If I am found, this world will be helped immediately. I also want all my family brought back and linked. Just to clarify it for once and all, when I say family I always include Jakob and our baby Samantha.
I recognised a few new products and contacting the companies purchased a substantial share and lent them money to help them grow faster. The first computer company I invested in is IBM but, since they started off with a huge (for this time) capital base, I have less than one percent. In all other such ventures I want at least twenty to thirty percent.
I’ve opened three new show-house centres, one in London, one in Frankfurt and one in New York. We provide free stands for new products so that investors can see their products and support them. I am sent information about the products and choose the ones we allow. What I’m doing may not be strictly ethical, but this way I hear about them at an early stage when the inventor is still short of funds and I can buy a share at a low cost. Where I feel they are not capable of running the business I demand sixty percent of the company and insist on having the management with the rider clause that as soon as they have repaid the investment and loan with interest, our shareholding drops to thirty percent and we hand over management gradually as they are trained. Nothing comparable exists in the financial market and we are flooded with requests.
Thirty two years. Minti and Peetr have gone to Kenya. They plan to stay there for five to six months and they did not want to take little Jina with (they call her Jini so as not to cause confusion, so I’ll use that name from now on). They’ve given her to me to look after. Their plan to tempt me into getting married is transparent, but I’m just glad to have the opportunity of having her in my life. I don’t go to the office that often and when I do go, because she is with me, I don’t stay longer than I have to. Sitting on the carpet playing with her takes precedence in my life right now.
We examined the cash and assets of The Cherinian Humanitarian Organisation (CHO) and topped it up so that they start with fifty million in cash invested to earn them annually about three million pounds for continuing their charity work. We moved the focus to South American children. Instead of creating feeding programs they will put up schools and those schools will provide basic health care, breakfast, lunch and, after playing sports and doing their homework, an early supper. We might be helping less children that way, but we are offering them a future. Later, when the first of them are ready to enter the workforce, we’ll open businesses there to employ them.
I was called to a meeting attended by three Ministers for me to repeat what I’d told the king. I arrived with folders of statistics in triplicate, analysis of political trends and so on and, just to be different, I included information about African traditions with extrapolations thereof. They listened to me talk for over two hours and then grilled me for another two. I could sense they were impressed and alarmed even though they kept their faces neutral. I left with the promise to attend any meeting they arrange if they need more information. Jetrol came to see me a few days later.
“The Prime Minister confidentially asked me to call on you.”
I pulled a face, teasing him. “And here I was thinking you’d missed me.”
“It is not a matter for levity. Jina, if you have any secrets, be prepared, our Secret Service have priority instructions to look into every detail of your life. If you even coughed in your bedroom when you were a child they’ll know it.”
“Please thank the Prime Minister, but I would say it is safe to confirm I’ve never coughed, in or out of the bedroom.”
“Exactly! They will not miss that fact. Nor will they miss the fact that nobody in your family has been sick since they adopted you.” His face grew colder and I sensed a fear of me in him. “You better be able to explain how it is that records show that Edti had his left arm amputated and yet he has two arms.”
“Must have been a mix up in the hospital records. I would venture that happened often in those days.”
“We’ll see. Jina, this is the last time I’ll ever be visiting you or anyone of your family or circle of friends.”
“We haven’t seen much of you in years, so I guess we’ll survive. A pity, I liked you when I first met you.”
“Stay away from the king, unless you intend dragging him down with you.” I did not bother replying and showed him to the door.
“Jakob, please warn our friends, they better stay away for now.”
“I doubt many of them will be afraid of him Jina. If our secrets come out and are made public, they’ll be declared heroes and humanitarians.”
I grinned. “I doubt that is what they are hoping to achieve. Are there any within your community who know how to search for spy bugs and will not give in to government pressure? I don’t like the idea of them spying on me in our offices and my home.”
“I’ll arrange it, just ignore any signs of uninvited strangers having entered your home.”
