Stars Shine in Clover Cove: A heart-warming romance set on the beautiful west coast of Ireland! by Maggie Finn

Author:Maggie Finn [Finn, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sunflower & Co
Published: 2024-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Crown House had been named not after an Irish monarch, but for the insignia that the Customs and Excise men had used on their official stamps, back when Kilmara – and the whole stretch of coastline overlooked by it - had been controlled by the British Empire. Those crowns had even been cast into the brickwork of this grand old house close to Kilmara’s harbour. Charles guessed that for a time, Crown House would have been the most important building in Kilmara, dealing with every load of cargo that passed in and out of the busy port – and its present owners, the Fleet Investment Corporation, had used the historic significance to great advantage. The building had been built to impress and the white marble lobby and sweeping staircase still had the power to intimidate. Charles tried to control his nerves as he walked inside; Edward had already briefed him about the importance of this meeting. If Charles could persuade a financier to invest in Sleagh, it would give them time to turn the estate’s fortunes around, perhaps even using some of Grace’s ideas for modernising the place.

‘Lord Balcon?’

An older lady in a tweed skirt met him at the bottom of the stairs.

‘If you’d like to follow me, they’re all waiting for you.’

All? Thought Charles with alarm. Edward had implied this would be an informal chat with one of the directors of the investment group.

Chin up Charles, he told himself. You’ve faced worse than this.

Charles was shown into a sumptuous boardroom with a long polished walnut table at its centre. Five men were already seated at the far end, each wearing a variation of the same pinstripe suit, each showing the same degree of middle age spread.

‘Charles, so glad you could come,’ said Edward, standing to shake his hand. ‘I think you know everybody else here,’ he said, making formal introductions nevertheless. Along with Mr. Bower from the Kilmara bank, there was Kevin Butcher who was the bank’s chairman and Colin McAllister and Liam Green, of Fleet Investments, a fund which specialised in bankrolling establishment businesses, a local old boys club with a vested interest in keeping that club small and exclusive. Charles was aware that McAllister had known his father: that could be both good or bad. Randolph Balcon had felt that money was there to be spent, not invested. Charles shook hands all around, then sat down to exchange pleasantries and small talk about the excitement of having Wener Pictures up at the castle.

Charles hoped this would go in his favour: he was, after all, bringing in a significant amount of American money, not just for Sleagh, but also for local businesses while the circus was in town. Perhaps Edward’s plan might actually come off. If they could find sympathetic investors who shared their goals of maintaining stability in the area, then they could avoid selling.

‘So shall we get down to brass tacks?’ said Edward finally. ‘I think we’re all clear about why we’re here.’

‘Well, as I understand it, the Sleagh Estate is struggling to meet its commitments,’ said Liam Green.

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