The schoolboys began to file into the hall, the youngest sitting on the floor at the front and the older boys on chairs.
Maisie said to Greenbourne: "Hugh has adopted Bertie legally now."
The old man turned his sharp eyes on Hugh. "I suppose you're the real father," he said bluntly.
Hugh nodded.
"I should have guessed a long time ago. It doesn't matter. The boy thinks I'm his grandfather, and that gives me a responsibility." He coughed in an embarrassed way and changed the subject. "I hear the syndicate is going to pay a dividend."
"That's right," Hugh said. He had finally disposed of all the assets of Pilasters Bank, and the syndicate that had rescued the bank had made a small profit. "All the members will get about five percent on their investment."
"Well done. I didn't think you'd manage it."
"The new government in Cordova did it. They handed over the assets of the Miranda family to the Santamaria Harbor Corporation, and that made the bonds worth something again."
"What happened to that chap Miranda? He was a bad lot."
"Micky? His body was found in a steamer trunk washed up on a beach on the Isle of Wight. No one ever found out how it got there or why he was inside it." Hugh had been concerned in the identification of the body: it had been important to establish that Micky was dead, so that Rachel could marry Dan Robinson at last.
A schoolboy came around handing out inky handwritten copies of the school song to all the parents and relatives.
"And you?" Greenbourne said to Hugh. "What will you do when the syndicate is wound up?"
"I was planning to ask your advice about that," Hugh said. "I'd like to start a new bank."
"How?"
"Float the shares on the stock market. Pilasters Limited. What do you think?"
"It's a bold idea, but then you always were original." Greenbourne looked thoughtful for a moment. "The funny thing is, the failure of your bank actually enhanced your reputation, in the end, because of the way you handled things. After all, who could be more reliable than a banker who manages to pay all his creditors even after he's crashed?"
"So ... do you think it would work?"
"I'm sure of it. I might even put money into it myself."
Hugh nodded gratefully. It was important that Greenbourne liked the idea. Everyone in the City sought his opinion, and his approval was worth a lot. Hugh had thought his plan would work, but Greenbourne had put the seal on his confidence.
