...And We'll Meet Now and Then: Love in Australia by R L Humphries

Author:R L Humphries [Humphries, R L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781483543628
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2014-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

A couple of things happened quickly and I should have expected them.

The first was a phone call from Peter Birmingham, Laura’s managing director. She rang him every day but this time he rang her. He had a huge backlog of work, papers to be signed, decisions to be made and all that went with being a tycoon. He wanted her to come into her office in Perth as soon as possible.

‘I’ll be there quickly, Peter, and I’ll bring Ned with me. He should understand that I’m just not a pretty face. See you soon.’ And hung up. She turned to me and I nodded in understanding. This was what we were about.

She said, ‘Ned, once when I was young and foolish and swell-headed, I suppose, I started to use a helicopter to go into the office and come home. There’s a pad on top of the building and one here. I stopped because I started to get a bit scared, but, if you’d like, we could do that again. It saves a lot of time. Do you like flying?’

‘And you think you wouldn’t be scared now. Why, Laurie?’

‘I’d be with you, darling!’

‘Ok, sweetie. But if I see any signs, then we’re grounded, agreed?’

We took off and she was laughing with joy. Not scared at all and even leaning into the windows to look below. And I wondered what all that meant in our relationship.

We went to her big building in Perth city and to her big, big office at the top of the building. Now we were among all the trappings of power and the nerve centre of Barnett Mining. I was impressed but, at the same time, sympathetic to Laura. She was 25 and bearing a burden that would test the biggest tycoons.

Her staff were introduced, she pulled a chair over beside hers and I watched, impressed, as the tycoon went about her business.

‘Two hours,’ she said firmly as they rushed to present papers, explain them and showed her where to sign. She often turned to me and explained quickly, without delaying things. I wasn’t sure why the rush but it was all fascinating to watch. When the staff had gone, Peter sat opposite her and proceeded to talk other business. Laura glanced up at the wall clock but he ignored her and soldiered on.

Peter was good-looking, urbane and in command, even of Laura. I wondered about that.

And then he was finished. He looked at me with a smile.

‘It isn’t always like this, Mr. Barron. Miss Barnett’s been away, as you know, and we do a lot of business by computer and on the phone, but it is full-on.’

I cleared my throat to get their attention before Peter left and they turned to me, both surprised. I suppose my role was to watch but not participate. Bugger that!

I said, ‘I have a few things to do pretty quickly and I’ll need access to funds. Can that be arranged?’

Laurie was quick. ‘Oh, yes. I’ll give you access to my private operating account.

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