CHAPTER 1 : FASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS
Uther was the owner of PenD and its various conglomerates as well as Honorary Chairman of all its subsidiaries. Uther worked hard but his worth ethic was questionable. He treated his employers with no respect demanding one hundred percent commitment. Paying them well to desert their families chasing the exclusive fortune, allowing no time for home life or outside interests. 'If you want to guarantee a future for your boys, you will need to keep your nose to the grindstone to accomplish it.'
He treated his family members the same way, expecting colleagues to see it as his installing leadership and demanding faithfulness and commitment. His motto was, 'If I do it, so will you!'
Sometimes it worked; many times it didn't and people left his employ. He never judged them as he knew with the wages his company offered there would always be people willing to sell their souls for a promise of wealth.
'A good product, fair prices and an informed sale staff is the way to fortune.' In his mind, this governed the conglomerates from transportation to accommodation from food to clothing. Under an umbrella group, his companies could if he so wished, take care of a person from birth to death.
Arthur as he was growing up, wondered if the odd times that he spent with his schoolmates' families was the exception rather than the rule, he saw fathers who joined in family activities, families which talked to each other about mundane things, who congratulated each other on success and commiserated upon failures. He had on one occasion felt uncomfortable when his friend's father had asked him which sports, he and his father enjoyed together.
They didn't.
He realised upon further consideration that he couldn't even say for certain which football team his father supported if any. Yes, he played golf socially, fished and hunted when he was in the Highlands but once the activity had been completed he never referred to it again and it was never with Arthur but with a visiting business partner.
Arthur had received private lessons in all sports, he was a capable rider, which he acknowledged was due in part to his father's money and a certain Mr. Rob, whose interest and encouragement had produced a man who enjoyed horses. His tennis was above average and his football ability got him on the school team, he could play cricket and swim.
He never once remembered his father encouraging him in these endeavours, it was expected as was his academic prowess. He had been president of the university debating team. His friends, he acknowledged were like him, raised for the world of business. Well, most of them anyway. Their lives had been mapped out for them. They went to the university of their parents' choice and got degrees in the fields of economics and the law as chosen for them.
He remembered listening in awe as one of his friends told him that he intended to buck the current fashion and apply for a science degree with the intention of ending up in medicine.
Deep down inside him a seed had taken root, to buck the status quo and for once do something of his own choosing. He had brazenly approached his tutor with this idea but he had been shot down and told that his duty was to follow in his father's footsteps. Choices were fine for second and third sons but he had literally been born into the family business...for the likes of him, there would be no choices.
Was he an unhappy young man? No! He knew his position in the world of business and he was ready to take up the challenge, he was after all as his father often reminded him, a Pendragon.
However, that little seed never died, it lived vicariously in the lives of his friends who had made their own choices and it flourished. Maybe one day, it would burst forth; for the moment however it was hibernating…waiting.
-0-0-
Uther was sitting at his desk when Arthur finally arrived as requested. He had just entered his father's office for the appointed meeting when the phone rang. His father picked up.
Turning to face his father, Arthur could hear Miss Benoit ask if it were possible for Mr Pendragon to take an important phone call. Uther nodded at Arthur motioning him to take a chair as he said, "Yes, Giselle, put him through…?" Instead of sitting in front of his father on the indicated chair, he walked over to stand at the window and look down, roofs of other buildings were easily seen.
Arthur's first visit to this office had been racked with reluctance. Never one to relish fairground rides, the thought of walking out on a narrow diving board made his heart drop and this had the same affect. He could dive off a three meter tower with ease but a spring board filled him with apprehension.
Arthur wondered if Uther became the first commercial tenant of the building because he relished the feeling of living on the edge. He knew the building, he had watched on his visits to Manchester the unbalanced floors taking shape and even today after five years his stomach still recoiled as he stepped beyond the bank of elevators knowing that in a few minutes, he would be walking onto the visually unsupported floor.
His father revelled in it, making sure that all his visiting business colleagues knew the exact location of the PenD regional offices which were located on the twenty-third floor of the north facade which was cantilevered by four metres.
Making sure that after the inaugural meeting he insisted that they accompany him as his guests to Cloud 23, the Hilton's skybar with its glass floor. He delighted in any visitor's discomfort as he escorted them across this floor to his usual table in the middle of an expanse of glass.
Arthur would never reveal how uncomfortable he felt about the office, usually preferring to work from the suite of offices located in the main section of the building's twenty-third floor or the residential suite they occupied on the thirtieth floor. When he had to present himself in the actual office, he kidded his friends that he needed a stiff drink before doing so.
His friends who knew his father, wondered if maybe the drink was more to do to with seeing his father than the architectural design of the 2006 building.
-0-0-
Any of Arthur's friends coming to Manchester were only too happy if he was also in the city as it gave them the opportunity to stay in the PenD residence in the Towers. It was much smaller than Arthur's home in London but with two ensuite guest bedrooms, it fitted the bill. One thing which pleased Arthur's friends was that the Hilton also offered room service, as meals for the building's private residences could be ordered from the Hilton restaurant below.
