Missing

29. Banking

"We need to find a Swiss lawyer to assist you in concluding the purchase," David said as they drove down the deeply rutted lane toward the road.

"I'll ask Jacob who he uses. Probably someone in Unterhallau. We can visit while we're in town. I'm so pleased with this. I was prepared to offer Greta her full asking price, one ninety. You've saved me forty thousand Francs. I must give you some of that."

"Tante, no."

"Remember our last discussion on this, David? You must allow me the satisfaction of rewarding you. I'll add another five thousand Francs to your fee."

"That's far too generous." He turned onto the road and sped up a little with the smoother going.

"Sweetheart." She touched his arm. "You've more than earned it. It will set you up well to provide for Maria. There'll be no need for you to struggle during your first years like most must."

"Yesterday I calculated how long it would take me to earn the sales commission with my Army wages." He looked at her and shook his head. "Over seven years, Tante, seven years. Now, with this, it's more than ten years pay. More than that, though, Canadians are the best-paid soldiers in this war. It would take a British private four and a half times as long, nearly fifty years, a whole lifetime of work. This is not a small sum of money you're offering."

"Great! That's the kind of cushion you need to allow you to live comfortably and be fulfilled. You're very inventive and creative, and those are talents which aren't always well rewarded. Many creative people must abandon their passions and do mundane things just to eat."

"I'm beyond words to express my thanks."

"You've earned it. You put me ahead more than two hundred thousand Francs beyond where I'd have been without you."

He nodded. "Back to the purchase. I'm pleased Greta will be staying. That will be beneficial both to you and to her. She knows the details and the foibles of the place and can offer much. You'll offer her the family and companionship she seems to so sorely miss."

"I sensed her sadness yesterday as she spoke of her children and of Franz. It seemed natural to ask if she wished to stay."

David saw Maria at the end of the lane as they neared. He eased the lorry to a stop beside her. "Hey, pretty lady, want a ride?"

She curtsied then scampered across the road to the door and climbed in, easing past Bethia to sit next to David. "From your smiles, it looks as if you've bought it. My curiosity wouldn't allow me to wait for you to drive up the lane."

"And Greta will be staying on with us. I'm still bubbling with the excitement of it all." Bethia said. "I'm sore from pinching myself."

David concentrated on the road, driving slowly enough to keep the whine of the gears from interfering with the women's conversation. He saw their surprise at how quickly they arrived in town as he braked to a stop across the street from the bank.

As they sat in the manager's office a quarter hour later, waiting for an accountant to bring in some forms, Bethia looked at David and said, "We didn't get a chance to ask Jacob about his lawyer." She turned to the manager. "I've just agreed to purchase a wine estate, can you recommend a good lawyer?"

"There are three in town with whom we prefer dealing. I'll have the accountant give you their addresses. What property, if I might ask?"

"The Frith place on the road to Erzingen."

"Sonnenhang, that's a splendid site. What a shame it's been allowed to decline. You've taken into account its deteriorated state?"

"Most certainly. David drew on his university studies as he did his research, then filled dozens of pages with calculations to come up with the value."

"If I may... We had a client interested last summer, and we prepared a valuation for him. He made an offer, but it was dismissed." He looked at David. "What value did you determine?"

David looked at Bethia, saw her nod, then he turned back to the manager. "One hundred and forty-eight thousand."

The manager smiled. "If I recall, our valuation was one fifty-five." He pulled a drawer, chose a folder and opened it. "Yes, one fifty-five."

"A year's further deterioration and the declining interest with the move to the cities, and of course, the uncertainties with the war."

"Yes, certainly ... So she refused one fifty-five but accepted the one forty-eight ... I guess she tired of waiting."

"No, she refused one forty. Your client was trying a low opening gambit, which insulted the Friths, and they refused any further negotiation."

The manager frowned. "So what did you offer?"

"I recommended she offer one fifty, thinking that Frau Frith would counter at that amount. It worked."

The manager nodded. "We can use a skilled valuation person. Might you be interested?"

"I have other commitments."

"We can be very aggressive with salary."

"Possibly later, there are ..." He paused when the accountant knocked and entered the office.

After Bethia had read the document, she passed it to David to review. "So, you're guaranteeing a nine-point-seven premium on this?"

"Yes, that's been booked by wire with Zürich," the accountant said. He pointed to the document. "This figure here, two hundred fifty-two thousand, three hundred ten."

David nodded and passed the papers back to Bethia for her signatures. The manager then signed the papers and gave Bethia her copy.

"To save a trip ... While I'm here, may I arrange to have some of this transferred to David's account?"

"We can draw up a transfer pending the arrival of your funds." He nodded to the accountant.

David took his account book from his pocket and handed it to the accountant while Bethia explained the amounts. "Five per cent of the yield plus five thousand Francs."

"We've not seen you here before. You're new in town," the manager made conversation as they waited for the accountant to return.

"We're moving back from Germany." Bethia glanced at Maria and David. "Their steadily growing economy had attracted us, but current events there have turned the idea into a bad experiment. We still have vineyards, wineries, houses and other things there, but it's better to leave them be until this madness ends."

After the accountant had brought in the transfer request for Bethia's signature, as well as the information on lawyers, the manager rose to shake hands and thank them for their business. "Keep my offer in mind, Herr Meier. We need bright young people. We wish there were more like you."