I want you to stall them/ Nicholas said suddenly, and Teacher broke off
in the middle of a sentence and stared at him distractedly.
I beg your pardon? I want you to find a way to stall the Sheikhs., Good
God, man. James Teacher was utterly astounded.
It's taken me nearly a month - four hard weeks to get them ripe to sign/
his voice choked a little at the memory of the long hours of
negotiation. I've written every line of the agreement in my own blood.,
I need to have control of my tugs, I need to be free to act 'Nicholas,
we are talking about seven million dollars. We are talking about my
son/ said Nicholas quietly.
Can you stall them? Yes, of course I can, if that's what you truly
want. Wearily James Teacher closed the file on his lap. How long? Six
weeks - long enough for Golden Dawn to finish her maiden voyage, one way
or the other. You realize that this may blow the whole deal, don't you
Yes, I realize that. And you realize also that there isn't another
buyer? Yes. They were silent then, until the Bentley pulled up before
the Bank building in Curzon Street, and they stepped out on to the
pavement Are you absolutely certain? Teacher asked softly Just do it/
Nicholas replied, and the doorman held the bronze and glass doors open
for them.
Bermuda asserted its calming influence over Nicholas the moment he
stepped out of the aircraft into its comfortable WArMth and clean,
glittering sunlight. Bernard Wackie's gorgeous burnt-honey-coloured
secretary was there to welcome him. She wore a thin cotton dress the
freshly cut pineapple and a flashing white smile.
Mr. Wackie's waiting for you at the Bank, sir. Are you out of your
mind, Nicholas? Bernard greeted him. Jimmy Teacher tells me you blew
the Arabs out of the window. Tell me it's not true, please tell me it's
not true. Oh, come on, Bernard, Nicholas shook his head and patted him
consolingly on the shoulder, your co-mission would only have been a
lousy point seven million, anyway. Then you did it! Bernard wailed,
and tried to pull his hand out of Nicholas grip. You screwed it all up.
The Sheikhs have been screwing us up for over a month, Bernie baby. I
just gave them a belt of the same medicine, and do you know what? They
loved it. The Prince sat up and showed real interest for the first
time. For the first time we were speaking the same language. They'll
still be around six weeks from now. But why? I don't understand. just
explain to me why you did it. Let's go into the plot, and I'll explain
it to you. in the plot Nicholas stood over the perspex map of the
oceans of the globe, and studied it carefully for fully five minutes
without speaking.
That's Sea Witch's latest position, she's making good passage.
The green plastic disc that bore the tug's number was set in
mid-Atlantic.
She reported two hours ago/ Bernie nodded, and then with professional
interest, How did her sea trials go off? There were the usual wrinkles
to iron out, that's what kept me in St Nazaire so long.
But we got them straight and Jules has fallen in love with her., He's
still the best skipper in the game. But already Nicholas attention had
