Chapter 12: Chapter 12

"Who are your friends?" asked Pryor when they had got rid of Benno and the delivery

man. "It sounds to me as though Mum is down from the bush and she's trying to play

ladies."

Mrs. Flanagan would have been mortified to hear this remark. For an acute observer

to pick her out straight away as a country person would have been a terrible blow

considering the time and money she had spent trying to conceal the fact that she had

been born and raised amongst the miners at Ballarat. Her painfully acquired accent

and manners had not deceived Pryor.

Gabriel explained they were from a mining village called Walhalla and her husband,

Timothy, had large share-holdings in some lucrative mines in the vicinity.

Pryor whistled! "Rich heiresses, eh? This'll do me. I can just see meself with a rich

wife. Call 'em in, mate. Let's have a talk with these wealthy little fillies."

Benno had gone, the carrier had gone, and Mrs. Flanagan and Myrtle were delighted

to be formally introduced to Mr. James Pryor the rising young business man,

impeccably dressed and obviously with pots of money.

"Mr. Flanagan is taking us to the theatre on Saturday night," said Mrs. Flanagan. "We

are to have an early dinner at the Cafe de Paris and after that we're going to the

Theatre Royal. They tell me it is a lovely place and the plays and shows they put on

are very, very tasteful. Really we came along to persuade Mr. Fox to come with us. Pa

is looking forward to seeing him again and then afterwards we thought we would call

into an oyster bar. There are some quite respectable ones in Swanston Street And

what about you Mr. Pryor? Do you have any plans? Can we persuade you to come

also? I am sure any friend of Mr. Fox's would be most welcome in our family group."

Little persuasion was required to induce Mr. Pryor to assent to this agreeable scheme;

it was clear that the absent Mr. Flanagan was to be their host for the evening, and on

these terms the young agent was willing to go to any place of entertainment they

cared to name and eat anything that was served up in any restaurant in Melbourne.

It was thrilling for the ladies to learn that he was the Chairman of Directors of the

Melbourne and London Amicable Building Society and that Mr. Fox had this day

become a member of the board and that the society had large plans for building low

cost workmen's homes partly for profit but more importantly as a public benefaction.

The society was open for those who wished to deposit money against a guarantee of a

future cheap house loan, and this stainlessly pure organisation was also willing to

accept capital.

It was clear, of course, that investment capital would be accepted only after a close

examination of the credentials of those who wished to take advantage of the

opportunity.

consortium or monopoly that had amassed money by dubious or dishonest means

had no hope of pressing it on to the Melbourne and London Amicable Building

Society.

Mr. Pryor somehow gave the impression that the Melbourne and London Amicable

Building Society was a concern of great age and respectability, and extremely

wealthy. The fact that it had been registered only an hour ago and had a paid up

capital of £1 did not come out in the course of conversation.

He made it clear that gold-miners, or those who gained money by hard labour, were

more than welcome to invest in the society. The board would look very favourably on

any worthy citizen who had money put by and wished to become even more

prosperous; it was only natural that such a person should decide to diversify his

interests so as to render his future secure and provide a splendid marriage settlement

for his daughters or other children.

Mrs. Flanagan was totally captivated by this eligible and elegant young man with his

large talk of finance and the golden future of the colony. Never had any woman

discovered two such excellent, prospective sons-in-law as she had encountered in

three days.

Any mama with daughters of marriageable age would snap them up and she

considered how best to secure them against other predatory mothers while her

daughters exerted their best guile to clinch a possible union. Perhaps if Papa was to

become a large share-holder in the society that would give the family some sort of

extra standing in the eyes of the young men.

One thing that had to be done was to woo them away from any desire they might have

for the low company of drunken labourers or the like; but this was only a minor

matter. It could be arranged after the young men had been manoeuvred into

becoming suitors of her two daughters. A whole world of glittering possibilities had

suddenly appeared to Mrs. Flanagan.

The young Mr. Pryor could represent an opening into the best of Melbourne society.

Such a man must have an entree into all the salons of the city and with this

opportunity to widen her social contacts there was no limit to the chances her two

daughters could have.

In an instant she visualized the coming-out ball. The glittering assembly rooms, the

musicians, her daughters dressed in beautiful white ball-gowns escorted by these

wealthy young men in severely formal yet elegant dinner suits.

The girls were being presented to -- could she dare reach so high? -- were being

presented to vice-regal personages. In Victoria all things were possible - even that.

"I'm sure Papa would be very interested in talking to you about the society," she said.

"I have often told him to find some sure investment that would be profitable yet safe.

Girls, how many times have you heard me say to your father that he should find some

completely respectable building society and then take the dividends every quarter?

So much easier than working with his hands."

Myrtle agreed. She was unable to recall her mother saying anything of the sort, but

this was not the time to contradict her. If they had not been constrained by the

presence of the young men a spirited argument would have developed, but at present

they were working with a common accord.

The conversation turned to Tuesday's outing to the Cup and the good fortune that had

attended their visit until they were interrupted by the entry into the shop of the lady

who had called only the day before inquiring about obtaining a boarding-house.

She still had on a brown bonnet and severe dress and clutched her reticule and

umbrella tightly as though expecting to have them snatched away at any moment.

She watched grimly as Mrs. Flanagan called her daughters and Mr. Pryor held the

shop door open and bowed them out. All curtseyed as they went past the two young

gentlemen who bowed politely in return.

"Saturday evening at six at Menzies," said Mrs. Flanagan graciously as they withdrew

to mutual courtesies, leaving the men to the conduct of their business affairs.

"Madam!" said Mr. Pryor, bowing politely yet again as Fox put out a chair for the

client to sit on.

She seemed to mentally check her possessions, which were the furled umbrella and

her reticule before she chose to speak.

