Read Online Empire of Gold by Andy McDermott - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andy McDermott
Ads: Link
the non-executive directors? Mr Glas particulalry wanted to meet you.’
‘That’s what I like about being in charge,’ she said with a broad grin. ‘I get to delegate!’
‘I’m sure Bill and Simone will be delighted to hear that,’ said Penrose, returning the smile. ‘Okay, I’ll make the calls. Keep me posted.’ He tipped his head to the two women, then left the office.
‘So you’re going to England?’ said Macy excitedly. ‘Can I come?’
Nina was caught off guard. ‘What?’
‘Well, you did give me the job of finding out more about these little guys . . . ’ She indicated the statues. When Nina didn’t respond immediately, she adopted a pleading tone. ‘Aw, please, Nina. It won’t cost the IHA anything – I can pay my own way.’
‘You mean your parents can.’
‘Well, what are parents for? And I’ll learn a hundred times more from you in the field than I would in an office.’
Nina reluctantly conceded the point; since Macy was an unpaid intern and not an IHA employee, there was technically nothing she could do to stop her from simply buying a plane ticket and tagging along. ‘Okay, I guess.’
‘Awesome!’ Macy clapped her hands together. ‘I’ve never been to England before. I’ll need new clothes. What should I wear?’
Before Nina could make a facetious suggestion, Eddie put down the phone. ‘Was that Elizabeth in England?’ she asked.
‘Yeah,’ said Eddie, voice oddly flat.
‘Kind of a nice coincidence. I think the best place to find out more about the statues is Glastonbury, so we can visit your folks while we’re over there.’
‘I’d be going to see them even if we were supposed to be flying to Timbuktu tomorrow,’ he said, grim-faced. ‘Nan’s in hospital.’
2
England
T he Royal Bournemouth Hospital was on the coastal resort’s eastern outskirts, and Eddie and Nina’s first stop after leaving Heathrow airport. Eddie practically skidded the rented Ford Mondeo into a space in the car park and jumped out. Surprised at being left behind, Nina hurried after him. Entering the hospital, she found him at reception, demanding to know where to find his grandmother. The woman at the desk wasn’t keen on his uncharacteristically brusque manner, but gave the information. Again, Nina was left trailing behind as he strode through the corridors.
She caught up outside a room on the next floor, where familiar faces waited: Elizabeth Chase, Nina’s sister-in-law, and her daughter Holly. Both looked drawn and tired, but relieved to see the new arrivals. ‘Uncle Eddie!’ said Holly, hugging him. ‘And Nina, hi!’
‘How is she?’ asked Eddie after the greetings were concluded.
‘Much better than when I called you yesterday,’ said Elizabeth. ‘It’s lucky I was with her when she collapsed – the ambulance got her here very quickly, and she responded well to treatment. They’re probably going to discharge her this afternoon – they’re just doing a couple more tests.’
‘Thank God. Is it okay to see her?’
‘Yes, fine. Come on.’ Nina noted that Elizabeth checked her watch before opening the door, but thought no more of it as she followed them into the room.
The smell alone, the tang of industrial-strength disinfectants, set Eddie’s nerves on edge. Like most people he had a dislike of hospitals, but in his case it was enhanced by the memory of friends who had been taken into one and never come out. His unease increased when he saw the frail figure in the bed. ‘Hi, Nan,’ he said, more quietly than he had intended.
‘Edward!’ replied his grandmother, delight evident even behind the oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. ‘Oh, my little lambchop, come here! Give your poor old nan a kiss.’
He went to the bedside and kissed her cheek, letting her embrace him as best she could around the mask’s hose. ‘How are you, Nan?’
She released him, a small but deep cough escaping her throat. ‘I’ve been better. But
‘That’s what I like about being in charge,’ she said with a broad grin. ‘I get to delegate!’
‘I’m sure Bill and Simone will be delighted to hear that,’ said Penrose, returning the smile. ‘Okay, I’ll make the calls. Keep me posted.’ He tipped his head to the two women, then left the office.
‘So you’re going to England?’ said Macy excitedly. ‘Can I come?’
Nina was caught off guard. ‘What?’
‘Well, you did give me the job of finding out more about these little guys . . . ’ She indicated the statues. When Nina didn’t respond immediately, she adopted a pleading tone. ‘Aw, please, Nina. It won’t cost the IHA anything – I can pay my own way.’
‘You mean your parents can.’
‘Well, what are parents for? And I’ll learn a hundred times more from you in the field than I would in an office.’
Nina reluctantly conceded the point; since Macy was an unpaid intern and not an IHA employee, there was technically nothing she could do to stop her from simply buying a plane ticket and tagging along. ‘Okay, I guess.’
‘Awesome!’ Macy clapped her hands together. ‘I’ve never been to England before. I’ll need new clothes. What should I wear?’
Before Nina could make a facetious suggestion, Eddie put down the phone. ‘Was that Elizabeth in England?’ she asked.
‘Yeah,’ said Eddie, voice oddly flat.
‘Kind of a nice coincidence. I think the best place to find out more about the statues is Glastonbury, so we can visit your folks while we’re over there.’
‘I’d be going to see them even if we were supposed to be flying to Timbuktu tomorrow,’ he said, grim-faced. ‘Nan’s in hospital.’
2
England
T he Royal Bournemouth Hospital was on the coastal resort’s eastern outskirts, and Eddie and Nina’s first stop after leaving Heathrow airport. Eddie practically skidded the rented Ford Mondeo into a space in the car park and jumped out. Surprised at being left behind, Nina hurried after him. Entering the hospital, she found him at reception, demanding to know where to find his grandmother. The woman at the desk wasn’t keen on his uncharacteristically brusque manner, but gave the information. Again, Nina was left trailing behind as he strode through the corridors.
She caught up outside a room on the next floor, where familiar faces waited: Elizabeth Chase, Nina’s sister-in-law, and her daughter Holly. Both looked drawn and tired, but relieved to see the new arrivals. ‘Uncle Eddie!’ said Holly, hugging him. ‘And Nina, hi!’
‘How is she?’ asked Eddie after the greetings were concluded.
‘Much better than when I called you yesterday,’ said Elizabeth. ‘It’s lucky I was with her when she collapsed – the ambulance got her here very quickly, and she responded well to treatment. They’re probably going to discharge her this afternoon – they’re just doing a couple more tests.’
‘Thank God. Is it okay to see her?’
‘Yes, fine. Come on.’ Nina noted that Elizabeth checked her watch before opening the door, but thought no more of it as she followed them into the room.
The smell alone, the tang of industrial-strength disinfectants, set Eddie’s nerves on edge. Like most people he had a dislike of hospitals, but in his case it was enhanced by the memory of friends who had been taken into one and never come out. His unease increased when he saw the frail figure in the bed. ‘Hi, Nan,’ he said, more quietly than he had intended.
‘Edward!’ replied his grandmother, delight evident even behind the oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. ‘Oh, my little lambchop, come here! Give your poor old nan a kiss.’
He went to the bedside and kissed her cheek, letting her embrace him as best she could around the mask’s hose. ‘How are you, Nan?’
She released him, a small but deep cough escaping her throat. ‘I’ve been better. But
Similar Books