After all that, a month has passed without any signs of my being spied on. Perhaps they’re better at it than I’ve given them credit for. If they are, they must be bored of listening to me talking to Jini. As a precaution I never speak with Pol about my other life and he knows enough to make him extra cautious. I was touched when he confided, in a whisper, that he had destroyed notes he’d made of my tellings.
Robert has told us many times that politics is usually motivated by economic reasons. I’ve just had it pointed out to me that I went out of favour with those in power the day I formed an offshore shipping company. They were angered because my decision has led to other companies following my example. I do not feel guilty. If they wanted us to stay, they should lower the tax and pull some of the teeth from the Unions. I guess they first have to destroy the economy before someone like Thatcher brings back some commonsense with her into her position as leader of all her people, not just as puppet of the Unions. Anybody tries to tell me differently with the top end of tax at over ninety percent needs to study what motivates people to work hard and take risks.
Anyone with an ounce of brain would say that this was the wrong time for me to challenge a giant, since I would need some small measure of assistance from my own government. I flew to Nairobi and found out that Jan was in Tanganyika, at our ruby mine. I chartered a small plane and flew to Arusha. Our office there provided me with a vehicle, driver and two other vehicles filled with guards to escort me.
“Jan, take me for a drive into the bush.”
We stood on a bare hill with only one thorn tree to break the glaring sunlight, but we could see for miles and our vehicle stood about a mile away. I turned my back to it.
“Sorry for the dramatics. Take a look at these.” I handed the marked maps to him. He examined them briefly, did a double take as he recognised what he was looking at and studied them thoroughly. I confirmed for him, “You’re right, those are alluvial deposits and pipes. Are you ready to make waves?”
“How? These are not in British colonies and there has never been even a hint of diamonds existing there.”
“I guarantee the maps are correct.” I pointed at a mark. “That alluvial deposit alone has over thirty million carats of gem quality stones. In total, if we work only those I’ve ringed in green, we’ll gather over a hundred million carats. There is over another billion waiting for us.”
“Jeezu!” I smiled as I wondered how he would react if I introduce him to Jesus. “How will we market them? They’ll close all doors to us.”
“Why should we market them before we are ready? I want to create a stockpile of over twenty million carats before we sell even one. We must also have under our belts some of those major pipes for continuing our mining operations after we’ve smashed the monopoly.” I pointed at one. “This one has seven hundred million carats, well over two hundred carats of gemstone quality per hundred tons of earth moved. They must be held in different companies so that no one guesses they are ours.” I explained my strategy and he whistled.
“I take off my hat to you, you’ve got guts. Why not partner with the Russians who are also eager to smash the monopoly?”
“I like your idea. We won’t throw out any feelers until we have our stock to back us up. Jan, something has come up you should know.” I told him of how affectionate were the feelings of those in power in London for me. He stood looking bemused, not quite certain what he should say.
“Does anybody like you?” he teased and I burst out laughing. That was the moment I came closest to really liking him.
From Nairobi I flew to Rome and from there to New York. From there I went to Washington where I was met by one of the forty. I kept the conversation light until we’d driven out of the city. His chauffeur parked and we walked into some trees where I told him about my problems in London and then invited him to join me in forming a syndicate for marketing the diamonds.
“Jina, I wish you had not confided in me, I work with De Beers. Where did you think I get the diamonds for my cutting and retail businesses?”
“I knew, but took a calculated risk that you’d see the advantages of breaking into such a lucrative market from further up. I’ll only make my move once we have over twenty million carats in reserve and I believe the Russians will be able to match me.”
“Are you trying to smash De Beers, or are you trying to keep the monopoly for just the two of you?”
“With the Russians we’ll be three groups controlling the market. I expect the Russians to promise to ally themselves with us, but they’ll soon decide to control the sales of their diamonds. We can stand the competition Isac.”
“If I don’t join you?”
