installing the Trouvères technology at the Scribal plants. It wouldn’t be difficult to do, and with only a moderate capital outlay on Marston’s part. Any of our engineering teams could adapt the technology for US use.’
‘It would be more expensive than Jamison’s slash and burn clear-cut, at least in the short term,’ Dee said. ‘But in the long term it would pay for itself in a few years. If Trouvères would allow Pneuma Inc. to licence the technology and Scribal to aid in its manufacture and be its sole distributor here in the States, everybody would win.
‘If my projections are right, and I’m pretty sure they are, Marston would recoup his costs and start turning a hefty profit within two years of the plant’s opening. Trouvères would get very nice licence fees, through us, which they would never be able to arrange on their own, with no negative impact on their home market. The trees would get a break, and Marston would get his renewable resource, plus a shining new reputation as a protector of the environment and local jobs. And Pneuma will do very well on the consulting, and licence and engineering fees.’
Ellis held her gaze for a long moment. ‘You do understand that even if we close the deal with Trouvères, there’s still no guarantee that Marston will talk turkey?’
‘He’d be crazy not to,’ Wade said.
Ellis pulled his BlackBerry from his pocket and called his secretary. ‘Lynn, would you reschedule my meetings this afternoon. I’ll be in the Dungeon with Dee and Wade.’ He hung up. ‘I’ve just freed up the rest of the afternoon. Dee, cancel what you need to, and let’s put the full weight of Pneuma Inc. behind this project.’
Once Ellis had given his approval, the Trouvères project moved along at high speed, and the mounting excitement reminded Dee again why she’d always wanted to work for the man. Two weeks later, the numbers were in, and the following week, she and Ellis were off to Paris to meet with Trouvères.
Chapter Twelve
In Paris, Ellis reserved a suite at a small hotel with a courtyard garden near the centre of the city. Sandra told Dee he didn’t like expensive hotel chains or the people who frequented them. The place felt less like a hotel than a comfortable apartment.
Trouvères Manufacturing was in Rouen, an hour’s train ride from the centre of Paris, but the company’s main office was a few blocks off the Champs-Élysées on a boulevard that was a prime example of the understated elegance of 19th-century architecture. The building stood out from its marble-façaded neighbours only in a small bronze plaque set to the left side of the entryway with “Trouvères” engraved in bold, Carolinian script.
Jason Daniels, the company’s chief operations officer, met them in a reception area which looked more like a Napoleonic sitting room than the vanguard of a thriving business. Ellis figured Daniels to be a few years older than he, with confidence bordering on arrogance, clearly a man used to getting what he wanted . What Ellis hadn’t counted on was that Daniels very obviously wanted Dee.
The man scooped her into a bear hug that was way too familiar for Ellis’s liking. ‘Dee! It’s good to see you again. You look fantastic.’ He gave her a sloppy kiss on each cheek, and said something in French that Ellis couldn’t quite make out.
Almost as an afterthought, he offered Ellis a stiff handshake. ‘Thorne. Good to finally meet you.’
‘You two know each other?’ Ellis asked, doing his best to sound matter-of-fact.
‘Didn’t Dee tell you?’ Daniels looked like butter wouldn’t melt. ‘She headhunted me for Trouvères.’
Ellis raked her with a hard glance. ‘She didn’t mention that.’
Daniels continued before Dee could say anything. ‘I don’t mind saying it created quite a stir when I joined Trouvères.’ He leaned closer to Ellis, as though he were imparting a secret. ‘Yvette Rousseau’s not noted for being fond of Americans,
‘It would be more expensive than Jamison’s slash and burn clear-cut, at least in the short term,’ Dee said. ‘But in the long term it would pay for itself in a few years. If Trouvères would allow Pneuma Inc. to licence the technology and Scribal to aid in its manufacture and be its sole distributor here in the States, everybody would win.
‘If my projections are right, and I’m pretty sure they are, Marston would recoup his costs and start turning a hefty profit within two years of the plant’s opening. Trouvères would get very nice licence fees, through us, which they would never be able to arrange on their own, with no negative impact on their home market. The trees would get a break, and Marston would get his renewable resource, plus a shining new reputation as a protector of the environment and local jobs. And Pneuma will do very well on the consulting, and licence and engineering fees.’
Ellis held her gaze for a long moment. ‘You do understand that even if we close the deal with Trouvères, there’s still no guarantee that Marston will talk turkey?’
‘He’d be crazy not to,’ Wade said.
Ellis pulled his BlackBerry from his pocket and called his secretary. ‘Lynn, would you reschedule my meetings this afternoon. I’ll be in the Dungeon with Dee and Wade.’ He hung up. ‘I’ve just freed up the rest of the afternoon. Dee, cancel what you need to, and let’s put the full weight of Pneuma Inc. behind this project.’
Once Ellis had given his approval, the Trouvères project moved along at high speed, and the mounting excitement reminded Dee again why she’d always wanted to work for the man. Two weeks later, the numbers were in, and the following week, she and Ellis were off to Paris to meet with Trouvères.
Chapter Twelve
In Paris, Ellis reserved a suite at a small hotel with a courtyard garden near the centre of the city. Sandra told Dee he didn’t like expensive hotel chains or the people who frequented them. The place felt less like a hotel than a comfortable apartment.
Trouvères Manufacturing was in Rouen, an hour’s train ride from the centre of Paris, but the company’s main office was a few blocks off the Champs-Élysées on a boulevard that was a prime example of the understated elegance of 19th-century architecture. The building stood out from its marble-façaded neighbours only in a small bronze plaque set to the left side of the entryway with “Trouvères” engraved in bold, Carolinian script.
Jason Daniels, the company’s chief operations officer, met them in a reception area which looked more like a Napoleonic sitting room than the vanguard of a thriving business. Ellis figured Daniels to be a few years older than he, with confidence bordering on arrogance, clearly a man used to getting what he wanted . What Ellis hadn’t counted on was that Daniels very obviously wanted Dee.
The man scooped her into a bear hug that was way too familiar for Ellis’s liking. ‘Dee! It’s good to see you again. You look fantastic.’ He gave her a sloppy kiss on each cheek, and said something in French that Ellis couldn’t quite make out.
Almost as an afterthought, he offered Ellis a stiff handshake. ‘Thorne. Good to finally meet you.’
‘You two know each other?’ Ellis asked, doing his best to sound matter-of-fact.
‘Didn’t Dee tell you?’ Daniels looked like butter wouldn’t melt. ‘She headhunted me for Trouvères.’
Ellis raked her with a hard glance. ‘She didn’t mention that.’
Daniels continued before Dee could say anything. ‘I don’t mind saying it created quite a stir when I joined Trouvères.’ He leaned closer to Ellis, as though he were imparting a secret. ‘Yvette Rousseau’s not noted for being fond of Americans,
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