Gawaine declared that he could happily become a permanent guest if Arthur was agreeable, "Especially as all meals and bar tabs can be charged to PenD."
"…and what if Arthur wasn't here just his father?" another friend said.
"In that case, I would scurry down to the housekeeper's cupboard and hide out for the duration until all danger had passed…"
Arthur took it all in good fun but he knew that none of his friends felt comfortable with his father even if their fathers were business acquaintances or family friends. He felt quite comfortable with them and was determined that as he became more involved in the company that he would ensure that his future sons' friends would feel comfortable with him.
He smiled and thought to himself, "Talk about counting your chickens before they are hatched!" He didn't have a girlfriend let alone a prospective wife. His father always talked about future generations as if they were nebulous beings waiting to be summoned but had never had a frank discussion with Arthur about married life.
-0-0-
Arthur's first visit had been racked with worry. His father had asked him to meet him on the twenty-third floor in the hotel bar. It had two glass windows in the floor overlooking the ground. Arthur knew his father would want him to cross the glass floor and he knew that he would but preferably with his eyes cast straight ahead of him and never glancing down.
Over the years he had got used to the floor but never went willingly in for a drink as he preferred tons of cement or at least iron girders with concrete slabs under his feet.
He came back to the present when he heard his father gasp and say, "What...all of it?" Immediately he tried to tune into the one-sided conversation but it was impossible.
He could tell by the look on his father face that the news was bad. The conference call ended with his father saying, "Don't do anything rash. I'll see what I can do this end."
His father stood up looking ten years older than when Arthur had first walked in. He made his way to an antique cabinet near where Arthur was standing and removed two glasses and a bottle of Glenfiddich. He motioned for Arthur to be seated and in silence poured him a healthy shot of the whiskey.
Arthur waited but the man opposite him said nothing, just swilled the single malt in his glass. He was miles away.
He turned to Arthur and said, lifting his glass as if contemplating a toast, "Silly bastard, topped himself while on a pheasant hunt!"
Without being told, Arthur knew that the silly bastard his father was referring to, was Gordon Balfour McKenzie, a senior member of the Northern Holdings. As Laird of MacCluth he was owner of one of the best shoots in Scotland. Arthur's thoughts went out to his family, his wife Curstaidh and his sons, daughters and their families. His youngest son Gordon was currently in New York in charge of the firm's Manhattan branch.
Slowly between sips of whiskey, Uther explained that Balfour as he was known in the company had got over his head in family business and lost everything. He had retreated to his country seat and under the guise of a private shoot with his dogs and gamekeeper, had pulled out a small calibre handgun and dispatched himself.
The gamekeeper realising that his employer was dead had gathered up the dogs and after covering the body with a blanket from the Land Rover had returned home to notify the police of the accident.
"Idiot! Bloody idiot! It can't have been that bad..." Uther said relapsing into silence.
Arthur watched his father, surprised that he was sharing his thoughts and feelings for Balfour. He realised that they must have know each other for years after forming one of the first conglomerates between the two families.
Uther took a deep breath, "I'll leave for Edinburgh later this evening. Got to clean up the mess which Balfour's left. Be ready to return to London in two hours, tell Giselle to first notify Reginald that I need the jet, then get Alistair on the phone. You will stay in London but I will expect you to attend the funeral whenever that is scheduled."
Arthur nodded, PenD came first and Uther would do everything within his power to protect the name of the company, even if it meant covering Balfour's debts. Bad publicity played havoc on the market.
-0-0-
Arthur and his father flew back to London. Alistair after dropping off Mr. Pendragon drove Arthur home. His father's plan was to leave London around eight o'clock that evening arriving in Edinburg before eleven. Giselle had notified the Beggs that the master would be coming to Edinburgh.
Arthur sighed as he walked into his building, nodding at the doorman. The condo was exclusive and a body of security guards kept the building safe. He smiled as when he had decided to move there, his father had said, 'Make sure the place has a bloody door man to keep the riffraff out!'
The condo was situated on the Thames at Tower Bridge, he smiled to himself the address alone was worth it, One Tower Bridge. His suite of rooms had ceiling to floor windows and a large balcony overlooking the Tower of London and the Bridge. Technically, it was a PenD condo but he was the sole resident and his father had applauded him on making the decision to invest in that property. Coming in at around four million pounds, Uther had seen it as an investment. When his son tired of it, it could either be sold or used as an apartment for visiting business associates.
Uther had over the years invested money in rental properties in all the large cities in the UK. Some were empty as they were used infrequently by the business but others were rented. He always insisted that they were nothing ostentatious but Arthur's friends were blown away on the few occasions that they were invited to go out of town with him.
One of the sons of an old family friend, kidded Arthur that the only reasons that he went around with him was the opportunity to stay in wonderful accommodation that his family would have been hard pressed to afford. Arthur took it with a grain of salt having many times been a guest at the same friend's family homes.