“I’ll auction a million carats at a time at prices ten percent lower than the current market price. There will be players who’ll look for short term benefits, there always are Isac. With production at those levels I’ll be able to promise continuity and if the Russians play it straight with me we can double that.”
He wanted to know why I chose to fight, why not sell my production to De Beers. I explained how they have a stranglehold on not only the marketing and retail outside of the USA, but also the mining and that they would shut me down, have my permits revoked and take over my claims. He asked for a few days to think about it and we returned to my hotel.
I wonder why the company has become so greedy in this reality, in some they are just as big but more tolerant of others sharing in the wealth. No matter, I’ve committed myself and it is too late to get cold feet.
I stayed in Washington for two weeks, but I left with an agreement signed and sealed with Isac. As a small side benefit, I saw a new company had entered the film market named Walt Dysny. I rushed to buy their shares, but they were not on the stock exchange. I flew to visit Walt himself and told him of my cinemas for children and offered to fund him. He sold me twenty five percent of his company and we cut a deal giving me first rights to his cartoons for Britain.
Thirty three years. This has been a year of caution, consolidation and of loving and being loved by ‘my’ three kids and my family.
Thirty four years. Less than a hundred years to wait. Not strictly true, I’ll be dead sooner but I prefer to count the time till I have a chance of them arriving here. Both little girls are great talkers and I’m fascinated at seeing the world through their eyes, so time does not torture me at present.
Japan invaded China. America has warned they will come to the defence of the Chinese if Japan does not withdraw. Japan struck an alliance with Korea and they’ve declared war on America. After four depressed days the market has rebounded, increasing our paper profits. I’m cashing in, and the profit from the crazy upsurge in the market I’m transferring to CHO. I refuse to benefit from any war. I told Edti and Jakob and they did not disagree.
Thirty five years. For the last two years I lost interest in writing for the diary. I have appended at the end all the details to help Robert find me, apart from the actual time, date and place of death. That, one of my family will enter for me before publishing the diary. The rest seemed so pointless. Then I happened to read the diaries, starting from the second one and then moving back to the first one. Memories came flooding back and at the end of it I realised there is a point to the writing. Not only for me, but also for my family in this reality. Someday it might be all they have of me - so here I am again.
Business wise the news is all good. Our shares in IBM, Walt Dysny and other companies have doubled and quadrupled in value while we have invested in at least another ten sure bets. Funnily, our tin can opener has started to earn us the kind of money we would have once considered amazing. We’ve only had one loss and I’m still trying to puzzle out why that product was not popular here when it has caught on in every other reality I know. As for Cadbury, that is still one of our star performers. In this reality, maybe thanks to our contacts, they are fast gaining in popularity in America and the sales keep soaring each year. We’ve been notified they are going public, so I’ve set us down for another five million shares - after advising the owners.
Amelia and Jini have grown to the age where they wear their mothers to a frazzle so they are more than happy to let me watch them for part of the day. All I do is let them play with each other while I relax and enjoy their chatter. Amelia tends to become a bit stubborn about having things go her way, but I’m doing my best to encourage her to see the point of view of her cousin, though she is too young to really understand what I’m trying to teach her.
Jakob looks older, but he looks and feels healthy, so he could live another fifteen years or more. Da and mums have retired and now that they can afford to do what they want, they have moved onto a farm once again. We’ve made certain they have enough staff for them to take it easy.
Since our last conversation I’ve met Jetrol once. It was at an official function and I think he was surprised I’d been invited. He politely greeted me and moved on. I wish I knew what I’ve done to turn him against me. The sad thing is that he has settled into becoming just another Minister, boring as most of them.
Jan sends me coded reports and he is busy shipping diamonds which we are storing in Switzerland. It will be a long time before we’ve collected the minimum stock we need. I started on my own mining operations for semi-precious stones and the profit from that goes to financing the costs of our diamond mining.
