Chapter 26

Grace was up early the next morning so as to see her drivers off. She also went and chatted to the mechanics. She dropped in on Greg and Jeff, the latter offering her coffee which she happily accepted. Greg inquired about the tender.

Grace held her lips between thumb and forefinger and then smiled. “They’re all in and I hope that Mr Walker will make an announcement tomorrow.”

“Great! I can’t wait to get the new wagons.”

“Don’t get too excited at this stage. All three contenders reckon on twelve to fifteen weeks and we can’t leave our new babies out in the cold and the wet.”

“No,” replied Greg solemnly. “Their paint might wash off.

Claire snorted derisively.

“Watch it, young woman, or I’ll put you with them as night watchman.”

“Wrong sex.”

“Oh! So you are.”

That earned him a growl at which he smiled delightedly.

Grace went back to her office. It was still only half past eight, too early for Hugh to be in. Nevertheless she asked Angie, who was still taking her coat off, to tip her the wink when he was free

“Yes, Miss Grace. Certainly, Miss Grace. Would it be acceptable to make us both a mug of coffee?”

Grace grinned. “My third this morning but so what?”

“What time were you up?”

“Five-thirty.”

“Sheesh! Rather you than me!”

It was rather more than an hour before Grace got the nod from Angie during which time she had cracked the paperwork.

Hugh greeted her warmly. “Presumably Terry managed to have a word with the civil engineer you mentioned.”

“Yes and Health and Safety is going to be a problem.”

“Mm! I wondered. So?”

Grace told him all that Terry had told her and of their subsequent discussion.

“I’ve been thinking again this morning and I think it would be as well to wait to ask about the presentation. It might be seen as an indication by the losers of favouritism.”

Hugh looked at her admiringly. All he said though was, “That makes sense. You still prefer the Davies tender despite their reputation to cut corners.”

“Yes.”

“So how do you suggest we handle it?”

“A letter to each of them from you. I’ll draft them with Peter’s help having never done this sort of thing before.”

“Fine! So tomorrow’s meeting is just to sign them off.”

“Yes.”

“OK, go and get your head together with Peter.”

“Thanks, Hugh, very much.”

She smiled brilliantly and left the room. She went straight to see Peter who fortunately was free and told him all.

“There’s really nothing to it,” he said. “The decision is ours and ours alone. We are not required to give reasons. So ‘I regret to have to inform you that your tender has not been accepted on the basis of cost’ is all that is necessary. They are not privy to the estimates of the other contenders and are not in a position to seek commercially in confidence facts. The winner needs to be told that we will be in touch again once the plans have received the city council’s approval to make detailed plans for the work. End of story!”

“Phew! I thought it would be much more complicated than that. I’ll bet Hugh’s having a quiet laugh having encouraged me to come and see you.”

Peter smiled and nodded.

“You’d better go on and get on with it. It’ll probably take you the rest of the day.”

Grace stuck the tip of her tongue out at him, grinned and left. She and Angie had soon completed the task.

Towards the end of the morning Anthea wandered in closing the door behind her.

“I’ve had a word with Peter and he agrees with your idea for a Christmas Party and our guesstimate at the cost is easily within Hugh’s limits. He suggested we use the Conference Room rather than hire some expensive place and the canteen staff can earn their pay for a change when all the drivers join the rest of us. I’m going to see Hugh in a few minutes.”

“Great!”

“I think we ought to limit it to an hour otherwise we’ll have the drink/drive law to contend with and the last thing we can afford is our drivers being forbidden to drive.”

“Oh golly, yes!”

“So I suggest that after an hour Hugh wishes them all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and the bar is closed.”

Grace nodded enthusiastically.

“Right, love! On the basis of that success, why don’t we both go and treat ourselves to something other than sandwiches for lunch.

“Good thinking, Mrs Robins. Any ideas where?”

“‘Kate’s’. It’s only a five minute walk but they don’t do sticky toffee pudding.”

“Shame!”

“I’ll pick you up half past twelvish.”

“Great!”

Just before Anthea came to collect her Grace’s mobile rang. It was Terry.

“Hello, my precious one, very quickly: choir practice this evening!”

“Oh golly! Thank you for reminding me. I’d completely forgotten. Bang goes a super sups! I’m having lunch with Anthea and will get a ready-meal while we’re out.”