A very Corporate Affair Book 1 (The Corporate Series) (13 page)

                 "Yes, the interim manager practically laid an egg. My IT teams are in there today setting up a computerised system, the one all my companies use, but the information needs to be verified before its inputted."

                 "Ok, where is this company?"

                 "Sussex, not far from my home. I can put you and your team in a hotel, or you can stay at my house, I'm not there during the week."

                 "Ok, leave it with me, and I'll see what I can organise. It won't be cheap though, putting a legal team in a hotel for a week or two to get this done."

                 "Paying fake staff will cost more in the long term, so it's not an issue. I'll let you consult with your superiors, and see what Pearson Hardwick can rustle up.

                 "Ok. How many staff are you authorising the expenses for on this? Also how much room will we have to operate? It's no good taking loads of trainees there if they're all squeezed into one office."

                 "I'll commit two hundred thousand to this, and there is loads of room since I kicked out all the useless leeches. I won't be putting computers in every room, but there will be space for fifteen."

                 I took a deep breath. "Leave this with me. I'll call you mid morning, and if we're in agreement, we can begin tomorrow. I'll have to check how to get there by train, so could you include the address in your email please."

                 Ivan looked incredulous, "don't you drive?"

                 "No. I don't need to. I live round the corner." I blushed slightly.

                 "A car and driver will be put at your disposal. I would prefer you to have some security, so this will serve two purposes." Ivan said with a serious look on his face.

                 "I don't need security," I spluttered, "and I certainly don't need a full time driver."

                 "No arguments. You are going into a hostile takeover as my representative. You need protection, and you certainly need transport down there, rural Sussex isn't well served by public transport."

                I rubbed my hand over my face, thinking about the enormity of the task ahead, and the potential problems I would face. "How were they paying employees without a computer system?"

                "All done in ledgers, like something out of the dark ages. Monthly cheques issued, signed individually by hand." Ivan smiled, "can you imagine doing that every month? I have fifty odd thousand employees, I'd do nothing but sign cheques."

                 "Your biro would run dry," I sniggered. He laughed, a deep, hearty laugh at the absurdity of the idea. "I need to get back and crack on," I said, " I have a lot to organise."

Chapter 9

                    Back at the office, I went straight to Lewis and outlined the task. His eyes widened as I told him the budget. "Wow, he's not messing about. Let me get Mr Carey in."

                Within minutes, the senior partner arrived, and sat as I outlined the task again. He contacted the city office, and spoke briefly with Ms Pearson, before addressing Lewis and I, "ok, 15 trainees are being sent over here this afternoon to be briefed. I suggest we also include several secretaries to assist with typing, data input and filing. Elle, you will be managing this case, with Lewis providing consultation as required. All staff requirements have been approved by Ms Pearson already, so if you need more once you get there, just speak to Lewis. Your PA will need to organise travel warrants and accommodation for everyone. Any resources you need Elle, we will provide."

                "Thank you sir, I'll liaise with Mr Porenski's staff this morning and get up to speed on their HR system and processes, and get copies of their standard employment contracts. I'll spend the afternoon with the trainees, and brief them on the task. Mr Porenski is providing me with a car and driver, so I'll get down to Sussex early tomorrow morning to see what is there, what space we have, and decide how I'll organise it."

                 "Ok Elle, don't forget, whatever you need, just ask. Now lets get this done," said Lewis, banging his fist on the desk, which made Mr Carey jump.

                Back in my office, I set Laura to work on the transport and accommodation requirements, while I called Ivan. "Hi Ivan. All systems go here. I have 15 legals and five support staff organised. I'll be briefing them this afternoon, so I need to speak to your head of HR to find out your protocols, and some sample copies of your employment contracts please."

                "Fantastic. I'll have Mr Ranenkiov call you to organise all that for you. He is my director of human resources. When will you be starting?

                "First thing tomorrow morning, if that's ok? Will your driver be able to pick me up early? I want to get there before the team to get the offices ready."

                 With the driver booked, I waited in my office for the call from Ivan's HR man. I didn't have to wait long. He arranged to come down to my office after emailing me the documents I'd need. Laura printed them off in between phone calls to hotels and the company we purchased travel warrants from.

                 Mr Ranenkiov was younger than I expected, with fair hair, strikingly pale blue eyes, and the squarest jaw I'd seen outside of a fashion magazine. His voice was less heavily accented than Ivan's, and his English just as impeccable. He shook my hand warmly, and accepted a cup of tea from Laura as we sat down.

                 We spent a fairly pleasant hour running through the procedures he wanted performed, the information he wanted collecting, and the way the data should be inputted. Each employee would be interviewed, identity verified, handbook issued, new contract drawn up and signed, everything cross checked against the paper records, and then inputted along with salary details in the new computer system. I took copious notes, referring to the documents he had sent, which, to be honest, walked us through the procedure.

                "Their systems are non existent. It's a mess there. I don't envy you this task," he said, "there's a mad old woman in charge of it all right now, who guards it like a Rottweiler, and won't take kindly to computerisation."

                "She won't get a say in it. If needs be, I'll begin a capability hearing with her. Mr Porenski can't run a company using ledgers and quills."

                "Correct. I bet Mr Control Freak threw a fit when he saw it."

                "Mr Control Freak?"

                "Ivan is the ultimate control freak. Please don't tell me you haven't noticed?" He laughed, "I bet he's arranged a bodyguard for you already. He'll be reviewing your home security and doing a background check on your boyfriend next."

                I laughed, "I think he's already done all that. It doesn't bother me, I quite like it."