Our shipyard is starting construction of the first of our ships, but they are already behind schedule. Our shipping companies have grown, especially once our ships were returned to us and a figure was paid in compensation for lost income.
That’s brought me back up to date.
Thirty six years. I’m now forty five years old in body age and the year is 1944. Looking back I see that, considering the options, I’ve led an interesting life. Just when I start to wish I could enclose myself within a stasis bubble, I hear the voices of the children or they come for a hug or Pol comes to share with me his thoughts and I feel grateful to have so many years ahead of me to watch them grow up. I’d say that despite my yearning to go home and my loneliness that sometimes overwhelms me, I’m happy. We’d always thought Cherinian-born children, especially those born in Freddie, would find it impossible to adjust to being alone and without the comfort of mental contact of loved ones. Just shows that we are more resilient than we think we are.
The government has just announced the end of rationing. It is interesting that in our reality the war ended in 1944 and rationing ended in 1954 - ten years later, while here the war ended in 1938 and rationing ends in 1944 - eight years later. I’d love to feel I’m partly responsible, but the truth is the war was not as vicious as ours was and it did not last as long.
Property is in a slump, so we bought three buildings in the ‘City’ (business district of London - Cabal territory). They are not examples of any kind of architecture worth preserving so we’ll replace them with one new building with better insulation and nicer layout for offices. On the ground floor we will also have a restaurant and one tiny shop for sweets, cigarettes, newspapers and so on. The building will be named ‘The Anadir’.
I’ve been called for a meeting tomorrow. I thought of refusing, but everyone insists I go - although Edti is worried about what I’ll say to upset them again.
“Mrs Jonston, the American and Russians government have made a suggestion to us. They want to form an organisation called The United World. Is this thanks to lobbying by yourself?”
“Please call me Miss, I am a spinster and do not need the title Mrs. As to your question, I never even thought of the subject again after our last conversation.”
“It might interest you to know that we replied that we felt the name United Nations would be more appropriate and they reverted with an acceptance of our suggestion. Are you capable of seeing the future?”
“Of this world?” I laughed. “Mostly I use facts and extrapolate from them.”
“You proposed we rebuild Germany and now the Americans are doing exactly that. They are spending more on reconstruction there than they are on providing assistance to all their allies together. How do you explain it?”
“Why not re-read my arguments of that time.”
“We have and we’ve come to the inescapable conclusion that you are an American agent.”
I pulled a face, not hiding my anger at their blindness. “I admit that I am an agent.” They were startled and pleased with themselves, thinking I’d broken under the weight of their importance. “I am an agent of all of mankind. I do not care what nationality, race or religion people are, they all have the same rights and demands on my thoughts and heart. To be honest, I am also an agent for all life on our planet and if we do not soon attempt to lower the pollution with technology we already have, I will start to use any influence I have to make the world aware of the deleterious effects pollution has on life in general and on all people.”
“This is an unofficial warning, stop interfering in matters you are not qualified to judge.”
“I would never interfere in matters I am not qualified to judge! I am not a politician!” All I did was anger them even further.
From my grim face my family knew the news was not good. I repeated our arguments in detail and they glumly avoided looking at each other. Edti recovered, looked into my eyes and smiled. “So, we’re in for stormy times again - we’ve weathered worse.”
I saw a gleam in Minti’s eye that warned me that though she was worried, she could not resist taking a dig at me. “If I were you, I would not be so flippant about the situation Edti, she is a spinster and as she grows older she’ll become even more impossible.”
Pol piped up, “Jina, does that mean you are a virgin? Will you die a virgin?” Everyone was angry with him and shocked, for the society here is still far more inhibited and repressive, but I have shared of our reality with Pol and he found his question natural.
“On this world I’m a virgin Pol, but I have enjoyed sexual love far more often than everyone in this room added together.”
“Wow!”
“Jina, what a thing to say to a child!”