"My name is Chittering, and this is my second visit here," she said. Mr. Pryor inclined

his head politely and waited for her to continue. "There was a man in this shop, a

draper,'' she said, who addressed me in terms that no lady could endure and remain a

lady."

Mr. Pryor was shocked at this revelation.

"He said things to me that were highly offensive and if I had a husband, and was not a

defenceless female, that person would have been horsewhipped the same day: But

this young man, Mr Fox, as he is known" did nothing to protect me. He listened

instead to a tirade of abuse of which I have not heard the like in - in thirty five years of

life, and I hope that I never have to endure again, and will not endure again. Now, if

you are the proprietor I ask what you intend to do about this matter. I ask if you

consider this the proper sort of behaviour that should take place in what pretends to

be a respectable business?"

Mr. Pryor was aghast to discover such a shameful episode had occurred in his

absence. The firm of Pryor and Fox, Victorian representatives of the utterly reputable

Melbourne and London Amicable Building Society had never known of such a

disgraceful and unforgivable occurrence to take place on its premises before this

unfortunate day.

"But you only opened yesterday," the lady reminded him.

Nevertheless, there was a principle at stake. The London directors would be highly

disturbed if a report of this nature were to reach them and, no doubt, would institute

an inquiry that could lead to the most far-reaching consequences.

However the client concerned had been informed by Mr. Fox that his remarks were of

a grossly offensive nature and that his type of business was not welcomed by the

partnership, whether as Pryor and Fox, or as representatives of the Melbourne and

London Amicable Building Society.

In the meantime, if the lady was still interested in purchasing real estate, the

matter would have the close personal attention of Mr. Pryor himself. He was sure that

the resources of the agency could produce a property that would be ideal for

whatever purpose the lady had in mind and he would take special care in negotiating

a low price in order to make up for the embarrassment and mental anguish she had

endured.

Their client was soothed by Mr. Pryor's manner and flow of language, and in view of

the remarks he made about possible difficulties from the London office and his

promise of personal attention to her requirements she decided to give Pryor and Fox

a second chance.

Once more she described what she considered to be an ideal boarding house with an

even more comprehensive list of matters, situations, and neighbourhoods that would

not conform to her vision of a safe and morally acceptable house of lodging for

commercial gentlemen.

This caused Mr. Pryor to purse his lips and think deeply in trying to recall any

property that would meet such an extensive catalogue of requirements.

He had no doubt that there was a solution to the lady's problem. Mr. Fox's experience

in London real-estate offices together with his own intimate knowledge of the

property market in Melbourne would ensure the discovery and selection of a large

house at a cheap price that would be more than satisfactory.

In the meantime he would make immediate inquiries even though there was nothing

listed on the books at that time that was exactly what the lady wanted. She would, of

course, leave her name and address and the instant anything came to light Pryor and

Fox would let her know by special messenger.

However, there was always another choice. Had she ever considered investing her

money in a safe, respectable, yet highly profitable concern such as the Melbourne and

London Amicable Building Society? How much more convenient to pick up a

handsome cheque every quarter rather than endure the vexation and worry of

conducting a boarding-house for ungrateful and complaining lodgers. Of course Pryor

and Fox would find her an eminently suitable building if she was quite determined to

go ahead and establish such a respectable but undoubtedly demanding and wearing

business. Whatever her choice, their commercial advice and knowledge was always at

her command, and though they may advise her one course of action, if she chose to

follow another Pryor and Fox would serve her to the utmost of their ability.

Even these remarks did not have the hoped for effect. The lady, like so many others,

was fascinated and impressed by Mr. Pryor's eloquence, but she left the office

eventually without promising to commit her capital to his expert care.

‘The old Biddy was to much for me.’ He said. – ‘Never mind, let's have a pen and ink

and we'll knock out a few advertisements for the newspapers."

He sat down at the table behind the partition and began to pen some remarkable

items of puffery designed to get capital flowing from the pockets of the public into

the, as yet, empty coffers of the Melbourne and London Amicable Building Society.

"Listen to this," he said, after working for about twenty minutes and discarding

several sheets of paper until he had got the words just right.

£5,000,000 OF CAPITAL

A SPLENDID OPPORTUNITY

THE MELBOURNE AND LONDON AMICABLE

BUILDING SOCIETY

LONG ESTABLISHED IN THE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

LONDON

NOW SEEKING TO EXTEND THE BENEFITS OF CHEAP HOUSING

to

OUR INDUSTRIOUS ARTISANS

HAS OPENED A

BRANCH OFFICE IN

MELBOURNE

INVESTORS ARE INVITED TO DEPOSIT MONEY WITH THE SOCIETY

so as to supply

ARCHITECT DESIGNED AND BUILT WORKMAN'S COTTAGES

to

THE LABOURING CLASSES

A SPLENDID RETURN IS GUARANTEED-8% P.A. PAYABLE QUARTERLY

INTEREST MAY ACCRUE AND COMPOUND THE PRINCIPAL

IF SO DESIRED

THIS OPPORTUNITY DEFINITELY WILL NOT LAST

AS LARGE AMOUNTS OF ENGLISH CAPITAL ARE EXPECTED DAILY

TO FULFILL OUR FUTURE REQUIREMENTS

THOSE WHO ACT PROMPTLY CAN EXPECT TO REAP SPLENDID REWARDS TO

FOLLOW THEIR SEIZING OF THIS FLEETING OPPORTUNITY.

THOSE WHO DO NOT WILL RUE THE DAY THEY HESITATED.

MONIES MAY BE PAID TO THE OFFICES OF

PRYOR AND FOX

AGENTS

SWANSTON STREET MELBOURNE

During business hours.

Signed

JAMES PRYOR ESQ

MANAGING DIRECTOR - MELBOURNE

£5,000,000 OF CAPITAL