Jack was hunched over his desk, trying and failing to concentrate on the file in front of him, which included the designs for converting an old country manor house in Scotland into a contemporary spa.
‘Have you got a moment?’ said his secretary, knocking at the door to his office. ‘The boss wants a word.’
Jack abandoned his desk and went into Eric’s office.
‘Take a seat,’ said Eric, leaning back in his chair.
Jack sat down on the opposite side of the enormous glass desk.
‘Have you fixed a date to head up to Scotland yet?’ asked Eric.
‘I was just working on it,’ lied Jack.
‘Good, good,’ said Eric, nodding. ‘Now, let’s talk about Willow Tree Hall.’
‘You’re still obsessing over that property? It’s not like you to be sentimental about a place,’ said Jack, laughing.
Eric wasn’t laughing, though. ‘What I want, I get.’
Jack’s humour quickly faded. ‘Look, I understand it’s a great building, but if the family don’t want to sell then we can’t make them.’
To his surprise, Eric smiled. ‘I thought your naivety had dissipated somewhat over these past couple of years, but obviously not. You’re still the fresh-faced electrician who came into my office all those years ago.’
Jack remembered the day well. He had trained at college to be an electrician, thinking that a trade would be the best way to stop him from ever being hungry or homeless again. He had taken charge of his future.
But then he had begun talking to Eric, who had wanted some new lights fitted in his office. Eric had sensed the hunger in Jack and had ended up taking him out to lunch. He needed somebody he could use. Someone with drive and a desire to make an awful lot of money.
And he had succeeded. Yet Jack remained uneasy as to the way he had made his fortune.
‘Did you really think that I would ever take no for an answer?’ Eric continued. ‘I want that place as one of our flagship hotels.’
‘But there’s absolutely no chance of them selling,’ Jack repeated.
Eric spread out his hands. ‘You obviously don’t play chess,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to play the whole board.’ Jack remained silent as Eric carried on. ‘Everyone has a pressure point. You just need to find it.’
Jack understood about being a hard-nosed businessman, but on occasion Eric’s ethics left a lot to be desired.
‘And you’ve found this magical thing?’ asked Jack.
Eric smiled. ‘As it happens, one of my friends is on the local council. You’ve heard talk of this new bypass, I presume?’
Jack nodded, not liking where this conversation was going.
‘You see, the suggested route for the new road system didn’t really add up. Getting a bit close to our beloved golf club!’ Eric laughed. ‘Terrible idea! It’ll ruin the peace over there when we’re playing. Anyway, there is still a necessity for the traffic to be rerouted, so here is the latest idea.’
He slipped a piece of paper across his desk.
Jack leaned forward to take it and stared down at the map. The silence stretched out as he studied it.
‘I don’t understand what I’m looking at,’ he said slowly. Or rather, he thought he understood but was hoping to be proved wrong. ‘The new proposed route takes the bypass right alongside Cranley.’
Eric shook his head. ‘Better than that. If we play our cards right, we can actually have it going through the grounds of Willow Tree Hall itself.’
Jack looked up at his boss, aghast. ‘But then you’d never get your hotel!’ he spluttered.
‘Think!’ urged Eric. ‘Of course we’re not going to have the bypass go that way, but give them a big enough threat and they’ll cave in. People always do. We’ll give them a not-too-generous offer and off they’ll go. Then the bypass plans can be quickly dropped and I’ll get my luxury hotel.’
Jack swiftly stood up, the anger surging through him. ‘You can’t do this!’
Eric seemed surprised at his fury. ‘I think you’ll find that I most certainly can, and will be doing so. I like to win.’
Jack was shaking his head in disbelief. ‘You can’t play with people’s lives like this. These are good people.’
Eric held out his hands, palms facing upwards. ‘I understand that the Earl of Cranley has been experiencing financial difficulties in recent years. I’m sure the upkeep of a large stately home must require very deep pockets.’
Jack paced up and down, trying to find a coherent thought. ‘There must be some other way.’
‘Not as far as I’m concerned.’
It was the smug smile on Eric’s face that finally brought Jack to his senses. He realised that, for once, business had to come second place and his personal feelings had to come first.
He stopped pacing and put his hands on the desk to lean forward. ‘If you do this, you’ll have to carry it through without me,’ said Jack. ‘I cannot and will not work on this project.’
‘I appreciate it’s a conflict of interest for you,’ said Eric smoothly.
But Jack shook his head. ‘It’s not just that. It’s wrong. Very wrong to manipulate people like this.’
‘It’s just business,’ said Eric, with a shrug.
‘No. It’s more than that to me,’ Jack told him. ‘This is friends and families being uprooted just because you won’t take no for an answer. It makes no sense. Why do I get the feeling that it’s more personal this time?’
There was a pause. ‘I may have had dealings with the family in years gone by,’ said Eric eventually, avoiding eye contact. ‘And I never forget an insult.’
‘And this is you finally getting your own back?’ Jack was still horrified. ‘Well, I refuse to play any part in this.’
‘I’m sorry you feel that way,’ said Eric. ‘I shall, of course, be sad to lose you. However, there are plenty more people who would be willing to take on this project in your place.’
Eric didn’t care, Jack realised. If he didn’t push through this project, Eric would get someone else to do the dirty work instead.
But for the first time in a long time Jack didn’t care about the promotion, the money, the competition. This was about the principle.
He had achieved everything he’d always wanted, having been lured in by the expensive suits and a better lifestyle. But was it actually better? Had he got that far by not hurting anyone? Suddenly he wasn’t so sure.
‘Tell me one thing,’ said Jack. ‘What if they don’t cave? What if the family don’t sell, regardless of your idle threats?’
Eric’s eyes grew hard. ‘Then they will discover that the threats aren’t just idle.’
‘This is going to have a terrible effect on their lives,’ Jack told him, exasperated.
‘We can’t please everyone,’ said Eric, sounding bored. ‘I cannot be concerned with every tenant on the Willow Tree Hall estate.’
‘Are you even concerned about any of them?’ snapped Jack.
Eric fixed him with a stare. ‘Well, as they say, you’re either with us or against us.’
Jack stood up from the desk and looked down at Eric. ‘I quit,’ he told him. ‘And don’t worry about me making things awkward around here as I serve out my notice, because I won’t.’
Eric raised his eyebrows slightly but merely said, ‘As you wish. Of course, were you to agree to do this small project then there would be another bonus payment at the end of it. A very generous bonus, you’ll find.’
‘I don’t care about the money,’ said Jack. And it was the truth. The money was less important for the first time in his life.
‘What about a new company car?’ said Eric. ‘I might even stretch to a Porsche next time.’
‘Keep your damned car,’ said Jack. ‘I’d rather have my integrity.’
With that, he walked out of the office, slamming the door as he left.