“Child? He’ll soon have a girlfriend of his own.” He blushed. I laughed, “I bet he’s not the one embarrassed, all of you are.”
“I should hope so, we’re not as forward as you are.”
“Forward, backward, it does not matter, what upsets you is that I’m different and live according to my rules, not those of society. Edti, does nothing about the previous interview and that of today strike you as strange?”
“In what way?”
“I don’t know, but something is niggling at me. Jakob, any ideas?”
“I can’t say I see what is bothering you.”
“Then let me revert to the comment by Edti and Minti. You are both wrong, I have no intention of causing trouble. Let me put it this way. If I learn that ten thousand people are about to die and by sacrificing all I’ve done to be found by Robert I can save them, I would sit back and let them die. Does that sound selfish? It is not, not if you truly believe me. Robert can return in time to bring them all back while, if he does not find me, this world has to take its chances and the Cherinians may not come here for a long time. There are weapons being developed that could destroy all life on this planet. If Robert delays in coming here, he may arrive someday to find it a dead world and leave without searching. I’ll only take risks to prevent that happening.”
“Then why are you being so obnoxious with the Ministers?”
“I’m being obnoxious? I thought they were. This is supposed to be a democracy, how dare they try to bully me.”
“You are admitting you are not keeping your primary objective in mind?”
“Drat!” I saw he was right. “Thank you.” Still, as I lay in bed that night I worried at that feeling warning me I had missed something important.
Both mothers decided they should bring their daughters to me this morning so as to prevent me doing anything rash. I’d not intended doing anything, but I was glad to take a day off with them. There is a particular sweetness to six year old children, for they still have a very special innocence that is lost gradually over the next few years, but they are no longer toddlers. They loved it when I took them to Harrods tea-room and stuffed them with pastries instead of food. We shopped, getting them some toys and clothes, they ate a sandwich and drank a glass of milk before their parents collected them.
Pol prefers to visit me on his own as I pay more attention to the girls if they are present. He understands it is because of their age so he doesn’t mind, but he does want to talk with me and ask questions about my Cherinian life and he can’t if the girls are present. Since he goes to school, he usually visits on Saturday or stays over from Friday night. His questions are more perceptive as he matures and deal with society, their beliefs and customs and my influence is causing him problems at school as he refuses to blindly accept whatever he is taught.
Mr Crawford brought to our weekly meeting calculations to show what kind of money we could make if we go public. I point blank refused and Jakob stood by me. Edti is in favour of getting on the bandwagon for the immediate profit of tens of millions of pounds, but he voted with me. It did make me consider what we should do with our publishing businesses. If they are amalgamated with the magazine, they would have enough mass to be listed on the stock exchange. The problem is that I need the publishing companies as my own toys to play with. If they go public how will I waste millions in publishing and distributing for free my diary? I asked Mr Crawford to give me an estimate what Minti could expect to make if we did so and asked her to meet me for tea at Harrods the next day.
“What do you think you could get for the magazine if you sold it?”
“I don’t want to sell it.”
“I’m just asking, give me a figure.”
“I don’t know, maybe between eight hundred thousand to one and a half million?”
“If you put it in with our publishing companies, according to Mr Crawford, you’d get about three million if you sold all your shares.” I then explained to her why I do not want to sell the publishing company. “I’ve decided to buy the others out for the price they would have been paid if we had gone public. By not going public it means you will be losing out. Would you feel I’ve made up for it if I pay you one million now and one million next year?” My sweet sister is not much of a businesswoman and argued I was paying her too much, that I did not need to pay her anything. I insisted and when she left for home she was flustered but also happy. I now have the others to tackle tomorrow.
As I’d expected, they also protested, but I insisted, the difference being that I was actually buying their shares. I offered to pay them a high price with the difference to be paid offshore so that the taxman does not take the lions share. Now the papers have to be drawn up and we’ll complete the transaction. It has hurt me cash wise and I’ll have to miss out on some opportunities, but at least I won’t have to feel guilty about publishing my diaries at a loss to them.
