His Grandfather stuck his head around the door before Seamus could stop him although he blocked further progress into the room.
“Yes Granddad?”
“Discussions young man, I told Kenny I would like you to sit in at the negotiations. You just say nothing, listen and learn.”
What’s going on?” he then asked as he spotted another body under the bed covers.
“Granddad, she’s here.”
“Who?”
“The girl I love. We’re getting married. Ann-Marie.”
“Introduce me.”
Seamus blushed.
All they could see of Ann-Marie was her head as she peered over the bed covers. “Ann-Marie O’Byrne” she said as bravely as she could.
“O’Byrne!” Seamus said the penny dropping.
“I have asked her to marry me,” he added.
“And had has she accepted?”
“Yes,” Ann-Marie said defiantly.
Granddad smiled. “I’ll tell them you are indisposed Seamus, and you will be down for dinner later, don’t be too long,”
Colm made his way slowly down the stairs, leaving Seamus to seek further explanations from Ann-Marie. With a whoop he dived back into the bed. Best place to get explanations, he decided.
Colm chuckled to himself. Now that is a white horse of a different colour, he thought to himself. If Seamus was allied to the O’Byrne’s by marriage it could give things a different complexion. People married very young these days.
Cheerfully he went to the talks.
Michael was agitated that Ann-Marie had disappeared. He liked the full family to line out. The assumption was that she had slipped out to her Nana’s in the gatehouse. He would send a maid to fetch her later if she did not return.
When Colm said his grandson would be down later Michael was relieved, one less to worry about.
Crawford arrived and after a few moments of pleasantries, they took their drinks with them into the library where they sat and they began the negotiations.
Chapter forty-four
The rain began to break and the light was fading as Ann O’Byrne sat with Michael. The Party lights had come on to illuminate the driveway. Soon laughing groups would come up the driveway and into the house for their party.
“I’ve never seen Dorothy so happy,” Michael remarked.
A silence descended.
Michael wondered how he was to sustain conversation with Ann over the weekend. He fidgeted with his glass.
“I settled for sixty one million. I pushed and surprisingly AF hit a ceiling, but Old Man O’Donoghue kept up the pressure. Kenny came in with the consortium final offer and we signed ‘Heads of Agreement’ subject to due diligence testing.”
“What happens next?” Ann asked.
“Kenny is the new Chairman of O’Byrne’s and he will announce a new Managing director on Monday. I resign forthwith, effective Monday. Crawford was very gracious in defeat and hoped the new entity would be able to build fences with AF in time. All in all a good days work by myself Dorothy and Peter.”
“Are you happy?” Ann asked looking concernedly at him.
“Yes Ann, I think O’Byrne’s had become an obsession for me. I need to rebalance my life. This is a very comfortable let out.”
“You’ll need something to do. You don’t even speak French.”
“And you Ann, how do you feel?”
“The doctor tells me I need to go into a clinic. I don’t want you to go off and leave me Michael.”
“Tax pressures. I have to go, this deal makes it an imperative. It will be better for the children, for their inheritance.”
“Don’t leave me in a clinic.”
“They have clinics on the Continent. How about Switzerland? We can afford the best outside Ireland.”
“If you stay near me?”
“Of course Ann. We have to build a new life together,” Michael said and kissed her.
Ann smiled happily. “We better go and see to our guests.”
In the middle of the party Peter and Janet announced their engagement. Not to be upstaged Dorothy and Jeremy re-announced their engagement, flashing a new engagement ring.
Champagne flowed.
Michael stayed close to Ann, keeping an eye on her and they circulated the room together talking to their friends and telling them of plans to move to Switzerland and then to France.
“What do you think of two weddings in the family?” Michael asked Colm conversationally after they cross paths while Michael worked the room.
“Three I think,” Colm said, a twinkle in his eye.
“Three?” Michael frowned, puzzled.
“My grandson Seamus. He has been dating your daughter. Met her at the Saint Patrick’s Day parade.”
“Not the young man on the motor bike?” Ann asked, surprise all over her face.
“So I believe. They are somewhere in the house getting engaged.”
“Engaged!” Michael thundered. “She is only a child.”
“It would be a good alliance,” Colm suggested.
Something passed in the glances between Colm and Michael. Michael felt a weight lifting off his shoulders.
“I don’t really think it’s on, she is only a schoolgirl?” he said without conviction.
Just then, Seamus and Ann-Marie arrived. There was instant silence and they both blushed.
“We got engaged, with your permission sir,” Seamus blurted out.
Michael stared for a moment and then he laughed.
“We can talk about this tomorrow young man.”
They all laughed and the atmosphere was cordial and warm.
end
Twisted Love and Money Page 32
