'Yes, I have been seeing him,' said Kate. 'Why didn't you mention that you knew before?'

'In my heart I was glad,' said William. 'I hated the thought of his losing contact with us both. How is he?'

93oth of them are well, and you have a granddaughter now as well as a grandson!

'A granddaughter as well as a grandson,' William repeated.

'Yes, she's called Annabel,' said Kate.

'And my grandson?' said William, enquiring for the first time.

When Kate told him his name he had to smile. It was only half a lie.

'Good,' said William. 'Well, you Ay to San Francisco and see what can be done. Tell him I love him.' He had once heard another old man say that who was going to lose his son.

Kate was more content that night than she had been in years. She called Richard to say she would be flying out to stay with them the following week, bringing good news with her.

When Kate returned to New York three weeks later, William was pleased to learn that Richard and Florentyna could visit them at the end of November, which was the first opportunity for them to get away from San Francisco together. Kate was full of stories of how successful they both were, how young William Kane was the image of his gr - and - father and how they were all so much looking forward to coming back to New York for a visit.

William listened intently and found he was happy too, and at peace with himself. He had begun to fear that if Richard did not return home soon, he never would, and then the chairmanship of the bank would fall into Jake Thomas's lap. William did not care to think about that.

William returned to work the following Monday in high spirits after his lengthy absence, having made a good recovery from Ids second heart attack and now feeling he had something worth living for.

'You must pace yourself a little more carefully,' the clever young doctor had told him, but he was determined to reestablish himself as chairman and president of the bank so he could make way for his only son. On his arrival at the bank he was greeted by the doorman, who told him that Jake Thomas was looking for him and had tried to reach him at home earlier.

William thanked the senior member of the bank, the only person who had served Lester's more years than the chairman himself.

'Nothing's so important that it cant wait,' he said, 'No, sir.'

William walked slowly to the chairman's office. When he opened his door, he found three of his directors already in conference and Jake Thomas sitting firmly in William's chair.

'Have I been away that long,' said William, laughing. 'Am I no longer chairman of the board?'

'Yes, of course you are. Welcome back, William,' said Jake Thomas, moving quickly out of the Chairman's seat.

William had found it impossible to get used to Jake Thomas calling him by his first name. The new generation were all too familiar. They had only known each other a few years, and the man couldn't have been a day over forty.

'What's the problem?' he asked.

'Abel Rosnovski,' said Jake Thomas without expression.

William felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and sat down in the nearest leather seat.

'What does he want this time?' he said wearily. 'Won't he let me finish my days in peace?'

Jake Thomas stood up and walked towards William.

'He intends to invoke Article Seven and hold a proxy meeting with the sole purpose of removing you from the chair.'

'He can't. He doesn't have the necessary eight per cent and the bank's by - laws state clearly that the chairman must be informed immediately if any outside person comes into possession of eight per cent of the stock.'

'He says he'll have the eight per cent by tomorrow morning.

'No, no,' said William. 'I've kept a careful check on all the stock. No one would sell to Rosnovski. No one!

'Peter Parfitt,' said Jake Thomas.

'No,' said William smiling triumphantly. 'I bought his shares a year ago through a third party!

Jake Thomas looked shocked, and no one spoke for sometime. William realised for the first time just how much Thomas wanted to be the next chairman of Lester's.

'Well.' said Jake Thomas. 'We must face the fact he claims he'll have eight per cent by tomorrow which would entitle him to elect three directors to the board and hold up any major policy decision for three months. The very provisions you put into the articles of incorporation to protect your long term position. He also intends to announce his decision in advertisements placed all across the country. For good measure, he's threatening to make a reverse takeover bid for Lester's using the Baron Group as the vehicle if he receives any opposition to his plans. He has made it clear that there is only one way he willdrop the whole plan.'