Bill’s mind was not really on work the following week. One of his colleagues John Arbuthnot noticed it.
“Ok Bill. Who is she and do we know her or more importantly, have I known her?”

“Eh?”

“You are clearly going through the motions this week. You messed up a trade yesterday. It was lucky that I spotted it otherwise your position would have been down by a mere trifle of three million quid. So, once again, who is she and do we, your partners in crime know her?”

“Sorry to disappoint you John, it is not a she. It is a thing and I have to decide by the end of the week.”

“Hey man, are you selling that lovely set of wheels already? Didn’t you have to wait more than six months to get them in the first place.”

“No, it is not the Ferrari but if things go in one direction then I’ll be selling it. Are you interested in one slightly used Yellow Peril on wheels?”

“Mates discount?”

Bill managed a smile.

“Yeah. I’ll find out what a dealer would give me in cash for it and its yours for the same. Not a trade in.”

“Fair enough but what will you do for wheels? You gotta have something to attract the ‘Fillies’. The Lambo I rented for Henley weekend, got me three dates this week.”

Bill laughed.

“No second date chances then?”

“Maybe. You never know eh?”

“Well, I promise to give you first refusal if I decide to sell the car. Deal?”

“Deal.”

John went off with a big smile on his face. He was a confirmed petrol-head but his last car, an Aston Martin DB9 was stolen and nearly written off by the thief. He never drove it after it was repaired as he said that it had been contaminated by the Thief. Since he sold it, he’d rented any cars he’d needed to pull women for dates.

---

Bill took time that week to review his life and how he was living. His flat was pristine. Well, it should be as he really only slept there and had a cleaner come in twice a week. As far as he could remember, he’d never cooked anything other than in the microwave in the four years he’d owned the place.

By the time Friday came around again, he’d realised that his life was ‘vacuous’. There was no substance to it apart from work and parties at the weekend that were occasionally spiced up with a nice woman and some drugs. Harry was right, he needed to escape before it was too late.

Bill phoned Harry that evening,

“You were right Harry. I need to get out. I’ll quit on Monday.”

“Don’t leave it too long. The sands in my timer are running out,” replied Harry in a very matter of fact way.

“Don’t worry Harry. I’ll be there before the end of the month. Fuck the three months’ notice in my contract. When I tell them, they’d take me off the floor and let me kick my heels. They’ll only be too glad to let me go especially as I’m not going to the competition and not have to pay me to sit at home on gardening leave.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“See you soon Harry.”

“Not Harry. I’m going out as Penny. Sod the comments but that is how I want to be buried. I’ve already started the process. Just a few formalities to go and the deal will be done.”

“Ok Penny.”

“Don’t be late on Saturday. There is someone you need to meet.”

“Who?”

“You will find out on Saturday.”

Bill knew that Harry/Penny would not budge.

“Ok. Penny. You win.”

“Naturally.”

---

Bill knew how Harry had ‘left the building’. He did debate doing the same but chickened out of the dramatics but if everything went according to plan, he only had one more day at work to endure. Since the weekend with Harry his whole life had been turned upside down but now he realised in a good way.

Monday was going to be a dull day. The US Markets were closed and so was Tokyo. It was the perfect setting for telling people that he was going from the trading floor. Thankfully he didn’t have a position to keep because the Friday before was a settlement day. It was the perfect time to bow out. It was almost as if Harry had engineered it but he hadn't.

Bill got into the office early and sat at his desk with his feet up and a large Coffee in his hand ostensibly waiting for the markets to open at 08:00.

Gradually, the rest of the dealers arrived as the time to the opening of the market counted down. When the market opened Bill just sat there and waited for someone to notice.

The first to do so was John Arbuthnot.

“Hey Bill, are you on Holiday today?”

“Nah. I’ve resigned as of now.”

John did a double and then a triple take.
"Spread the word there a good chap. I've already put me letter of resignation on the desk of the head of HR."

After a lot of stuttering John disappeared to do the good deed.

Within a few minutes, the ripple of gossip on the floor was clearly audible. Soon it was out on the wires where it even drowned out the latest profits warning and store closures from a High Street Retailer. That is how their community works. Everyone knows everyone else so a sudden departure like Bill's was going to create ripples well beyond the City of London.

