‘The rotten, lousy—’
‘Remember Paul!’ she cautioned lightly.
Marilyn still looked completely in the dark. ‘You’ve lost me, I’m afraid.’
Callie played on the floor with Paul while Bill explained to her friend.
‘That’s terrible,’ Marilyn exclaimed in a shocked voice. ‘He actually—He made you fall in love with him on purpose?’ she gasped.
Callie nodded again. ‘It seems that when it comes to business the Spencers and Logan have no holds barred.’
‘Would you like me to go and give him a black eye for you?’ Bill offered grimly.
It was very protective of him, very loyal, but she had an idea that, masculine as Bill was, Logan wouldn’t be the one who had the black eye. ‘I don’t think so,’ she laughed. ‘Anyway, I’ve got my own back, I’m going out with his cousin tonight.’
‘But isn’t he as bad?’ Marilyn frowned.
‘But more harmless,’ she smiled. ‘Donald is just henpecked by his parents. Talking of which… Bill, someone mentioned expanding Spencer Plastics.’ She gave him a querying look.
He shook his head. ‘Not a good idea.’
‘No?’
‘Not in this financial climate. They would need a loan for the expansion, a loan with high interest rates, and probably little return for the next five years. If you’ve read the report—’
‘I have,’ she assured him.
‘Then you’ll know that at the moment they’re making a substantial profit.’
‘Mm.’
‘With the expansion most of the profit would go to pay up the loan, there’d be nothing left for the shareholders. What is it?’ he asked as he saw her grimace.
‘Logan said something along the same lines.’
‘Did he? Well, he’s right. Of course, you’re all rich enough to take such a loss, in the millionaire class,’ he added teasingly. ‘But there’s no guarantee that you?
??ll see a profit, even at the end of five years.’
‘So no expansion?’
‘I wouldn’t advise it, no.’
‘Damn,’ Callie muttered.
‘Why’s that?’
‘Logan didn’t advise it either,’ she revealed reluctantly.
‘And you don’t want to agree with him,’ Bill nodded understandingly.
‘No. I’ve also agreed to meet Sir Charles to discuss it over the weekend.’
‘Well, I can’t see any harm in discussing it. He may have a different idea for expansion from the one I’ve outlined. I doubt it, but it can’t do any harm to talk to him.’
‘Okay.’ Callie stood up. ‘I have to go and get ready for my date with Donald now. He may be an idiot,’ she added ruefully, ‘but at least now he’s an honest idiot.’
‘That’s something!’ Marilyn laughed.