‘Why? Was it the value? The fees? Often it can be a chemistry thing.’
‘I bet Spencer chatted up the nuns,’ Graham murmurs.
‘He wouldn’t have got far,’ I say, but then reflect that if anyone can convert a nun…
‘Talk about confusing,’ Graham goes on. ‘They were all in their habits, spinning round and round in circlesandthey were all called Sister Mary Jane or Sister Mary Josephine. Insane.’
On the rare occasion when Ward smiles he looks ten years younger.
‘I think B & G valued it for more,’ admits Graham.
‘How much more?’ Ward fires back.
‘Two hundred and fifty grand,’ I come in.
‘Well, maybe we undervalued,’ Ward suggests, ‘and it’s time to revise, be more optimistic in this market. Keep an eye on it. Send the Sister Marys some flowers too.’
‘What, all of them?’ Graham shakes his head. ‘We’ll be going bust at this rate, Ward.’
‘Well, we’d better not lose any more pitches, had we?’
‘We did win the Grange,’ Lucie tells him. ‘That was a big one.’
‘Good. We need a lot more of them.’
Next, Ward asks Lucie and me to talk us through the applicants who have called this week along with those who have registered their details. I look at the screen. ‘Mrs Tennant called again. She’s the one that’s looking for a six-bedroom house in Chichester. The family love sailing.’
‘We’ve got nothing down that way at the moment.’ Graham sighs. ‘I keep on telling her that there’s nothing.’
‘All I’m hearing is nothing.’ Ward is getting increasingly frustrated.
Spud begins to bark furiously.
‘When will that dog shut up?’ Ward shouts.
‘When he’s allowed to be back in the boardroom,’ says Graham bravely.
Ward shoots him a warning look.
I can’t believe Graham continues, hand on his chin, ‘If things could just go back to the way they used to be. Jeremy—’
Ward thumps his fist against the table, making me almost jump out of my seat. ‘Thingschange,Graham. We can’t go back to the good old days. I was hired to save this fucking company, don’t you understand that? Don’t you…’ As Ward continues to shout I try to blot out the noise, but instead see Toby Brown thumping my hand with his fist and laughing in my face. ‘Stop shouting,’ I say. ‘Stop it. Stop it! I can’t listen, I can’t!’ I put my hands over my ears, wishing the noise would go away.
The room is silent. All I can hear is the sound of my heavy breathing. Why is everyone staring at me? I realise then that the noise is coming from me.
After the various outbursts, the meeting continues, but awkwardness lingers in the air. Ward taps a few keys on his laptop. ‘If the Tennants are keen sailors they might like that house in Salcombe.’ Ward brings up the image on to the screen.
Graham coughs. ‘Salcombe is a million miles fromChichester.’
‘I know that,’ Ward says, trying to keep a lid on his temper this time. ‘But what I don’t know is if Mrs Tennant might consider living somewhere further away if the house is perfect. This is what I mean. We’ve got to think laterally,’ says Ward as he snaps down the lid of his laptop to signal the end of the meeting. ‘Right, before you all go.’ Graham is already at the door. ‘We will get there,’ Ward says. ‘In a year’s time Barker & Goulding will be sitting round their boardroom table asking why they lost the pitch to us.’
‘Nadine, you are looking hot,’ I overhear Spencer saying. ‘Am loving that top—’
Nadine cuts him off with, ‘January’s in her office, Spencer.’
‘But I only have eyes for you, Nadders.’
‘What are you doing here?’ I call from my desk, thankful that Ward is out. I’m reading a postcard from Jeremy who is currently on holiday in the south of France. Spencer strolls into the office and I’m almost knocked out by a cocktail of deodorant and aftershave.
