Sons of Fortune

“I doubt it,” said Annie. “It was a hand-written invitation, and even I couldn’t miss the words, ‘do try to make it, there’s someone I want you to meet.’”

“Well we’re about to find out who that is,” said Fletcher as he parked his old Ford behind a limousine surrounded by a dozen Secret Service agents.

“Who can that possibly be?” whispered Annie as he helped her from the car.

?

??I’ve no idea, but…”

“How nice to see you, Fletcher,” said the professor, who was standing at the front door. “Good of you to come,” he added. It would have been damn stupid of me not to, Fletcher wanted to reply. “And you too, Mrs. Davenport, of course I remember you well, because for a couple of weeks I sat just two rows behind you in court.”

Annie smiled. “I was a little slimmer then.”

“But no more beautiful,” said Abrahams. “May I ask when the baby is due?”

“In ten weeks, sir.”

“Please call me Karl,” said the professor. “It makes me feel so much younger when an undergraduate from Vassar calls me by my first name. A privilege I might add, that I shall not be extending to your husband for at least another year.” He winked as he put an arm around Annie’s shoulder. “Come on in, because there’s someone I want you both to meet.”

Fletcher and Annie followed the professor into the living room, where they found a dozen guests already deep in conversation. It looked as if they were the last to arrive.

“Mr. Vice-President, I should like to introduce Annie Davenport.”

“Good evening, Mr. Vice-President.”

“Hi, Annie,” said Spiro Agnew thrusting out his hand, “I’m told you’ve married a very bright guy.”

Karl whispered loudly, “Try not to forget, Annie, that politicians have a tendency to exaggerate, because they are always hoping for your vote.”

“I know, Karl, my father is a politician.”

“Is that right?” said Agnew.

“No, left, sir,” she replied with a smile, “he’s the majority leader in the Connecticut state senate.”

“Are there no Republicans among us this evening?”

“And this, Mr. Vice-President, is Annie’s husband, Fletcher Davenport.”

“Hi, Fletcher, is your father also a Democrat?”

“No, sir, he’s a card-carrying Republican.”

“Great, so at least we’ve got two votes wrapped up in your household.”

“No sir, my mother wouldn’t allow you across the threshold.”

The vice-president burst out laughing. “I don’t know what that does for your reputation, Karl.”

“I shall continue to remain neutral, Spiro, as I have no politics. However, may I leave Annie with you, sir, as there’s someone else I want Fletcher to meet.”

Fletcher was puzzled as he had assumed it was the vice-president to whom the professor must have been referring in his letter, but he dutifully followed his host to join a group of men standing by a blazing fire on the far side of the room.

“Bill, this is Fletcher Davenport, Fletcher, this is Bill Alexander of Alexander…”

“…Dupont and Bell,” completed Fletcher as he shook hands with the senior partner of one of New York’s most prestigious law firms.

“I’ve been keen to make your acquaintance for some time, Fletcher,” said Bill Alexander. “You have managed something I failed to achieve in thirty years.”