Melkham Construction, set in an expanse of countryside.
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Beside it stood an earnest young man addressing the camera.
'The protesters say that if this land falls victim to developers' frenzy it will be the destruction of a unique butterfly habitat-'
'Developers' frenzy,' Garth repeated angrily. 'I build houses for people to live in; people like that sanctimonious crowd. Where would they live if no one had built their homes? With the butterflies, I suppose! GOOD GR1EFV
Startled, Faye followed his gaze and saw what had appalled him. The screen was filled with placards whose owners were hoisting them aloft, trying to catch the cameraman's eye. With an inward groan Faye saw that one of them was Kendall and right beside him, his face shining with enthusiasm, was Adrian. His placard bore the uncompromising words, GREED OUT, NATURE IN.
Garth turned accusing eyes on Faye. 'Did you know about this?'
'Of course I didn't. I knew Ken was going to some sort of ecology protest and Adrian begged to go with him. I think they mentioned the name Melkham, but I didn't connect it with you. You're Clayton Properties.'
'Melkham is a subsidiary. I acquired it last year.'
'Well, I didn't know that. Nor did Adrian.'
'I'll bet Kendall Haines knew, though. He must have loved getting my son to demonstrate against me in public.'
'Not everybody's mind is as tortuous as yours,' Faye said indignantly. 'Kendall is a decent, straightforward man. He'd never pull a stunt like that.'
'I wonder.'
'Garth, you're being impossible. Kendall fights for what he believes in and so does Adrian. You should be proud of your son. He's one of life's dragon slayers. How was he to know that you were the dragon? He'd be interested to find out.'
'And if I don't tell him, I'm sure you will.'
'Goodness, no! I won't say a word. You must deal with this in your own way. But go carefully. Your son is no fool.'
At the end of the afternoon she drove to the Pattersons' to collect Cindy and Barker. Cindy chattered non-stop about her day but, as soon as she was home, she ran to her father to say it all again. Garth hugged her and Faye was relieved to see that his mood had improved. Barker had vanished to the kitchen, to be lovingly scolded for his muddy paws and fed some of his favourite buttered scones.
'Can we go out and play ball with Barker?' Cindy begged when she was sure she hadn't deprived Daddy of a single detail.
'I thought he'd been chasing around a garden all day.'
'Yes, but it's a very posh garden with lots of potted plants-'
'Oh, heavens!' Faye groaned.
'It wasn't Barker's fault. He didn't mean to knock it over, and he didn't know it was a prize bush.'
'No wonder Mr Patterson looked a bit tense when he said goodbye.'
'It's his own fault,' Garth observed. 'He should have known better than to leave his prize bush around when Barker was there.'
Cindy flung him a grateful look. 'Anyway, Barker wants to run and run in his own garden.'
'Can't you play with him?'
'You can throw the ball further than me. I'll go and get it.' She scampered off.
'Better get two,' Garth called. 'You know he always loses one.'
'Thanks, Daddy.' Her voice faded down the hall.
'I've got a pile of bookkeeping work to do,' Faye protested to thin air.
'Mummy!' came Cindy's imperious voice before Faye could answer. 'Barker wants to play.'
Garth grinned wickedly. 'Go on,' he told her. 'You've got your orders. That dog wants to play, and his social secretary is going to make sure everyone jumps to attention.'
'Mummy-'
'Coming, coming!'
Faye obediently headed for the garden and threw the ball for half an hour. Although she was annoyed with Garth, she had to admit he was spot on about Cindy. Nothing mattered to the little girl except giving her four- pawed darling whatever he wanted. She smiled with pleasure at the sight of child and dog romping together in perfect understanding.
Then her smile faded into a frown at something she thought she'd seen. She watched Barker carefully and wondered if his back legs really were a little stiff, or was she imagining it? Then he went bounding down the garden after a ball, charging through a tall heap of twigs Fred had just finished gathering up. Fred's little dance of rage and the terrible threats he hurled at Barker's retreating form made her double up with laughter, and the matter passed from her mind.
Adrian arrived home two hours later, full of delight over his day but, to Faye's relief, minus the placard. As she'd promised Garth, she kept quiet about what she knew.
Garth seemed to have forgotten his annoyance. He asked Adrian about his afternoon and listened attentively to his replies. Faye watched a flush of pleasure come to the boy's face. To have his father showing interest in his concerns was an unexpected delight.
'It was great, Dad. We were on telly.'
'I know. I saw you. In fact, I taped it for you to see.'
Adrian beamed. 'Great! Can we see it now?'
Garth put the video tape in and they watched it together.
'That placard is good,' Garth said. 'Greed out. Nature in. Who thought of it?'
'It was Kendall's idea. He's really brilliant at that sort of thing. He says firms like Melkham are nothing but selfish, greedy predators, and they have to be fought in any way you can.'
'Has he got any good ideas about fighting them?'
'Yes, 'cos he knows something they don't.'
'What's that?'
'That bit of land is covered by a special planning act. If anyone wants to build on it they have to comply with special conditions, and they have to do it by a certain date. If they don't, they lose the chance.'
'And that date's coming up?' Garth asked in a neutral voice.
'Next Wednesday. Then Ken's going to court to say they can't do it, because the date's past.'
'That's really clever of him. But suppose Melkham knows about it?'
'Kendall says they can't do, because they'd have done something by now. He says we're going to take them completely by surprise.'
'But shouldn't Melkham's point of view be considered?' Garth asked seriously. 'After all, people need somewhere to live, as well as butterflies.'
'Kendall says it doesn't have to be there,' Adrian explained earnestly. 'Besides, it's not just houses. Melkham is going to build a shopping complex and an office block, because that's where the real money is.'
Garth became acutely aware that his wife was watching him from the doorway and at this pronouncement her eyebrows gave a cynical lift.
'How do you know that?' Garth demanded after a moment.
'Because Kendall says so.'
'But no plans have been pub- That is-he can't be certain what Melkham intends unless he's seen plans.'
'Kendall says he doesn't have to see them. He says he knows shops and offices have got to be there, because it won't be fi-' Adrian hesitated and spoke the next words slowly, 'financially viable without them. And he says the man behind it all never does anything except for money.'
'But perhaps he's got that wrong,' Garth suggested, a slight edge on his voice.
'I don't think so,' Adrian said, frowning. 'Kendall knows everything. He says-'
'Yes, fine,' Garth interrupted him restively. He felt he might do something desperate if he had to hear any more of what 'Kendall said'.
