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That was all very well, to speed up the process, thought Ellen, but it wasn’t what had been said at the meeting. There, it was simply the categories for awards that had been mentioned. Any Executive Council member not paying close attention could easily find that they had unwittingly agreed to something they hadn’t even been aware of. If she didn’t know him better, Ellen might have suspected Claude was trying to gain Executive Council approval by the back door. It was naughty of him, and she meant to bring it up next time they spoke. He had a lot to deal with, she realised that, and she was well aware that other people weren’t such sticklers for accuracy as she. But it was the principle of the thing.
She glanced at her watch. Exactly nine-thirty a.m.; the time, she had long since decided, after which it was professionally acceptable to telephone someone. Picking up her receiver, she began to dial. Since the Council meeting she had been watching the post with much greater than average interest. Every day she’d venture down to the porter’s lodge, trying to suppress a flush of excitement at the prospect of a letter from Claude, saying that her proposals had been agreed to. But, alas, there had been nothing. After a week of such mornings, she had decided that ten days was a reasonable waiting time. If she hadn’t heard anything by then, she’d be perfectly within her rights to call up to enquire. And today was day number ten.
‘Oh, Claude, Ellen Kennedy here,’ she announced when, to her relief, he answered the phone.
‘Ellen, so good of you to call. There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.’
Oh dear, she thought, bracing herself for disappointment. If he wanted to discuss something, it sounded far from straightforward. Would it mean some form of revision, perhaps? Or a great reduction in activity?
‘I expect you’re calling about the funding?’
‘Well, if it comes thr
ough it will mean quite important changes to my timetable,’ she explained. ‘I like to plan—’
‘Of course. Quite understand. I’ve spoken to quite a few of the Council members so far and your ideas have received a great deal of support.’
‘I see.’
‘But the consultation process is continuing. I hope to have it completed within a week or so.’
‘Good.’
‘Rest assured I’ll telephone you straight away when I have something definite.’
She couldn’t help wondering what it was he wanted to talk to her about. Evidently it wasn’t to do with her proposals which, she supposed, was something of a blessing.
‘You received the minutes?’ he asked her now.
‘I did. It all seemed straightforward – except for the awards scheme.’
At the other end, Claude Bonning closed his eyes wearily. Of all the committee members, Ellen Kennedy had been the one he’d most expected to pick him up on it. He hadn’t been wrong.
‘Award categories were discussed very briefly at the end,’ she said now, ‘but nothing was said about short listed companies. I’m sure I would have remembered.’
‘You’re quite right.’ He realised nothing was to be gained by arguing the point.
‘Some of the Council members,’ she continued, ‘might find they’d agreed to giving prizes they knew nothing about. That’s my fear.’
‘I see what you’re saying.’ He tried to be conciliatory. ‘My reason for doing it this way is simply to do with timing. Our sponsors, who are donating substantially, want to see some evidence that GlobeWatch, as an organisation, actually exists. Now, you don’t need me to point out that it’s going to take a very long while before the various programmes proposed bear fruit. An awards ceremony is one way to make impact very quickly. But even so, there are function rooms to be booked, administration to be worked out, and then there’s the media …’
‘I see,’ she said, in a dry tone that suggested she quite probably didn’t.
Claude kneaded his forehead with fingers and thumb. Ellen Kennedy was someone he needed on board, perhaps more than any of them. She was the one Elliott North had been so desperate to sign up from the very beginning. She was vital to the plan.
After a pause she said, ‘I suppose it’s not what’s being done that concerns me, so much as the way it’s being done.’
‘Well, I am discussing this very point with each Council member individually.’
‘Nominations for the awards?’ She wanted to be clear.
‘That’s right. I’m c-canvassing for opinions.’
The reality was he’d been tiptoeing around the issue, trying to get agreement with as little real discussion as possible. Most of the Council members had obliged.
‘Well, so long as everyone has had their say.’ She sounded placated.
‘Of course. Do you have any comments?’
