As the Crow Flies

“But we have Mr. Crowther for that.”

“And perhaps he would feel a greater commitment to our cause if he were on the board.” Charlie frowned. “I can well understand how you feel,” continued the colonel. “It’s your show, and you believe you don’t need any outsiders to tell you how to run Trumper’s. Well, even if we did form a company it would still be your show, because all the shares would be lodged in the names of you and Becky, and any assets would therefore remain totally under your control. But you would have the added advantage of non-executive directors to call on for advice.”

“And to spend our money and overrule our decisions,” said Charlie. “I just don’t like the idea of outsiders telling me what to do.”

“It wouldn’t necessarily work like that,” said Becky.

“I’m not convinced it will work at all.”

“Charlie, you should listen to yourself sometimes. You’re beginning to sound like a Luddite.”

“Perhaps we should take a vote,” said the colonel, trying to calm things down. “Just to see where we all stand.”

“Vote? What on? Why? The shops belong to me.”

Becky looked up. “To both of us, Charlie, and the colonel has more than earned his right to give an opinion.”

“I’m sorry, Colonel, I didn’t mean—”

“I know you didn’t, Charlie, but Becky’s right. If you want to realize your long-term aims you’ll undoubtedly need some outside help. It just won’t be possible to achieve such a dream all on your own.”

“And it will with outside interferers?”

“Think of them as inside helpers,” said the colonel.

“So what are we voting on?” asked Charlie touchily.

“Well,” began Becky, “someone should propose a resolution that we turn ourselves into a company. If that is passed we could then invite the colonel to be chairman, who can in turn appoint you as managing director and myself as secretary. I think Mr. Crowther should also be invited to join the board, along with a representative from the bank.”

“I can see you’ve given this a lot of thought,” said Charlie.

“That was my side of the bargain, if you remember our original deal correctly, Mr. Trumper,” Becky replied.

“We’re not Marshall Field’s, you know.”

“Not yet,” said the colonel, with a smile. “Remember it’s you, Charlie, who has taught us to think like this.”

“I knew somehow it would all end up being my fault.”

“So I propose the resolution that we form a company,” said Becky. “Those in favor?”

Becky and the colonel each placed a hand in the air, and a few seconds later Charlie reluctantly raised his and added, “Now what?”

“My second proposal,” said Becky, “is that Colonel Sir Danvers Hamilton should be our first chairman.”

This time Charlie’s hand shot straight up.

“Thank you,” said the colonel. “And my first action as chairman is to appoint Mr. Trumper as managing director and Mrs. Trumper as company secretary. And with your permission I shall approach Mr. Crowther, and I think also Mr. Hadlow, with a view to asking them to join the board.”

“Agreed,” said Becky, who was scribbling furiously in the minutes book as she tried to keep up.

“Any other business?” asked the colonel.

“May I suggest, Mr. Chairman,” said Becky—the colonel couldn’t resist a smile—“that we fix a date for our first monthly meeting of the full board.”

“Any time suits me,” said Charlie. “Because one thing’s for certain, we won’t be able to get them all round this table at any one time, unless of course you propose to hold the meetings at four-thirty in the moming. At least that way we might find out who the real workers are.”

The colonel laughed. “Well, that’s another way you could guarantee that all your own resolutions are passed without us ever finding out, Charlie. But I must warn you, one will no longer constitute a quorum.”