Page 14 of Guilty Pleasures

Cameron’s face lit up and Emma immediately regretted saying it. The news would be around the building in minutes and eyebrows would be raised. Total commitment had to be shown to Price Donahue at all times.

Cameron closed the door and hushed her voice.

‘The family company? Milford?’

Emma nodded. As Cameron’s area of expertise was luxury retailing she was interested to hear her friend’s thoughts on the company even though she personally had little interest in her new shareholding.

‘Your uncle gave it to you?’ said Cameron incredulously. ‘The whole thing?’

‘A controlling interest, yes. It was a bit awkward really,’ she shrugged. ‘Still, it was nice to see my family, even if the circumstances could have been better.’

‘Family?’ hissed Cameron. ‘Forget about the family! Jeez, Emma, you’ve got your own company! This is enormous!’

Cameron sat down on Emma’s desk, as if stunned by the news.

Emma laughed at her friend’s reaction, but it did make her think.

‘So what do you think I should do?’

‘Do? You should go straight in to see Davies right now and resign!’

‘Resign? I have no intention of giving up work here, it’s …’

Cameron interrupted, nodding her head.

‘Yes, yes, I know, it’s your life. But, Em, haven’t you ever dreamed of getting off this merry-go-round? Haven’t you ever wished you could stop telling fat old duffers how to run their companies and do it yourself?’

r /> ‘Cam, I’ve even taken up golf to get this partnership,’ she laughed.

‘Golf? Emma! This is your big chance. What, you want to spend the rest of your life doing all the hard work for Daniel Davies and his little clique, hoping they’ll throw you a bone someday?’

Cameron picked up Emma’s scarf and waved it at her.

‘OK, so Milford might not be Hermès right now. But honey, it could be.’

Emma looked her friend doubtfully.

‘I don’t think so.’

Cameron smiled.

‘With you in charge, sweetie, anything’s possible.’

Emma was sitting back at her desk at Price Donahue, trying to concentrate on a spreadsheet relating to a possible merger between two haulage companies, but for once, the jumble of figures was failing to hold her attention.

Looking at the orange Hermès box still on her desk she reached into her handbag and pulled out a letter that had been given to her by Anthony Collins at Milford and which she had read once on the flight home.

Dear Emma,

If you’re reading this letter it means I have gone, as J.M. Barrie would say, on an awfully big adventure. Here’s hoping I had an interesting demise and that we managed to hook up for one last game of chess. We don’t see each other as much as I’d like these days but I’m so proud of your accomplishments in America. You certainly grabbed the land of opportunity by both hands. By now, you’ll also know about my plans for Milford. They may come as a surprise to some in the family but in my heart I know that you will know what to do with the company. We all know I am more bon viveur than businessman, but I believe this is one decision I have got right.

I hope you don’t see the opportunity as a burden. There is great satisfaction to be had in working for yourself and your family rather than for other people.

I believe you can do great things if only you believe in yourself.

With much love, Saul

She stared thoughtfully out of the window before a ping made her look up: an incoming email.