William would have welcomed Richard back. There was now a gap on the board of Lester's created by the retirement of Tony Simmons and the death of Ted Leach. Richard would have to return to New York before William's sixtyfifth birthday in ten years, or it would be the first time in over a century that a Kane had not sat in a bank's board room. Cohen had reported that Richard had made a series of brilliant takeover bids for shops that Florentyna needed - but surely the opportunity to become the next chairman of Lester's Bank would mean more to Richard than living with that Rosnovski girl.
Another factor that worried William was that he did not care too much for the new breed of directors now working at the bank. Jake Thomas, the new vice - chairman was the firm favouyite to succeed him as chairman. He might have been educated at Princeton and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, but he was flashy - - too flashy - thought William and far too ambitious, not at all the right sort to be the next chairman of Lester's. He would have to hang on until his sixtyfifth birthday and try to convince Richard that he should join Lester's before then. William was only too aware that Kate would have had Richard back on any terms, but as the years passed, he had found it harder to give way to his better judgment. Thank heaven Virginia's marriage was going well, and now she was pregnant. If Richard refused to return home and give up that Rosnovski girl, he could still leave everything to Virginia - if only she produced a grandson.
William was at his desk in the bank when he had his first heart attack.
Not a very serious one. The doctors told him he should rest a little and he would still live another twenty years. He told his doctor, another bright young man - how he missed Andrew MacKenzie - that he only wanted to survive for ten years to see out his term of office as chain - nan of the bank.
For the few weeks that he had to convalesce at home, William reluctantly allowed Jake Thomas the overall responsibility for the bank's decisions, but as soon as he returned, he.quickly re - established his position as chairman for fear that Thomas might have taken on too much authority in his absence. From time to time, Kate plucked up the coura~ge to beg him to let her make some direct approach to Richard, but William remained obstinate, saying, 'The boy knows he can come home whenever he wants to.
All he has to do is end his relationship with that scheming girl., The day Henry Osborne killed himself, William had a second heart attack.
Kate sat by his bedside all through the night, fearing he would die, but Abel Rosnovski's trial kept him alive. William followed the trial devoutly every day, and he knew Osbome's suicide could only put Rosnovski in a far stronger position. When Rosnovski was finally released with nothing more than a six month's suspended sentence and a twenty - five thousand dollar fine, the lightness of the penalty did not come as a surprise to William.
It wasn't hard to figure out that the goveruftient must have agreed to a deal with Rosnovski's brilliant lawyer.
William was, however, surprised to find himself feeling slightly guilty and somewhat relieved that Abel Rosnovski had not been sent to prison.
Once the trial was over William didn't care if Rosnovski dumped his Interstate Airways stock or not. He was still ready for him. But nothing happened, and as the weeks passed, William began to lose interest in the Chicago Baron and could only think of Richard, whom he now desperately wanted to see again. 'Old age and fear of death allows for sudden changes of the heart,' he had once read. One morning in September, he informed Kate of his wish. She didn't ask why he had changed his mind; it was enough for her that William wanted to see his only son.
'I'll call Richard in San Francisco immediately and invite them both,' she told him, and was pleasantly surprised that the word 'both' didn't seem to shock her husband.
'That will be fine,' said William, quietly. Tlease tell Richard that I want to see him again before I die.'
'Don't be silly, darling. The doctor said that if you take it easy you'll live for another twenty years.'
'I only want to complete my term as chairman at the bank and see Richard take my place on the board. That will be enough. Why don't you fly to the coast again and tell Richard of my request, Kate?'
'What do you mean, again?' asked Kate nervously.
William smiled. 'I know you've been to San Francisco several times already, my darling. For the last few years whenever I go away on a business trip, you've always used the excuse to visit your mother, but when she died last year, your excuses became increasingly improbable. We've been married for twenty - eight years and by now I think I'm aware of all your habits. You're still as lovely as the day I met you, my darling, but I do believe that at fifty - four you're unlikely to have a lover. So it wasn't all that hard for me to work out that you had been visiting Richard.'