A little after 09:30 his phone rang. He’d been expecting this call.

“Hello?”

“Yes. When?”

“Ok, I’m on my way.”

With a sigh, he put the phone down and left his desk and made his way off the floor possibly for the last time. He’d already packed what things he wanted to take with him into a decidedly tatty M&S bag. He carried this with him hoping that he’d be shown the door that very morning.

He’d been summoned to the Chief Operating Officer’s Office. His letter of resignation had quickly made its way from HR to the highest Executive level withing the company. He’d never been up this high in the building before. This would be his first and last time.

Bill took a deep breath and walked into the COO’s office.

“Ah Bill, please take a seat,” said Tony McPherson, the COO. He was sitting at his desk flanked by three other people.

Bill sat and waited for someone to say something.

“Bill, care to explain why the sudden departure? Who are you going to work for? We do have client confidentiality to consider.”

“Well, Mr McPherson, on that last part, you don’t have to worry about that. As for who I’m going to work for? Well, it is a long story but suffice to say, it will be with my Godfather, Harry Winchester.”

At the mention of Harry’s name two of those present went white in the face. Bill thought it prudent to add a little more detail.

“As you know, Harry left the City some twenty odd years ago. I won’t go into the detail but he is seriously ill and has only a few months to live. I’m going to help him see out his final days and then take over his business. However, I would appreciate that the information about Harry’s health remains within this room.”

There was silence for several seconds. Ms Chandler, head of group HR asked the next question. She was well known for being a know-it-all who knew close to nothing.

“What sort of business is it? Does it compete with us?”

The other two who’d gone white in the face at the mention of Harry’s name rolled their eyes. They were old enough to have been in the City when he quit.

“Harry runs a smallholding deep in the countryside. Vegetables, Fruit and some Poultry. I don’t see any competition issues there, do you?”

The two who’d rolled their eyes now smiled back at Bill.

“So yes, I’m following my Godfather out of the city. No, I won’t reconsider and no, I won’t be coming back,” said Bill gaining confidence.

“I’d like to leave today if possible. I don’t have a market position to reconcile so it is as good time as any to get out. I’ll sign any forms you want. My Financial Advisor will be in touch regarding my Bonus and Pension.”

Bill smiled at the people in front of him. He’d found it surprisingly easy to tell the boss that he was leaving. He felt that his stress levels were already declining.

“Well?” asked Bill.
“Am I good to go?”

“Leaving without notice is highly irregular,” commented Ms Chandler.
“You should serve your contracted term of three months.”

Bill smiled.

“Fine, I’ll take it as Gardening Leave starting today then?”

“Ms Chandler, I think we should let Bill go now,” said the COO.
“He’s not going to be a business risk to us so it would be better for everyone to let him leave now. Any dissentions?” asked the COO.

Ms Chandler was about to raise her hand but realised that none of the others would support her so she said and did nothing.

The COO Stood up, came out from behind his desk and went to shake Bill’s hand.

“Give my regards to Harry and remind him that he owes me £50 for the bet on the Rugby World cup back in ’03.”

“I will,” replied a smiling Bill.

The COO turned to Ms Chandler.
“Please make sure that all the paperwork is done today.”
Her face turned sour.

After a moment’s reflection he added,
“Make that within the hour.”

Ms Chandler was clearly not happy at being steamrollered but she had no choice buy to go along with it. Bill smiled. There was a rumour that she was the Mistress of the COO which might explain a lot.

Bill walked out of the building for the last time exactly 93 minutes and 20 seconds after the phone call he’d received at his now former desk. His mind was already occupied with other things. He felt a free man again.

By the end of the week, Bill had put his apartment on the market and accepted the offer from his colleague to buy his Ferrari. He was sad to see it go but it was a symbol of his past life and not the new Bill. He’d also sold most of his furniture to another apartment holder in his block. He’d lost quite a bit of money on the deal but he just wanted rid of it.

On the Friday, Bill took delivery of a six-year old Land Rover Discovery. He hoped that it was not too upmarket for Harry who drove an ancient Shogun that had most definitely seen better days. The transmission on the Shogun was clearly on its last legs if the whine was anything to go by so Bill was not taking any chances.

