Lady Curtis returned and apologized for her absence. “That was the estate agents,” she said. “They’re pressing for an acceptance.”
“Glynnis,” Felicity said, “I urge you not to be rushed into this deal. The buyers are unsavory people, and I believe that if you can give me a week or so, I might be able to come up with a better buyer, perhaps even a better offer. Have you signed an agreement to be represented by the estate agents?”
“Not yet; they’re pressing for that, too.”
“You would clear more from the sale if you didn’t have to pay their commission.”
Lady Curtis brightened. “A good point, Felicity, yes, I’ll give you a week to see what you can do.”
They thanked her for the tour and lunch, then excused themselves.
“That is an extraordinary property,” Susan said, as soon as they were in the car. “I could make it into the most spectacular country hotel in Europe. What do you think, Stone?”
“I think you could certainly do that, if you can interest your hotelier in the property.”
“Did I mention that the estate is some two hundred acres and that there are at least a dozen cottages on the property?” Felicity asked. “Those could be done up and rented, as well.”
“Thank you, Felicity,” Stone said, “but no dice.”
“I’ll take that as a maybe,” Felicity replied, gunning the Jaguar.
24
They got back to the house, and Stone took Felicity into the library, where the gang awaited, and introduced her to everyone.
“Where have you been?” Peter asked.
“We’ve just seen the most glorious house,” Susan said, “and it’s right next door.” She told him about the place.
“I want to see it,” Peter said.
Stone sat up straight. “Why?”
“It sounds interesting. I might find a way to work it into the script.”
“I’ll take you back right now,” Felicity said. “Let me phone Lady Curtis.”
“But you haven’t even had lunch,” Stone said to Peter.
“Yes, we have, we’d just finished when you arrived. Do you want to come with us?”
“There isn’t room in the car,” Stone said.
Peter and Ben and their girls left with Felicity.
“I don’t like the way this is going,” Stone said to Susan.
“Why ever not? They’ll enjoy seeing it.”
“You’re all going to gang up on me. I can see it coming.”
“Nonsense. Read a magazine or something. There’s a stack of Country Life over there.”
Stone picked up a magazine and found it filled with country estates for sale. “The last thing I want to read,” he said, flinging it across the room.
Billy Barnett spoke up. “Is the lady you just introduced to us, Dame Felicity Devonshire, the head of MI6?”
“She is,” Stone said, “and she missed her calling: she should have been a real estate agent.”
“I know the style of decoration is out of date,” Susan said, “not at all what you like, but when I’m done, you’ll love it.”
“I don’t have to love it — your hotelier prospective client will, no doubt. At least, I hope he does.”
“I’ve had another idea, too,” she said.
Stone threw up his hands. “Can we change the subject, please? I’ve already heard too much about that house.”
“As you wish,” she said frostily. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do. Let me know when it’s dinnertime.” She walked briskly out of the room.
“Now I’ve done it,” Stone groaned. “She won’t speak to me for the rest of the weekend.”
Peter came back, raving about Curtis House. “It’s incredible! I wouldn’t want to live there, but wow! What a property! Did you see the cottages?”
“No,” Stone said, “and I don’t think the house would be a good investment for your trust.”
“No? I think Susan could do it up, and we could sell it at a very nice profit.”
“That would be a very large bet.”
“One I could afford to lose,” Peter pointed out.
“That’s not a good investment attitude, it’s a roll of the dice.”
“I like the fact that it’s available right away.”
“Take a few deep breaths, Peter.”
Felicity came into the room. “I’ve just spoken with the Home Secretary,” she said, “and told him about this Calhoun person. He’d already heard about him from MI5, who have reported to him that the man is on his way to London as we speak. He’s agreed to declare him an undesirable person and have him stopped at the airport and sent back on the next flight. Both Heathrow and Gatwick have been alerted.”
“Now that is very good news,” Stone said. “I’ll bet he was coming to look at Curtis House.”
“That could very well be — he’d be mad to buy the place sight unseen.”
“The bad news is, he is mad,” Stone said. “Or, at least, he sounds that way. Did I tell you I saw the FBI file on the man? I’ll have it sent to you, if you like.”
“Oh, yes, please,” Felicity said. “I’ll need all the ammunition I can get to persuade the secretary to ban him permanently.”
Stone called Joan and asked her to copy the file and FedEx it to Felicity. “You’ll have it Monday morning,” he told her.
“I can’t wait to read it. Where’s Susan gone?”
“She said she had some work to do.”
“You annoyed her with your attitude about the house, didn’t you?”
“Probably. You two have got Peter on my back about it now.”
“Oh, he loved it, and Lady Curtis loved him. A match made in heaven.”
“I’m not sure you’ve got your geography right,” Stone said.
Susan came into the library. “I’ve just spoken with my assistant and there’s some work I have to do in London before my meeting on Monday. Could you ask Stan to drive me? My bags are all packed.”
“Of course,” Stone said, and nothing else he could say to her made a difference.
25
Stone, knowing he had gone too far, e-mailed Susan:
My Dear Susan, I want to apologize for making such an argument about Curtis House. I overreacted, and I did not mean to make you the brunt of that. The next time I refuse to buy it, I will be kinder.
He got an e-mail back, saying:
I am at fault for harrying you about the house. The next time I urge you to buy it I will use fewer words.
Stone had breakfast in bed, as usual, and read the Sunday papers. He was going to have to find out how to get the New York Times delivered in England, even if it was a day late.
There was a knock on his bedroom door. “Come in!”
Peter came into the room. “Ben had a thought last night that might play into your decision about whether to buy Curtis House.”
Stone almost yelled, but caught himself. “Yes?”
“If I use the big house in my film, Ben thinks we can charge a substantial part of the renovations to my budget, without raising the studio’s hackles.”
“That’s certainly an attractive idea,” Stone said, “but, speaking as a board member, I think you should be frank with Centurion about what you’re doing and get specific approvals in advance of building that into your budget. It might also help to have Susan prepare a room-by-room budget. You certainly won’t be using the whole house. Also, you shouldn’t plunge ahead on your script until you know who is going to own the house. I don’t think Dr. Don would be open to your using it.”
“Good point, Dad. Are you getting out of bed today?”
“I’m considering it.”
“Why don’t you and I take a ride after lunch?”
“Horse or Porsche?”