                We finished our meeting by half eleven. I sat at my desk reading through the documents, making further notes as I went. I was interrupted just before 12 by Laura, announcing the arrival of Lord Golding. Oscar strode into my office looking sheepish. He plonked himself down in the chair opposite me, and waited for Laura to leave.

                 "Hello again Lord Golding, to what do I have this pleasure twice in one day?" I asked. He smirked when I called him Lord Golding.

                 "Thought I'd take you to lunch while I grovel," he said, "I owe you an explanation, and I don't want to lose you."

                  "But I'm just your
friend
Oscar, you don't need to grovel for just telling me the truth."

                  "Come, let's go eat, and we need to talk."

                  We went down to the arcade, and Oscar led me to a small Italian restaurant on the ground floor. It was cosy and intimate, and smelt wonderful. We ordered our food, and made small talk until the waiter had poured our wine. When we were alone, Oscar grabbed my hand across the table, and held it firmly.

                 "I don't really know how to deal with this," he began, "there's so much I need to say to you, but I seem to excel in upsetting you."

                 "Ok, how about this, I won't speak for five minutes, I'll just listen."

                 Oscar took a deep breath, and seemed to compose himself. "My life is spent in the company of people to whom titles and stature are terribly important, you know, which family you're from, that sort of thing. I'm expected to marry a Rothchild, or similar, produce children, and carry it all on. It's accepted that I may not have feelings for the woman I marry, so it's quite normal to have a mistress as well. I've put off getting married for as long as possible, but my mother is beginning to put pressure on me. I knew if I took you home as my girlfriend, given that you don't have a title, she'd freak out, and try and make me see 'sense'. Plus my old Bullingdon pals will be there with their 'honourable lady' girlfriends. I thought if I introduced you as my friend, they would all be more inclined to be warm and welcoming." He scanned my face for a reaction. "You see, there's something about you, and I can't leave you alone. I know every man in the tower, including Ivan is salivating over you, and quite frankly I don't care that you're not titled."

                 He slumped back in his seat, watching my face for a reaction. I thought about what he'd said. "Oscar, how would feel if I took you to meet my friends, and was so ashamed of you, I introduced you as a friend? I felt like a fuck-buddy, and it's not a feeling I'm acquainted with, and I don't like it. I can't help where I came from, only where I'm going."

                 "I admire you for that," said Oscar, "to rise up despite no head start, it takes guts. The thing I can't fathom out about you is that you don't seem to care if you never see me again, most women are devastated if I leave them. You seem so self contained, and unimpressed. When you called me Lord Golding back there, it almost sounded like an insult."

                "It was," I said flatly. "Titles hold no fascination for me. I told you that already. Like I said, none of us have a choice where we're born."

                He stared at the cruet set, "I know. I feel like such a bastard for making you think you were, how did you put it? A fuck-buddy. I would never ever treat you like that Elle, you are far more to me than that."

                 I softened slightly. "So what am I to you?"

                 He swallowed, "here, you are my girlfriend, the one I take out, spend time with, care about. At Conniscliffe? I'm not sure, my lover perhaps? I just know how vile my mother was to the last girl I took there, and I don't want to put you through it. Snobbery can be difficult to handle at the best of times."

                 "I thought titles went through the male line? So it shouldn't matter one way or another for females." I asked.

                 "I agree. Sadly, my mother is a crashing snob, and thinks that nobody is good enough for her precious boy unless they are a princess, lady, or viscountess. Preferably with their own private bank in the family too. It kind of narrows the field somewhat."

                "Yes, I can see it would be a problem. Doesn't your mum ever worry about inbreeding?"

                 Oscar snorted, "I doubt it's ever crossed her mind, even though there are lots of birth defects in our circles, they don't seem to put two and two together. More worried about keeping the fortunes in their families I suppose. Trust you to think about the practical aspects."

                I smiled, "always practical."

                "So am I forgiven Elle? I know I'm rubbish at the romance thing, and a crap boyfriend, but if you can allow me some room to screw up, I'll do my best to be a better one." He gave me a hopeful smile, and sipped his wine nervously.

                "Ok. Forgiven, but not forgotten," I said. He relaxed back in his chair.

                "So will you still come this weekend?

                "Sure. I'll be down in Sussex working tomorrow, so I can get my driver to drop me at yours when I finish. It'll save me coming back to London.

                "Driver? How come?" He frowned.

                "I'm working on a huge project at the firm Ivan just bought. Leading a team of fifteen of Pearson Hardwick's finest. Ivan lent me a car and driver for the duration."

                "I see, well it's no bother to pick you up. I'll be there around five. Text me the address."

                We spent the rest of our meal discussing the functions Oscar had coming up. I didn't volunteer to accompany him, as I didn't possess any dresses suitable, and had spent my clothes fund for the month. There was no way I was admitting that one though.

                 I headed back to my office at one to hold a meeting with the trainees, and brief them on the work they were expected to do. As I anticipated, the majority were excited at the prospect of a week out of London, but a couple of the girls grumbled about having to be away from home. I narrowed my eyes, and reminded them that this was a prestigious account, and a real coup for the firm. I chose not to let on that I wouldn't be staying at the Travelodge with them, but at a billionaire's country pad.

                When they were all fully briefed, I handed out the travel warrants, and the travel directions, and let them go home, with strict instructions to be at the factory by nine am the next morning. When they had all gone, I went back to my office to check over my notes again. Lewis stuck his head round my door and asked for a word.

                 "This is a bit of a delicate matter Elle," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

                 "Spit it out Lewis."

                 "Last night, after you left, well, Ivan asked if the company had any problem if he asked you for a date." Lewis went a bit pink.