“I don't have that kind of money.” Archie sourly turned and noticed Mrs. Murphy seated under the coffee table.
“You will.”
“Blair,” Archie called out, impatiently.
“I'm coming.” He returned with a silver tray bearing two Irish-crystal decanters and three matching glasses. “Sherry, if you're so inclined, or Glenlivet.”
Vane-Tempest longingly stared at the scotch, then sighed. “A cup of coffee or even tea. Early for tea, but I'll brave it. Cutting back.” He indicated the booze.
“Tea it is. Arch?”
“I'm fine. What is that cat doing here again? Harry's cat.” He didn't see Pewter. She had ducked behind a wing chair.
“I beg your pardon.” Murphy brazenly strolled into the middle of the room.
“Two days in a row. I guess I rate.” Blair loved Harry's cats.
“Get Murphy out of here,” Archie grumbled.
“Are you allergic?” Vane-Tempest politely inquired.
“To that damned cat, I am. She made a fool of me at that meeting.”
“Hardly needed the cat for that,” Vane-Tempest dryly noted.
“I don't trust her. Something uncanny about her.” Archie pouted.
Blair scooped up Murphy. “Come on, sweetie. I'll give you a treat, but outside.”
Murphy wrinkled her nose. “You're an asshole, Archie Ingram.” Then she called to Pewter, “Hide under the sofa. I'll meet you outside later.”
Blair put Mrs. Murphy over his shoulder while Pewter squeezed under the large sofa. He intended to poach salmon for supper, so he sliced off a bit, then diced it while the teakettle boiled. He placed a small bowl of the fresh salmon outside for the tiger.
Murphy prowled around the cars. The windows were open. She might as well investigate the interiors.
Once the tea was served, Vane-Tempest got down to business. Since he had called this meeting no one else could start it.
“I'll get straight to the point: Sarah wants to be a partner in Teotan Incorporated.”
“Does she know what we're doing?”
“No, Arch, she does not.” Vane-Tempest shot him a baleful glance. “But she knows we're purchasing land.”
“Did you tell her?” Archie's right eye twitched nervously.
“No. She went through my papers when I was in hospital. Under the circumstances that was normal. I told her the lawyers would handle everything, but that didn't satisfy her. She was terribly worried. Also, she doesn't trust my lawyers.”
“Do you?”
“Of course I do. Some of these men have served me for over twenty-five years. Sarah's feeling is that should the worst befall me, they won't work with her, they won't reveal to her the full extent of my holdings.”
“She's worried about them stealing from her?” His tone revealed curiosity as well as irritation.
“No. I don't think that's it. She wants to be in charge. The only way she can make intelligent decisions is to have accurate information. I never thought about it until she raised the issue, but I can see her point of view.”
“Why can't you teach her about your investments without bringing her into Teotan?” Blair asked sensibly.
“Oh, I can.” Vane-Tempest held up his hands. “But she read some of the real-estate transactions. She understands property, of course, so she wants to be part of this. She doesn't know the full significance of our purchases.”
“I see.” Blair poured himself a glass of sherry. He enjoyed the nutlike flavor.
“I tried to dissuade her.”
“What if we refuse her?” Archie crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in the chair.
“I don't know.” He shrugged. “But I do rather think—what's the expression . . . it's distasteful but, ah yes—I think she's better inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in.”
Blair and Archie remained silent for a moment.
“I sense this is unwelcome.”
Blair cleared his throat. “A surprise. My concern is not her response to the purpose of our corporation. Sarah can appreciate profit as well as the next man—woman.” He stroked his chin. “My concern is, what would be her function? Whatever resources she puts into the corporation would, in effect, be your resources.”
“Quite true. She hasn't a penny that doesn't come from me.”
“And she'd have a vote. You'd control Teotan.” Archie neatly summed up the situation.
“It does rather appear so, but I would never assume that Sarah would always agree with me. If you two present something sensible she might be swayed. I don't know. I mean, there's little potential for disagreement. Our business plan is clear but I understand your concern. It would throw Teotan out of balance.”
Archie rose, put his hands behind his back, and paced. “She's bright. She's beautiful. Once Teotan goes public she'd make a hell of a spokesperson. People tend to trust women more than they trust men.”
Blair raised an eyebrow. “Exactly what do you mean by ‘going public'?”
“Not public-issue stock, obviously. No, I meant when Teotan presents its plan to the county commission. Who better to present it than Sarah? She's perfect.”
“I never thought of that.” Vane-Tempest smiled.
Blair poured him another cup of tea. “Do you want her in the corporation?”
“Quite frankly, at first, I did not. I was offended when she suggested it and put out that she'd read my papers. She had access only to the papers at home, but still. However, once she explained her fears, I considered what I would do in her circumstances: the same thing.”
“Having Sarah in Teotan at this late date . . .” Blair paused. “You would control the corporation after I've pumped in seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That's—”
“I understand.” And Vane-Tempest did. He was a businessman, after all. “You, Tommy, and I put in equal shares and Archie put in sweat equity. We have—I forget the exact term—right of survivorship, in essence, to Tommy's share. We don't need another partner. And she'll be hell to live with.” He wiped his brow. “On the other hand, apart from being a spokesperson, she does have a way about her. Sarah could—how did Ridley put it one day? Could talk a dog off a meat wagon.” He smiled. “You people have such colorful expressions.”
“You could put her in my place,” Archie soberly suggested. “She could cover my tracks.”
“Your tracks are well covered, Archie.” Vane-Tempest spoke forcefully. “An investigator would have to go through two dummy corporations in Bermuda and there are no papers with your name on them. You're paid in cash.”
“Aileen told me my career was over.”
“Aileen doesn't have the facts,” Vane-Tempest flatly stated.
“What I've done is immoral.” A flush covered Archie's angular face.
“Balls!” the Englishman exploded. “Spare me Aileen's refined morality. You've made a sound business decision. You supply us with pertinent information, connect us with the proper people in Richmond, and serve your county. Our plan will save Albemarle millions of dollars.” He gestured expansively. “And why shouldn't we be amply rewarded for our foresight?”
“Buck up, Archie.” Blair agreed with Vane-Tempest, although he recognized Archie's moral predicament. Still, Archie had known what he was getting into.
Archie mulled this over. Their plan would save the county money. “It is a good plan, isn't it?”
“We have Tommy to thank for the first glimmer.” Blair missed the fun-loving Tommy. “If he hadn't pushed me into flying lessons I'd have never studied the watershed from the air.”
“Nor would we have applied ourselves to underground streams and rivers.” Vane-Tempest perked up; the tea was giving him a lift. “If one studies the land mass one can pick out those depressions, those possible water sources. The fact that no one had considered this is evidence of precisely how stupid elected officials are. Present company excluded, of course.” He nodded to Arch.