration, chemical containers. The man had immense presence and
charm, he was almost - but not quite - irresistible, his enthusiasm
brimming and overflowing, his fire flaring and spreading to light the
dingy room, and Nicholas studied him carefully, learning more about him
every second.
Good God, Nicholas, you are the type of man who can conceive of a
venture like the Golden Dawn or salvage a giant tanker in a sub-zero
gale, and I am the man who can put together a billion dollars on a wink
and whistle.
Nothing could stand before us, there would be no frontiers we could not
cross. He paused now and returned Nicholas scrutiny as boldly, studying
the effect of his words. Nicholas lit the cheroot he was holding, but
his eyes watched shrewdly through the fine blue veil of smoke.
I understand what you are thinking, Duncan went on, his voice dropping
confidentially. I know that you are stretched out, I know that you need
those six big M's to keep Ocean Salvage floating. Christy Marine will
guarantee Ocean Salvage outstandings, that's a minor detail. The
important thing is us together, like old Arthur Christy saw it, Berg and
Alexander. Nicholas took the cheroot from his mouth and inspected the
tip briefly before he looked back at him.
Tell me, Duncan, the asked mildly, in this great sharing you envisage,
do we put our women into the kitty also? Duncan's mouth tightened, and
the flesh wrinkled at the corners of his eyes.
Nicholas/ he began, but Nicholas silenced him with a gesture.
You said that I need that six million badly, and you were right. I need