Thirty seven years. I’m very lucky that I started healing mums and da so early. They look healthy and should last up to a hundred and twenty years or more. Unfortunately I started with Jakob when he was already close to fifty so I do not think he will grow much older than a hundred. I can now understand Robert, the idea of losing anyone I love makes me want to rebel, only I do not know what to rebel against. Nature? Fate?
To think my Pol is already eighteen! Soon he’ll be a man and falling in love and he’ll drift away from me. It is natural, but it saddens me. He has been my best companion for so many years.
Thirty eight years. America has announced they have the atom bomb. I suppose the race for others to do the same has begun.
I’ve bought a building in New York, revamped it and named it ‘The Cherinian Centre’. I did the same in Paris and Amsterdam. I think it is time I go to Athens. It will be interesting to see what the city is like at this time.
I am limited in the names I can use for products or buildings. Using my mothers name will not suggest it betrays a knowledge of Cherinians so it would not indicate I exist or existed here. From my family, the only names I can use are: Gilli or Gillian, Orshiir, Annavi, Ashia, Goldi, Empathia (I should not use her name in Greece as the meaning is the opposite of empathy), Shiyra, Shelif, Sheena (maybe this is used by others?), Tserika. From the species: Anadir, Inguel, Eminixx (sounds good for a petroleum company and I could then open lots of petrol stations), Kinytian, Akiard, Horekian, Brokeet, Eqkee, Iktrian. Perhaps I could extend the lists, but some of the names would sound too outlandish here.
Writing the above gave me the idea so I urgently looked for a small company and found one with only five petrol stations and we made them an offer. We had to pay a bit extra because they were full of dreams of creating a national chain of stations. Since we already have two tankers employed by Shell, it was easy to meet the right director and strike a deal. They are to supply us with our fuel requirements and produce a chain of lubricants under our brand. We signed a five year contract. Eminixx Petroleum shall have at least thirty petrol stations within two years, I’m determined to make it happen.
I examined a road map and recalling which roads would become major routes, I concentrated on finding small one-owner stations and buying them. Within months we had doubled the number of stations and now Shell took us more seriously and they started supplying us with our own brand of lubricants. When they saw us buy another eight over the next six months they also went on a buying spree and then BP did the same and there was nothing available or the prices were too high. I quickly concentrated on finding suitable sites, bought the land and applied for licences. Since we seemed to be stupid, wanting stations where there was not enough traffic to justify our investment, none of the other petroleum companies objected and twenty six of our applications were approved. We added to our stations small fast food restaurants and truck stops with facilities for the drivers and even as we started building we began throwing a lot of money at advertising our Eminixx City stations. I bet Shell in other realities will be furious with me for stealing their bright ideas.
We created a small team, worked out a presentation with photos and lots of facts while Mr Crawford checked which trucking companies have a good name and we visited them with our special offers and sales pitch. The strongest selling point of course was the credit we extended them; it brought us many corporate clients.
Thirty nine years. This is going to be a year for preparing to fight the big boys on more than one front. Jan found me drillers and geologists and I sent them to what we know as Tunisia and Libya (they have different names here). I wanted to send Edti to do the negotiations, but I was worried, it scares me having him at a distance where there could be danger. Anyway, he is still afraid of flying. Jakob found me an Egyptian businessman trusted by the Jewish community in Cairo and I sent him a ticket to London. He was put up in the Ritz Hotel and treated royally so he was in an expansive mood when he met me. He looked frightened when I explained why I’d called for him.
He protested, “The big companies will fight you and so will the governments of those colonies. They will all be angry that you’ve offered the Arab leaders a share as it could lead to other Emirs demanding their share.”
“I’ll handle that side of it. Can you handle what I ask of you? It must be done in total secrecy until I have the permits and the deals with the local leaders have been signed.”
