i 51ddca29df3edad1 by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page A

said, "Well, that's easily explained. But it shouldn't need any explaining because you know yourself you send out an estimate and some of these beggars will beat you down to the last penny. They say A, B and C have put in theirs at hundreds less; you know this quite well, you're getting them every day. Well now, the job was six thousand five hundred, right?" He paused, waiting for a reply, but when Harry continued to stare at him he went on, "We put on another seven hundred and fifty. Why? Again because Halli- day is a new customer and if we can drop a few hundreds, say, down to six five, the original estimate, we've got him for good and all... see?"
    "Yes, yes, I can see that." But even as he said it he 5s:new that Halliday's estimate would never be dropped to six five not while his father-in-law was dealing with it.
    "Now about the Lovell's estimate; nobody outside those immediately concerned knows we've taken over Lovell's yet. Lovell's was a small private building company; their work was very high class and you've got to pay for high class work; so, therefore, when Halliday sent to Lovell's for an estimate I gave an estimate according to the work that Lovell's would likely have put in ..."
    "But that's the point. You'll give this job to Bradley or Kershaw or one of the others; they're not of Lovell's standard."
    Dave Rippon closed his eyes and leaned against the back of his chair, and then he said, "If you were getting an estimate in from one firm for seven thousand two hundred and fifty and for the same kind of work you got an estimate for eight thousand from another firm which would you take? Go on, tell me which one you would take? You know damn well which one you would take." Again he was leaning forward, his forearms stretched across the desk now, his hands flat as before.
    "We sent Lovell's out just as a matter of business. It's BUSINESS.
    We're not thieves or gangsters, we're business men. This is a business house. Oh lord! " He now rose to his feet, thrusting his chair back against the wall.
    "At this stage of your career I shouldn't be giving you a lecture on business ethics."
    "Perhaps you should."
    "What!" Dave Rippon turned and looked down on Harry.
    "What if Halliday, being a finicky kind of man, I don't know if he is, but just say he is, what if he plumps for Lovell's estimate?"
    "Then he deserves to pay eight thousand, that's all I can say." Dave Rippon was bending down to Harry now, his face on a level with his head, and below his breath he said, "Why these scruples all of a sudden?"
    Harry looked away from his father-in-law's face before saying quietly,
    "I don't think they are sudden." Then he dared to add, "A decent profit, that's business, but ... but this is Jiggerypokery. And have you thought what this man's going to say when he discovers that Peamarsh and Lovell are one and the same firm." "I don't care what he thinks." Dave Rippon was standing straight now and his voice sounded calm and cold.
    "The point stands that Lovell's was a high class firm and had highly skilled workmen, we've taken them over; nothing has changed."
    Oh my God I Harry groaned to himself. What could you say, how could you come back at this kind of twisted thinking? Half of Lovell's men were scattered among Bradley and Kershaw's. Whatever good work Lovell's men had done as a combined force was finished, but could you convince a man like Dave Rippon that this was so.
    "Look." Dave Rippon's voice came in sharp and high.
    "What you want is a holiday, or'--he poked his face forward again-- 'a change of job."
    "Perhaps you're right."
    Harry got to his feet, and Dave Rippon, sensing the battle of words he'd have with his daughter should her husband for any reason leave his protection, swallowed deeply and his tone, conciliatory now, said,
    "Come on, come on. Look, leave this to me. I'll straighten it out to fit your conscience. It's Christmas;
    come on, forget about it. " He put his hand on Harry's shoulder and walked him towards the