“I take it we’ll decline,” Gary adds.
Decline? My head jerks up.
“Can you think what it would do to our reputation?” Luke says with a short laugh. “Turn down the job. But tactfully,” he adds with a frown. “If he’s buying the Daily World, we don’t want to offend him.”
“Don’t decline!” I blurt out before I can stop myself.
Both men turn to me in surprise, and I force a lighthearted laugh. “I mean… shouldn’t you look at both sides of the argument? Before you make your decision.”
“Becky, as far as I’m concerned there is only one argument,” says Luke crisply. “Nathan Temple is not the sort of character I want associated with my company.” He opens his menu. “We should order.”
“Don’t you think that’s a bit judgmental?” I say desperately. “ ‘Cast not the first clout’ and all that.”
“What?” Luke sounds astonished.
“It’s in the Bible!”
Luke gives me a look.
“Do you mean stone?” he says.
“Er…”
Oh. Maybe he’s right. But stone… clout… what’s the difference?
“The point is—” I begin.
“The point is,” Luke interrupts, “Brandon Communications does not want to be associated with someone who has a criminal record. Let alone the rest of it.”
“But that’s so… narrow-minded! Most people have probably got a criminal record these days!” I gesture widely with my arms. “I mean, who sitting round this table does not have some kind of criminal record?”
There’s a short silence.
“Well,” says Luke. “I don’t. Gary doesn’t. You don’t.”
I look at him, taken aback. I suppose he’s right. I don’t.
That’s quite a surprise, actually. I’d always thought of myself as living on the edge.
“Even so—”
“Becky, what’s brought this on, anyway?” Luke frowns. “Why are you so obsessed with Nathan Temple?”
“I’m not obsessed!” I say hurriedly. “I’m just… interested in your clients. And prospective clients.”
“Well, he’s not my client. Nor my prospective client,” says Luke with finality. “And neither will he ever be.”
“Right. Well… that’s pretty clear.”
We all study our menus. At least, the other two are studying their menus. I’m pretending to study mine, while my mind goes skittering round and round.
I put the phone down and sink onto the bed, my heart thumping. All this stress is going to give me a heart attack. Maybe I should try some of my yoga exercises from Sri Lanka. I cross my legs and close my eyes.
Breathe in. Breathe out. I am a radiant being of white light. My body is a temple.
Temple. Oh God…
“Becky?” Luke opens the door, and I nearly fall off the bed in terror.
“What? What is it?”