glared at Laura as his secretary appeared at the door.
With as much dignity as she could muster, Laura rose to her feet and left the room.
Ross sat back in his chair, fuming, then he picked up the phone and dialled.
Chapter Eight
Ross had found his office space. He’d been incensed by his mother’s interference and had searched fervently for new premises and found space in an office block in the financial district, which was well located near City Hall and the Law Courts. He took Valerie to look at it.
It wasn’t at all what she’d expected. She’d envisaged a floor with small offices set up ready instead of a whole open floor space without furnishings of any kind.
Seeing her dismay, Ross explained. ‘I can set up my own offices to my own specification this way, which means I’ll have control and choice.’
‘Oh, I see, well that makes perfect sense. Have you worked it out?’
‘Indeed I have, here take a look.’ He produced a rolled-up paper and laid it flat. Then he showed her the plans. ‘The reception area here, my office there …’
‘You need potted plants to soften the place,’ she suggested.
‘I’ve already got that in hand,’ he said, ‘and I can move my paintings from my present office and hang them heretoo. That will help to dress the place.’ He pointed to a wall. ‘Your painting would be just right over there.’
She looked at him to see if he was serious and was furious when she realised he was.
‘Ross! That is my painting, a gift from you!’
He saw he’d made a mistake. ‘I was only joking,’ he said.
‘No, Ross you were not! But let’s get one thing straight, no one moves it anywhere at all, except me!’ But she was disappointed in him. There was a touch of his mother in him after all, determined to get their own way. It could be a good thing sometimes but Valerie found it disconcerting in this instance.
‘How long before this space will be ready for business?’ she asked.
‘About three weeks, then of course I’ll have to move all my papers over.’
‘When are you going to tell your father?’
‘This weekend. I’ll have to give him notice, and my clients, of course, and on Monday there is an annual general meeting, so it will be out in the open for all to know. But it’s only fair that I tell him privately first.’
‘He won’t like it!’ she warned.
‘Probably not, but then he won’t work the business the way I want to, he’s determined about that. It’s the only way really.’
‘Of course, you’re right but please don’t ask me to come along. You need to see him man to man. This won’t be a social meeting.’ Secretly Valerie thought, I don’t want to be around when the balloon bursts. She was sure that Gloria would have something to say about it and she didn’t want to be there.’
Her supposition was correct. Ross went along to the penthouse and asked his father to step into his study, as he wanted to talk to him, and when he told Leo of his plans, his father blew his top. Then he went storming into the living room to tell his wife what had taken place. She was livid.
‘You’ve never been the same since you came home,’ she accused. ‘That English wife of yours is behind all this, I know!’
‘This wasn’t Valerie’s idea, Mother, but as it happens, she agrees with me.’
‘Of course, she does. She wants you as far away from your family as possible. That’s what happens when you don’t marry one of your own! Now if you and Laura had married …’ She got no further.
‘Enough!’ Ross was doing his best to hold his temper. ‘When will you get it into your head that a future with Laura was only your idea and not mine? I’m not interested in Laura that way, never was. I’m sorry, Dad but I am stifled working with you. I see a different future for the firm and you won’t be moved, so I have to go my own way. I’m sorry but that’s how it is. I’ll see you at the meeting on Monday.’
When he returned home, he
With as much dignity as she could muster, Laura rose to her feet and left the room.
Ross sat back in his chair, fuming, then he picked up the phone and dialled.
Chapter Eight
Ross had found his office space. He’d been incensed by his mother’s interference and had searched fervently for new premises and found space in an office block in the financial district, which was well located near City Hall and the Law Courts. He took Valerie to look at it.
It wasn’t at all what she’d expected. She’d envisaged a floor with small offices set up ready instead of a whole open floor space without furnishings of any kind.
Seeing her dismay, Ross explained. ‘I can set up my own offices to my own specification this way, which means I’ll have control and choice.’
‘Oh, I see, well that makes perfect sense. Have you worked it out?’
‘Indeed I have, here take a look.’ He produced a rolled-up paper and laid it flat. Then he showed her the plans. ‘The reception area here, my office there …’
‘You need potted plants to soften the place,’ she suggested.
‘I’ve already got that in hand,’ he said, ‘and I can move my paintings from my present office and hang them heretoo. That will help to dress the place.’ He pointed to a wall. ‘Your painting would be just right over there.’
She looked at him to see if he was serious and was furious when she realised he was.
‘Ross! That is my painting, a gift from you!’
He saw he’d made a mistake. ‘I was only joking,’ he said.
‘No, Ross you were not! But let’s get one thing straight, no one moves it anywhere at all, except me!’ But she was disappointed in him. There was a touch of his mother in him after all, determined to get their own way. It could be a good thing sometimes but Valerie found it disconcerting in this instance.
‘How long before this space will be ready for business?’ she asked.
‘About three weeks, then of course I’ll have to move all my papers over.’
‘When are you going to tell your father?’
‘This weekend. I’ll have to give him notice, and my clients, of course, and on Monday there is an annual general meeting, so it will be out in the open for all to know. But it’s only fair that I tell him privately first.’
‘He won’t like it!’ she warned.
‘Probably not, but then he won’t work the business the way I want to, he’s determined about that. It’s the only way really.’
‘Of course, you’re right but please don’t ask me to come along. You need to see him man to man. This won’t be a social meeting.’ Secretly Valerie thought, I don’t want to be around when the balloon bursts. She was sure that Gloria would have something to say about it and she didn’t want to be there.’
Her supposition was correct. Ross went along to the penthouse and asked his father to step into his study, as he wanted to talk to him, and when he told Leo of his plans, his father blew his top. Then he went storming into the living room to tell his wife what had taken place. She was livid.
‘You’ve never been the same since you came home,’ she accused. ‘That English wife of yours is behind all this, I know!’
‘This wasn’t Valerie’s idea, Mother, but as it happens, she agrees with me.’
‘Of course, she does. She wants you as far away from your family as possible. That’s what happens when you don’t marry one of your own! Now if you and Laura had married …’ She got no further.
‘Enough!’ Ross was doing his best to hold his temper. ‘When will you get it into your head that a future with Laura was only your idea and not mine? I’m not interested in Laura that way, never was. I’m sorry, Dad but I am stifled working with you. I see a different future for the firm and you won’t be moved, so I have to go my own way. I’m sorry but that’s how it is. I’ll see you at the meeting on Monday.’
When he returned home, he
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