---

Bright and early on the Saturday morning, Bill loaded up all the things he wanted to keep with him into the car and set off for Harry’s or rather the location of the Farmer’s Market that Harry was attending that day.

Bill found Harry looking very tired and ashen faced but nevertheless, he was in full flow serving customers.

“I’m here Harry. You go take a rest. I’ll finish up.”

“Thanks Bill. I’ll be in the Café around the corner. That person I wanted you to meet will be there at 1pm.”

Before Bill could challenge Harry, he’d left Bill to run the store.

Just before the allotted time and with almost everything that could be sold, sold and the stall all packed up and loaded into Harry’s Shogun Bill made his way to the Café.

Harry was sitting right by the window tucking into a plate of food. His colour had returned which made Bill feel a lot better.

“Everything’s packed away,” said Bill as he sat down opposite Harry.

“Good,” said Harry between mouthfuls.

“Should you be eating that?” asked Bill as he looked at the plate of Ham, Egg and Chips that Harry was scoffing.

“The Doc says it really does not matter now so I’m going to enjoy what little time I have left. Are you going to deny a condemned man some last pleasures?”

Bill could not argue with that. He ordered the same food as Harry plus a large mug of Tea.
As he did so, he realised that Harry was indeed resigned to die pretty soon. He’d not twigged before when Harry had told him about ‘going out as Penny. Seeing it right before his very eyes made it all too real.

Bill had just finished his food when the visitor arrived. Harry spotted her as she came into the Café. She smiled when she saw Harry. When she'd sat down at the table, Harry said,

“Bill, meet Constance or Connie for short.”

The woman who was about Bill’s age was wearing a well-used Barbour jacket with overalls underneath sat down next to Harry.

“What lies has Harry been telling about me?” she joked.

Bills face went blank.

“Er… nothing. All he’d say was that there was someone he wanted me to meet.”

Connie rolled her eyes.

“That’s my Harry.”

“Your Harry?” asked a puzzled if not confused Bill.

“Bill, Connie is my Daughter.”

If Bill had been standing up you could have knocked him down with a feather.

“I…. I didn’t know,” he stuttered.

Connie smiled.

“Harry and my mother had a brief fling. When Dad found out about me being on the way, he offered to marry mum but she said no. Harry made sure that we were ok with money and well, he’d been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember.”

A beaming Harry joined in,
“Connie is a Vet. She works at a practice here. Her speciality is Farm Animals.”

Bill began to understand her clothes.

“I was working this morning. TB testing at a farm about 10 miles away. But I could not ignore Dad’s summons.”

Connie reached over and held out her hand.
“I’ve heard a lot about you Bill. Pleased to meet you at last.”

Bill took her hand and as was his norm, he noticed that she was not wearing a ring on her ‘ring’ finger. He bit his lip and hoped that his glance had not been noticed. That was something the old Bill would do when meeting a pretty woman for the first time yet despite his determination to break that 'city' habbit he'd reverted to normal. He hated himself for it.

“The same here even though this is a bit of a shock for me. Until just now, I didn’t know you existed.”

“Yeah. That’s Harry through and through. When I graduated Vet Colleger, he just stood at the back and smiled while all the other parents were taking photos and celebrating, Harry just kept out of the limelight. All I needed to know was that he was there supporting me.”

“Your mother? Does she live around here?”

“Mum? Haven’t a clue where she is. Upped sticks and left home the day after I turned eighteen. Left me with a huge amount of debt as well. Harry came to the rescue and sorted everything out. Then he put me through Vet School.”

Connie put her arm around Harry who’d gone pretty red in the face.

After giving her father a quick peck on the cheek, Connie got up from the table.

“Still on for lunch tomorrow?”

“Naturally,” replied Harry who was grinning with obvious pride.

“Ok. I’ll walk over about one.”

With that, she was gone.

“Walk over?”

“Oh, didn’t I say, she lives next door to us. She lives in the Sussex Cob Cottage down the lane from my place.”

As Bill followed Harry back to the smallholding, Bill could not help but think that Harry was trying to set him up with Connie.

“But, why would she be interested in a complete idiot when it came to living in the country like him? Why would she?”

[to be continued in Part 3]