“I will be your employee?”
“I’m not looking for employees. You will have ten percent and will be a director of the company. Your directors’ salary starts immediately, say about fifteen thousand pounds a year? We’ll increase it substantially once we are shipping our products.” He knew it would be an offshore company and the idea of earning large profits without paying taxes tempted him - apart from the salary that was enormous for his part of the world and his position as director in a European company would shoot his prestige among his people to dizzying heights. After that it was not that difficult and we spent the next few days arguing strategy, local politics and so on. He would need a substantial sum to grease the wheels and without a word I gave him a manila envelope filled with cash.
“Do not forget we also want permits for establishing two refineries and port facilities for shipping our products.” He left us with big dreams but trembling inside with fear. I like him, he’s a bit too cautious and conservative for my needs, but he’s all I have. He’s taken maps marked with the areas I want permits for and he’ll hand them over to our teams when they arrive.
Two months and still nothing. I’ve never negotiated with Arabs so I had not realised it would take so long for us to strike a deal.
Forty years. Jan confirmed our stocks of diamonds are at our target. Now begin my problems with Russia. How do I get to speak to the Tsar? The only answer I can think of is to convince King George to arrange an introduction. I sent him a message, but without much hope of hearing from him. I’ve read that as he ages he has become moody and difficult to approach. Two days later I had an invitation to visit him.
After the pleasantries, he asked for the reason I wanted to see him.
“Can you assist me in meeting the Tsar, your majesty?”
He gave me a quizzical look. “Surely our Foreign Office deals with such matters? Why do you want to meet him? You’re not hoping to become the next tsarina are you?” The Tsarina had died only five months ago and it was rumoured the Tsar is looking to find a wife that pleases him. “You are one of the only honest and intelligent women we know, we cannot have you leaving us for the Tsar.”
“My heart belongs here your majesty. I will live and die in England.”
“Quite. What is your purpose of visiting him?”
“Business your majesty. I hope to make tons of money from him.”
He smiled, aware of the irony. “Offshore I suppose? You’ve become quite notorious for evading the clutches of our Internal Revenue Service.”
“It will be a worldwide operation so I’ll make certain the taxman is fed a few crumbs.” He laughed.
“Do visit us to let us know how it went.”
The message has just arrived that the Tsar has invited me to visit him. Even the flight and date is specified.
When we arrived, a still sweating Edti and I, we carefully threaded our way through the formalities of meeting a Tsar and then he surprised me by asking me to walk with him. As he’d addressed me only, I gestured for Edti to stay seated. He began to show me the palace. I’m not the kind of person who’s attracted to palaces and certainly the opulence of this one was daunting. I gave him a smile.
“Your majesty, may I make a suggestion?” He nodded. “Might I be permitted to give you a tour of your palace? At least those parts I’m familiar with?” For those who have forgotten, we have been to the palace in a different reality when they wanted to pin a medal on Robert.
“You have studied the palace? Please go ahead.”
As I’d hoped, by the time we returned to Edti and the others he was impressed and far more friendly. He told his people of how I’d given him a tour with detailed knowledge of the antiques, art and history of each room. He gave a chuckle and told them I’d related some of the gossip of bygone eras and where I knew no true gossip I made up some interesting stories. After all, I had shared memories with all my loves and knew a lot that was true in those realities that was not in this one.
We had a snack and he asked me the reason for my visit. I passed to him a slip of paper with ‘De Beers’ written on it. “If you are confident I should speak openly your majesty, I’ll do so.” He led me to a private room. I explained what I plan and what I want of him. He was visibly shaken when I showed him the deposit slips from Switzerland.
“I had not been told you are that wealthy! Twenty million carats! May we continue tomorrow, I need to think first.”
Somehow I’d never thought of the diamonds as being part of my wealth and I too was reeling. No wonder Edti had nearly fainted when I’d told him - as a full partner with me he’ll probably be one of the wealthiest non-Cabal men in the world, if not potentially the wealthiest. That is, if De Beers don’t manage to block me.
