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"But not on your own land," Da
It was Segat who answered him. "Once again, your request was to say the least unusual, and it certainly falls into the high-risk category. However, my team feel they may have identified a piece of land in East London that fulfills all your criterion." Da
"How heavy a premium?" asked Da
"We have valued the two sites," said Bresson, "at around a million pounds each, but both of the current owners are asking for a million and a half. But if they were both to make the shortlist, they could end up being worth as much as six million. And if one of them turned out to be the wi
"But if it doesn't," said Da
"You've only got a month to make up your mind," said Bresson, "because that's when the shortlist will be a
"You'll find all the material you need to help make your decision in here," added Segat, handing Da
"Thank you," said Da
"Our London lawyer had a meeting with the council's chief pla
"That's not mathematically possible," said Da
Segat smiled for the first time. "We didn't consider it wise to point out that there would have to be either sixty-nine or seventy-two flats, allowing us some room for negotiation. However, if we were to agree in principle, to their suggestion, they would sell us the plot for four hundred thousand pounds, and grant outline pla
"If this were to be approved by the council," said Bresson, "you'd end up owning the whole site for just over a million pounds."
"If we managed to achieve that, what do you suggest should be my next move?"
"You have two choices," said Bresson. "You can either sell on to a developer, or you can build and manage the project yourself."
"I have no interest in spending the next three years on a building site," said Da
"In that case, once we've agreed terms and provisional pla
"I agree that might be the wisest solution," said Segat. "And I'm confident that you will still double your investment in the short term."
"You've done well," said Da
"We could not have moved so swiftly," said Segat, "had it not been for your knowledge of the site and its past history."
Da
"Certainly," said Bresson, extracting another file from his briefcase. "We have merged your two accounts as requested and formed three trading companies, none of them in your name. Your personal account currently stands at $55,373,871, slightly down on where it was three months ago. However, you have made several investments during that time, which should eventually show a handsome return. We have also purchased on your behalf some of the shares you identified when we last met, making a further investment of just over two million pounds-you'll find the details on page nine of your green file. Again, following your instructions, we have placed any surplus cash with triple-A institutions on the overnight currency markets, which is presently showing a year-on-year return of approximately eleven percent."
Da
"I'll be back in touch," he said, "the moment I've come to a decision on those two Olympic sites."
After they had been driven away, Da
Are parents always more ambitious for their children than they are for themselves, Beth wondered as she entered the headmistress's study.
Miss Sutherland stepped forward from behind her desk and shook hands with Beth. The headmistress didn't smile as she ushered her into a chair and then reread the application form. Beth tried not to show just how nervous she was.
"Am I to understand, Miss Wilson," said the headmistress, emphasizing the word miss, "you are hoping that your daughter will be able to join our preschool group at St. Veronica's next term?"
"Yes, I am," replied Beth. "I think Christy would greatly benefit from the stimulus your school has to offer."
"There is no doubt that your daughter is advanced for her years," said Miss Sutherland, glancing at her entrance papers. "However, as I'm sure you will appreciate, before she can be offered a place at St. Veronica's, there are other concerns I will have to take into consideration."
"Naturally," said Beth, fearing the worst.
"For instance, I can find no mention of the child's father on the application form."
"No," said Beth. "He died last year."
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Miss Sutherland, not sounding at all sorry. "May I inquire, what was the cause of death?"
Beth hesitated, as she always found it difficult to utter the words. "He committed suicide."
"I see," said the headmistress. "Were you married to him at the time?"