Sons of Fortune Read online

  “Just try to be supportive. Never forget to tell her that she looks wonderful even when she resembles a beached whale, and if she gets any crazy ideas, just play along with them.”

  “Such as?” asked Fletcher.

  “Joanna liked to eat half-pint tubs of double chocolate chip ice cream just before she went to bed each night, so I had a tub as well, and then if she woke up in the middle of the night she often asked for another one.”

  “That must have been a real sacrifice,” said Fletcher.

  “Yes it was, because it always had to be followed by a spoonful of cod liver oil.”

  Fletcher laughed. “Keep going,” he said as they approached the Andersen building.

  “Annie will start going to pre-natal classes fairly soon, and the instructors usually recommend that husbands also attend so they can appreciate what their wives are going through.”

  “I’d enjoy that,” said Fletcher, “especially if I’m going to have to eat all that ice cream.” They climbed the steps and walked through the swing doors.

  “With Annie, it may turn out to be onions or pickle,” said Jimmy.

  “Then I may not be quite as enthusiastic.”

  “And then there’s the preparation for the birth. Who’ll help Annie with this?”

  “Mom asked if she wanted Miss Nichol, my old nanny, to come out of retirement, but Annie wouldn’t hear of it. She’s determined to bring up this child without any outside assistance.”

  “Joanna would have taken advantage of Miss Nichol without a second thought, because from what I remember of that lady, she would have happily agreed to paint the nursery as well as change the diapers.”

  “We don’t have a nursery,” said Fletcher, “just a spare room.”

  “Then as of today, that becomes the nursery, and Annie will expect you to repaint it, while she goes out and buys a whole new wardrobe.”

  “She’s got more than enough clothes already,” said Fletcher.

  “No woman has more than enough clothes,” said Jimmy, “and in a couple of months’ time she won’t be able to fit into any of them, and that’s before she starts thinking about the baby’s needs.”

  “I’d better start looking for a job as a waiter or bartender right away,” said Fletcher, as they walked down the corridor.

  “But surely your father will…”

  “I don’t intend to spend my whole life sponging off my old man.”

  “If my father had that sort of money,” said Jimmy, “I wouldn’t do a day’s work.”

  “Yes, you would,” said Fletcher, “otherwise Joanna would never have agreed to marry you.”

  “I don’t think you’ll end up being a bartender, Fletcher, because after your triumph in the Kirsten case you’ll get the pick of the summer association jobs. And if there’s one thing I know about my kid sister, she won’t allow anything to get in the way of you coming out top of our year,” Jimmy paused. “Why don’t I have a word with my mother? She certainly helped Joanna with a lot of the chores without ever making it at all obvious.” He paused. “But I’d expect something in return.”

  “What do you have in mind?” asked Fletcher.

  “Well, for a start, how about your father’s money?” he said with a grin.

  Fletcher laughed. “You want my father’s money in exchange for asking your mother to help her daughter with the birth of her grandchild? You know, Jimmy, I have a feeling you’d make a very successful divorce lawyer.”

  “I’ve decided to run for president,” he said without even announcing who it was on the other end of the line.

  “That’s good news,” said Tom, “but how does Su Ling feel about it?”

  “I wouldn’t have taken the first step if she hadn’t suggested it. And she also wants to play a role in the campaign. She’s asked to be responsible for polling and anything to do with figures or statistics.”

  “Then that’s one of your problems solved,” said Tom. “Have you appointed a campaign manager?”

  “Yes, just after you returned to Yale, I settled on a guy called Joe Stein. He’s fought two campaigns in the past, and will also bring in the Jewish vote,” said Nat.

  “There’s a Jewish vote in Connecticut?” said Tom.

  “In America, there’s always a Jewish vote, and on this campus, there are four hundred and eighteen Jews, and I need the support of every one of them.”

  “So what’s your considered opinion on the future of the Golan Heights?” asked Tom.

  “I don’t even know where the Golan Heights are,” Nat replied.

  “Well you’d better find out by this time tomorrow.”

  “I wonder what Elliot’s view is on the Golan Heights?”

  “That they should always be part of Israel, and not one inch should ever be sacrificed to the Palestinians, would be my bet,” said Tom.

  “So what will be his line with the Palestinians?”

  “There are probably so few on campus, he won’t have an opinion.”

  “That would certainly make the decision easy for him.”

  “The next thing you’ll have to consider is your opening address, and where you’re going to deliver it,” said Tom.

  “I was thinking of Russell Hall.”

  “But that only holds four hundred. Isn’t there anything bigger?”

  “Yes,” said Nat, “the Assembly Rooms hold over a thousand, but Elliot made that mistake, because when he gave his opening speech, the place looked half empty. No, I’d rather book the hall and have people sitting on the ledges, hanging from the rafters, even standing on the steps outside unable to get in, which will leave a much better impression with the voters.”

  “Then you’d better select a date and reserve the hall immediately, and at the same time get on with putting the rest of your team in place.”

  “What else should I be worrying about?” asked Nat.

  “The candidate’s bread-and-butter speech, and don’t forget to talk to every student you come across—you remember the routine, ‘Hi, my name is Nat Cartwright, and I’m running for president, and I hope I can rely on your support.’ Then listen to what they have to say, because if they believe you’re interested in their views, you have a far better chance of their support.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Be ruthless in using Su Ling, and ask her to carry out the same routine with every female student, because she’s bound to be one of the most admired women on campus after her decision to remain at the university. There aren’t many people who turn down Harvard.”

  “Don’t remind me,” said Nat. “Is that it, because you seem to have thought of just about everything?”

  “Yes, I’ll come back and help you for the last ten days of the term, but I won’t be officially part of your team.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because Elliot will tell everyone your campaign is being run by an outsider and worse, a millionaire banker’s son from Yale. Try not to forget you would have won your last election if it hadn’t been for Elliot’s deceit, so be prepared for him to come up with something that might derail you.”

  “Like what?”

  “If I could work that out, I’d be Nixon’s chief of staff.”

  “How do I look?” asked Annie, propped up on the front seat of the car, clutching her seatbelt.

  “You look fantastic, honey,” said Fletcher, not even glancing across at her.

  “No I don’t, I look awful, and it’s going to be such an important occasion.”

  “It’s probably only one of his get-togethers for a dozen or so students.”

  “I doubt it,” said Annie. “It was a hand-written invitation, and even I couldn’t miss the words, ‘do try to make it, there’s someone I want you to meet.’”

  “Well we’re about to find out who that is,” said Fletcher as he parked his old Ford behind a limousine surrounded by a dozen Secret Service agents.

  “Who can that possibly be?” whispered Annie as he helped her from the car.

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