Greenbourne said: "All my life I have been cautious. Where other men see high profits, I see high risks, and I resist the temptation. Your uncle Joseph was not like me. He would take the risk--and he pocketed the profits. His son Edward was worse. I say nothing about you: you have only just taken over. But the Pilasters must pay the price for their years of high profits. I didn't take those profits--why should I pay your debts? If I spend money to rescue you now, the foolish investor will be rewarded and the careful one will suffer. And if banking were run that way, why should anyone be cautious? We might as well all take risks, for there is no risk when failed banks can always be rescued. But there is always risk. Banking cannot be run your way. There will always be crashes. They are necessary to remind good and bad investors that risk is real."
Hugh had wondered, before coming here, whether to tell the old man that Micky Miranda had murdered Solly. Now he considered it again, but he came to the same conclusion: it would shock and distress the old man but it would do nothing to persuade him to rescue Pilasters.
He was casting about for something to say, some last attempt to change Greenbourne's mind, when the butler came in and said: "Pardon me, Mr. Greenbourne, but you asked to be called the moment the detective arrived."
Greenbourne stood up immediately, looking agitated, but his courtesy would not let him rush out without an explanation. "I'm sorry, Pilaster, but I must leave you. My granddaughter Rebecca has ... disappeared ... and we are all distraught."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Hugh said. He knew Solly's sister Kate, and he had a vague memory of her daughter, a pretty dark-haired girl. "I hope you find her safe and well."
"We don't believe she has suffered violence--in fact we're quite sure she has only run off with a boy. But that's bad enough. Please excuse me."
"By all means."
The old man went out, leaving Hugh amid the ruins of his hopes.
Section 3
MAISIE SOMETIMES WONDERED if there was something infectious about going into labor. It often happened, in a ward full of women nine months pregnant, that days would go by without incident, but as soon as one started labor the others would follow within hours.
