A Battle of Brains Read Online Free PDF Page B

the coffee, I want you to go upstairs and go to the room where Mr. Harpole is sleeping.  He is not bringing a valet and the servants will all be downstairs by then.”
    â€œBut what do you want me to do?” Yolanda asked him in a bewildered voice.
    â€œMr. Harpole will have with him a despatch case.  It will be left upstairs in his room and, of course, it will be locked.  I want you to open it – ”
    â€œBut how can I do that?” Yolanda interrupted.
    â€œI know the make and I have an alternative key that I will give you.  Inside the case you will see a lot of notes and letters.  Because you are very intelligent I want you to quickly look and find those which come from the Doxford Shipyard.”
    He repeated the firm’s name and continued,
    â€œMake a note of what is in the letters as fast as you can, particularly if there are any in his handwriting.  I require copies of those too.  After you have done that, go straight to bed as I rather suspect that Mr. Harpole will not be in a condition for you to find his company very genial if you get caught prying!”
    As he finished speaking, Yolanda gave a gasp.
    â€œWhat you are asking me to do, Step-papa, is to spy on your friend!  It is something that no lady or gentleman for that matter, would ever do.”
    â€œWhat I am requesting,” he replied sharply, “is business .  It is the type of business that takes place all over the world every day.  As I wish to make a larger bid for the ships than Harpole, it will be convenient for me to know what he has already offered.  Also if they have refused or accepted his offer.”
    â€œThen you will offer more for them?”
    â€œOf course I will.”
    â€œBut you must see that what you are suggesting is cheating, Step-papa, and in a most underhand way too, as this Mr. Harpole is supposedly your friend.”
    â€œThere is no need to preach to me,” he snapped.  “There is nothing wrong with what I am telling you to do, it is just standard business practice.  I had no idea you would make such a silly fuss!”
    He took a deep breath and then declared firmly,
    â€œMr. Harpole is not working for himself, but for an American Company.”
    He made a sound, which was almost a laugh.
    â€œHarpole will receive a good rake-off from the deal – of course, he will.  And if I trusted him, which I don’t, I might even suggest that we join hands on this particular purchase, but I have no wish to be too closely connected with him.”
    â€œI don’t think that his sharp practice makes what you ask any better.”
    Mr. Garrack sat back in his chair.
    â€œDoes it really matter what you do or don’t think?  I have requested that you undertake a straightforward job for me.  I feel certain that you can carry it out without making a mistake or missing the items you are looking for.”
    Yolanda sat upright and clenched her fingers.
    â€œI cannot do it, Step-papa!”
    â€œWhy ever not?” he spat back angrily.
    â€œBecause, as I said, it is cheating.  I feel sure that if you asked Mr. Harpole in a straight manner exactly what he was offering for these ships, he would tell you.”
    He laughed and it was not a pretty sound.
    â€œMy dear child – how little you know of the world and how extremely stupid you are!  Of course Mr. Harpole would give me a figure, but if you think it would be the true one, then you must be even more foolish than I thought.”
    â€œYou mean that he would cheat you ?”
    â€œOf course he would cheat me.  We are both men of business and we know only too well the difficult world we are working in.”
    Yolanda did not speak and he went on,
    â€œThen, having asked him point blank what his price is, you can be sure that he would do everything in his power to damage me.  Thus I would find it difficult to approach the firm at all because he would have