Uther felt sure that in a few years, Arthur would tire of living there and prefer to settle in a more residential area of London as he did. His place on Marley Square suited him perfectly when he was in town. Arthur and he had lived there since Arthur was a child. During his university years, he had given him the Mews as a private apartment. Still close enough to take advantage of the Pendragon staff, a housekeeper, a cook and a chauffeur. Now it was occupied by his housekeeper and her husband Alistair who looked after the property.
-0-0-
Arthur went to the seventh floor and opening the door, threw his jacket and scarf on a bench in the hall. As he walked into the rooms the light went on automatically, which he at first had enjoyed but now he had many of the rooms set to manual so that at night he could enjoy the cityscape. He walked over and looked out. In some areas, the Thames was inky black but in others the ripples carried the reflections of the lights from the bridge and the many buildings which lined the riverbanks.
The Tower of London was halfway to the left of his balcony. The view he had of the Tower Bridge was excellent and he could easily make out Canary Wharf in the distance. The first condo his father and he had looked at faced West and you had a view of the City Hall and partial glimpses of the London Eye and the Shard but his father refused that one as he felt a condo with a view of the Thames was a better bet financially. He was willing to pay more for what he wanted therefore, Arthur had settled for the seventh floor river facing unit.
He wandered into the kitchen and hung on the fridge door trying to decide what to eat. He finally decided on a frozen pizza and turned on the stove. He walked into the darkened living room and stood at the window for a few seconds staring at the view.
The ping from the oven reminded him that he was supposed to be cooking and he returned to the kitchen, put in the pizza, grabbed a beer and sat at the kitchen table checking his e-mails. He ignored his business address and went to his personal posts.
He was again disturbed by the buzzing stove and he got his pizza out and a second beer before returning to the living room, he put his meal on the table in front of the sofa and turned on the TV. He had mail to answer and then he was determined he was going to vegetate for a few hours before turning in.
His attention was draw to the TV and he hit the volume on the remote. It was a weather advisory for Edinburgh and surrounding areas, all flights had been diverted to Prestwick. Hopefully his father had got there before the bad weather as if his flight had been diverted he would be one disgruntled man. He'd flown with him on enough occasions to know that he didn't take delays well.
The more Arthur listened the more uneasy he became. The weather disturbance had come from the East, the North Sea to be exact. It had caused flooding and bridges on the Forth were closed with everyone advised to stay inside. No name had been given to the disturbance but it had already battered Aberdeen and Dundee with fatalities. The same system was causing havoc in Norway and to a lesser degree Denmark.
The weather anomaly was stalled over the North Sea. In this age with radar and satellite communications he was surprised that the pilot had not mentioned it on their way to London.
Suddenly, Arthur began to feel uncomfortable. It was unusual at this time of year, as the winter weather had not yet set in. He changed channels but all seemed to be following the same story. He gave up his plan to retire early and went back to the BBC updates.
Around midnight he tried to get in touch with his father but the phone rang unanswered. He figured his father must have been diverted and was stuck in a hotel somewhere.
-0-0-
The Challenger had taken off from London City at a few minutes after nine forty-five. It was to be a one and a half hour flight depending upon the weather. Giselle had already notified Mrs. Beggs that Mr. Pendragon was coming for a few days. She had assured her that the his condo was ready for him and that food was in the fridge. She said that she would be there to cook him breakfast in the morning.
After taxing down the runway, they lifted off into a clear sky and Uther was able to enjoy the city laid out below him. He tried to contact Balfour's wife but he was unable. She was probably with her children and was not picking up. He settled down to go over a few papers he had with him, just a general idea of what kind of a mess Balfour could have got himself into. His finances were solid and unless he was gambling, there was nothing on the paper which gave any idea of impending doom.
About one hour into the flight, Richard had come back to tell him that they would be experiencing some rough weather that would have them landing at Edinburgh later than expected. Uther wasn't perturbed, Beggs would be there as Mrs Beggs would have told him of his employer's expected arrival.
Richard's voice over the intercom explained that Edinburgh was closed to incoming air traffic and that they would be flying to Glasgow Prestwick. Uther tutted but wasn't worried, He paid the flight crew well and he expected them to get him safely on the ground even if it had to be in Glasgow. He'd put up in a hotel and call Beggs to pick him up from there the following day.
He tightened his seat belt and tried to continue reading but the turbulence made it difficult and on a couple of drops, he felt his stomach rise in his chest before settling.
Richard announced, "We will be diverting to Carlisle as the weather is getting worse."
Uther could feel the plane banking as it turned right. He felt more than saw the gust of wind which threw the plane off course. His brief case went flying off the table and he banged his head on the window.
The plane straightened but was being thrown about. He heard a crackle from Richard about emergency but he couldn't make it out and the next thing he realised was that the rain was torrential, thrashing against the windows and that his briefcase which had landed in the aisle was making its way down to the cockpit door. The lights dimmed and went out and he felt himself lurch forward, the edge of the table and his seat belt cutting into him…