Chapter 22

The tenders for the extra garaging were submitted and Grace was able to put together her paper explaining the need for more trucks and the space to keep them. She made recommendations. She left the final draft with Peter Curzon. She had also let Anthea have a look at it.

Peter was very complimentary. “You’ve done a very good job there, Grace. I can’t fault the reasoning and I didn’t spot a single typo or poor choice of words. Well done you!”

Grace was unable not to blush with pleasure. “Thank you, Peter,” she said in almost a whisper.

She and Angie put the finishing touches to it and then she left it with Mr Walker’s secretary. Mr Walker sent for her two hours later.

“So this is what you’ve been quietly up to for the last couple of months,” he smiled.

Grace nodded.

“Have you run it past Peter?”

“Yes, Mr Walker.”

“And what did he say?”

Grace blushed for the second time that day. “That he couldn’t fault my reasoning or my English.”

“He’s quite right too. I think it’s first class, Grace. Very well done!”

Grace glanced down and her blush grew.

Mr Walker chuckled. “I’ll stop embarrassing you now, Grace. I imagine you will have gathered that I’m not allowed to sanction that size of capital expenditure.”

Grace nodded.

“So I’ll have to put it up to the Board with a strong recommendation. We will then be summoned to make a presentation to the Board.”

“Me as well?”

“You bet! It’s your idea and your proposal.”

“Wow!”

“Right, my dear. A congratulatory lunch is called for. Good idea?”

Grace nodded excitedly. “Yes please!”

“Right, it’s a bit late in the day today so tomorrow. OK?”

“You bet!”

“Good. I’ll pick you up from your office about midday.”

“Thanks, Mr Walker.”

“Hugh!”

Grace blushed yet again. “Thank you, um Hugh!”

She floated back to her office. Angie noticed immediately.

“Mr Walker obviously liked your idea, “she smiled.

Grace, smiling widely, nodded.

“Well done, Miss Grace! That’s magic! Are you going to tell Greg? ‘Cos if you don’t I’m going to.”

“Yes, I’ll go down there now.”

She fairly danced off.

Angie was thrilled for her. In the year that Grace had been with Wilkins she had grown to admire her and to like her very much. She was invariably cheerful and friendly and, from what she picked up from Claire, her boys respected and loved her.

Greg was delighted and said so. As usual it was restrained but Grace could not help but see the real pleasure and affection in his eyes.

She could hardly wait to tell Terry and despite his holdall she hit him as soon as he came through the front door, wrapping her arms round him and kissing him excitedly. It was marginally different from passionately in that there was precious little gentleness in it.

“Whoof!” he exclaimed as her lips left his. “What brought that on?”

“I finished my proposal for more trucks and garaging and put it up to Hugh Walker. He-he was really, really pleased with it and is going to put it up to the Board. Oh, Terry I’m so thrilled and excited!”

“I bet. This requires a kiss or five and a celebratory drink.”

Grace giggled and kissed him hard. “First of five. What do you want to drink, my precious?”

“I’ll deal with that. Red or white?”

“White! I’ll go and find some nibbles.”

Three minutes later having had a quick suck of their drinks they were entwined on the sofa and Grace’s lips were plastered to Terry’s.

“Oh, my precious darling Terry, how I love you!”

“And I love you, my precious love, and am so proud of you. Now tell me all.”

She did so, bubbling with happiness and some understated pride.

When she finally came to a stop Terry kissed her, very gently and very lovingly.

“Wonderful, my special, special wife to be. You are exceptional and I mean that. You had a slow start, understandable, but from the flu epidemic onwards you blossomed. Greg and all the lads think you’re the best thing that ever happened to the place and now the General Manager is a total fan. Oh, my Grace! On top of all that you love me. I am so proud and happy.”

Grace did not know where to put herself. She had known that Terry would be pleased but he was thrilled and delighted and proud of her. She hugged herself to him as the tears started to flow.

Rather later she did warn him to have a cafeteria lunch rather than taking a picnic because her lunch with Hugh Walker would mean she’d not be that hungry the following evening. Terry said nothing but resolved just to take a bigger picnic.

It was not as though Hugh Walker splashed out the next day and they had their usual lunch. It was too soon for any response from Head Office so nothing was said about that. Grace did very shyly tell him that she and Terry were engaged. He was delighted but teased her as well about management and staff. She blushed but said they had both been aware of the problem.

Hugh smiled. “Anthea is a very astute Personnel Manager,” he said.

“And a very special friend and support.”

Hugh looked questioningly at her and she told him the Gareth story including all the help and comfort Anthea and Stephen had been.

“That could make the Owen tender a bit tricky,” he observed.

“Yes,” agreed Grace, “but he never referred to that in his apology. I think that apart from Gareth behaving so appallingly he has now taken in that his younger son is a liability as well and needs bringing to heel. He never mentioned the tender when he apologised to me for Gareth’s behaviour.”

Hugh said nothing other than, “Mmm!” He was not convinced.

It was not until Friday that the summons to Head Office and a Board Meeting arrived. The Chief Executive wished to see them both the following Tuesday at ten o’clock and the Board at eleven.

Hugh told Grace that it would be a cinch and not to try and be clever. “You’ve said it all in your paper and I have endorsed it. There may be some questions but we both know the answers. I’ll take the lead on answering them but may have to invite you to provide more detail.”

Grace nodded but it did not do a lot to calm her nerves.

The great day dawned and Hugh and Grace drove to Head Office at Coventry. Hugh patted her hand before they got out of the car.

“Don’t be nervous,” he said quietly. “The Chief Executive is a very pleasant man and will not allow anyone at the Board Meeting to be rough with you. My bet is that you will quickly have them eating out of your hand.”

Grace managed a smile but it was still tinged with shyness.

They were shown in immediately and the Chief Executive rose from his desk with a warm and welcoming smile.

“Good to see you, Hugh,” he said shaking his hand before turning to Grace, still smiling, to do the same.

“And you must be Grace Ward the author of the expansion paper. I’m delighted to meet you.”

“Thank you, sir,” she smiled shyly.

“No more ‘sirs’. My name is Barney. Shame on you, Hugh, for not telling her that we don’t do formality at Head Office.”