“You wish us to join forces to fight De Beers? What if the Openheimers - Anglo-American merge with them because of the threat they think we pose? Are you confident they cannot stop us?”
“It is possible, but it would also mean the Rothchilds would have to relinquish or reduce their influence over De Beers. I’d say, possible, but not likely. Especially once we let them know that we control over forty million carats; they will be aware that we can threaten to flood the market for the next ten years. After mining begins on a number of pipes we have, we hope to have well over eight million carats per year, add your annual production to that and our threat to the stability of the market is very real. They cannot prevent us from auctioning our stones at any price we wish. Their only hope is to try and contain us by limiting our annual sales and demanding we annually meet with them to agree the prices. I suggest we demand the right to sell our annual production plus ten percent for five years. We do not believe it would be advisable to sell off all our present stock. Between us we must hold enough in reserve to cause them damage should they act to stop us later. I also face the threat, which you do not, of them interfering and using their influence to have my permits revoked. They will be careful not to upset us only for as long as we are united.”
“You are planning to market our diamonds? What fee were you contemplating?”
“I had not planned anything your majesty. If you wish to market your own stones, you are free to do so.”
“What would be your fee?”
“Whatever the costs are, which you would have paid anyway, plus a fee of two and a half percent of your net sales.”
“I need to think and consult my ministers.” He smiled. “Especially the military, they will expect to gain if they are to back me publicly. The countryside is more conducive to clear thinking - will you join us?”
“I cannot leave my brother alone, we only travel together.”
He frowned, hopefully getting my true message. “He would be welcome to join us of course.” He paused, turned to return to the others and looked back at me. “My cousin is right, you truly are a remarkable woman.”
“I fear he may have been somewhat extravagant in his praise because he enjoys the way I upset his government.”
He smiled. “I have heard he has a royal sense of humour.”
We went to his country home (just a mini palace as far as I was concerned) and we hardly saw him, except for the evening meals for two days. We saw important looking men arrive and leave without meeting them. On the third day we were ordered to his private office and two men sat with him. He did not introduce them to us.
“Would you repeat your suggestion of cooperation? Can you speak French?” I explained in French, adding to my previous explanation further details of how the stones are marketed and advised them I had already signed agreements with a party in America that would ensure we are well attended at our auctions. They frowned at my mention of a ten percent discount but I added that it would only be necessary for the first year - after that De Beers are bound to insist we compete fairly.
It was agreed that if I accepted a fee of two percent, our attorneys would exchange and argue the terms of our contracts, but that for the signing I have to return to St. Petersburg. Surprised by the sudden acceptance I agreed.
Back in London I sent to King George a small gift - a cut diamond of one hundred and thirteen carats, with a note that only said, “From your loyal subject, J”
It seems the negotiations between the attorneys is going to take forever. Every time we think all the terms and clauses have been agreed, they return with some new minor changes they want. Jakob and our attorneys reassure me that it is only a need to show their Tsar that they are working hard on his behalf that is responsible, that they will eventually come to a final draft ready for signing. I was not surprised to see the commission or fee was set at six percent and I was glad the marketing was through an offshore company where I would not have to account to any taxman for the four percent.
Our Pol is now twenty one and officially an adult. My gift to him was an apartment of his own with four bedrooms, a study that I envy and furnishings I’ve noticed he likes. I saw to it that with his apartment he has secure parking for his car. I wanted to see his face when he sees it, but as was proper, I gave him the title deeds and keys at his party.
I was in bed when he phoned, his voice betraying he was slightly inebriated. “Jina, I’m coming to collect you. I want to see the apartment tonight and I want you with me when I do.” As I’ve said, he’s a sensitive, thoughtful and smart young man and I love him with all my heart, so I got dressed and ran to his car through the drizzle when he arrived.
