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“I don’t think that will be necessary,” said Mellor, who had spent some considerable time preparing a speech, which he now had no intention of delivering. “I leave my record to speak for itself.”
As Emma had now run out of delaying tactics, she was left with no choice but to call on the company secretary to carry out the roll call.
Webster rose from his place and read out the names of each director, starting with the chairman, Mrs. Clifton.
“I shall abstain,” said Emma.
“Mr. Maynard?”
“For.”
“Mr. Dixon?”
“Against.”
“Mr. Anscott?”
“For.”
“Mr. Knowles?”
“For.”
“Mr. Dobbs?”
“Against.”
He too had kept his word. Emma kept looking toward the door.
“Mr. Carrick?”
“For.”
Emma looked surprised. The last time they’d spoken, Carrick had given her his assurance that he wouldn’t be supporting Mellor. Who had been the last person to sit on that particular cushion, she wondered.
“Admiral Summers?”
“Against.”
Not a man to desert his friends.
“Mr. Clifton?”
Webster looked around the table and, satisfied that Sebastian wasn’t present, wrote Absent by his name.
“Mr. Bingham?”
“Against.”
No surprise. He disliked Mellor almost as much as she did.
Emma smiled. Four all. As chairman, she wouldn’t hesitate to exercise her casting vote to stop Mellor becoming deputy chairman.
“And finally, Mr. Mellor?” said the company secretary.
“For,” he said firmly.
Emma was momentarily stunned. But turning to Mellor, she eventually managed, “You told me only yesterday that you would be abstaining, which is why I did so myself. Had I known of this change of heart—”
