For some it was used to buy a loom and cotton, enabling them to start a cottage industry, or a female goat to mate with a neighbour’s male, and form the basis of a herd for milking.
No loan was for more than a few pounds, but all were gratefully accepted and he was surprised how the repayments were assiduously met.
Ali considererd these loans to be his greatest success, and the highlight of his efforts.
4
Hours later the three sleeping passengers were awoken by the co-pilot announcing that they were about to land at Heathrow.
Excitedly, the trio looked down upon the outskirts of London, as the plane dipped lower. This was the first time they had glimpsed ‘civilisation’ in months and the sight of traffic scurrying along wide motorways and the rich colours of the countryside came as a welcome shock to their systems. Here there was smog from industry rather than the dust haze caused by cooking fires, while even from this height the pace of life seemed to have multiplied tenfold.
‘I feel like a stranger arriving in a foreign land more than a native returning home,’ sighed Eliza.
‘I agree,’ smiled Nori, ‘But it wont last long. We’ll soon feel that we’ve never been away.’
‘Yes. I’m sure our fellow directors have plenty of work for us,’ agreed Ali.
***
With a reassuring thud and the roar of reversing engines, the jet quickly slowed and taxied off the runway.
It headed away from the main terminal and toward the much smaller building that catered for an ever increasing fleet of private jets.
There were two Customs officers waiting to inspect their passports, which in Eliza’s case took some time. However, the pair made a more perfunctory inspection of their luggage before officially allowing them to return home.
Once through the Customs barrier they were greeted by a tall, good looking couple in expensive suits. Fellow directors Brian Reyonlds and his wife Lana, threw their arms around their friends and welcomed them with hugs and kisses to the cheek.
‘My goodness!’ exclaimed a beaming Lana to Eliza, ‘I hardly recognised you. You’re so brown, and look at all the weight you’ve lost!’
Eliza was embarrassed at the compliments and patted her unruly hair. Lana saw the gesture and laughed. ‘Don’t worry about your hair. Suzie and I will look after you. And it looks as though we’ll have to take the pair of you out for a whole new wardrobe.’
‘Let them get home and settled in will you,’ chastised Brian, ‘Come on everyone our helicopter is ready.’
‘Helicopter?’ asked Ali.
Brian nodded, ‘We’re only leasing it for the time being while we evaluate whether there might be a need for The Fund to purchase a couple.’
Ali was impressed but decided to wait for another time to question Brian further as to why The Fund would need a small air fleet.
***
Once everyone was aboard, the helicopter lifted off and quickly gained height as it made its way over London.
Walton Village was located not far from the city’s outskirts and they were soon over the compound that was their new headquarters. There, a tall glass sided tower rose out of the surrounding fields like a dark iceberg floating on a sea of green grass.
‘The tower is finished,’ explained Brian, ‘The offices are being fitted out as we speak and we’ll be able to move everything from the London office within a week. In fact, our board meeting tomorrow will be the first in our new board room.’
As the helicopter dropped lower, Ali could make out two houses also located within the compound on a ridge behind the main building.
Beside a small stream at the back of the ridge was what appeared to be an old stone farmhouse nestled amongst an orchard of newly planted trees which now stretched away from the house in orderly rows. ‘I see that Toby has been busy planting apple trees.’
‘Yes,’ nodded Lana. ‘He and Suzie moved into their house not long after you left. Speaking of which, they’ve completed your house as well. All you have to do is get your furniture out of storage. In the meantime, you’ll be staying with us.’
Ali and Nori turned their attention to where their new house stood on top of the ridge overlooking the compound. It gleamed in the sunlight with its brightly coloured cement rendered walls and new terracotta tiled roof. Nori couldn’t wait to land and explore her new home.
As they came closer their attention was drawn to the other house that also occupied the crest of the ridge. Totally modern in aspect, its glassed walls gleamed in the sunlight, but that was not what attracted their full attention.
In front of the house stood a young couple. They were dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts with their arms around each other as they waved at the approaching helicopter. Beside them, another younger woman stood with her arms folded and an expression of deep contemplation on her face.
However, it was the pair of waving hands belonging to a boy and girl in school uniform that their eyes were immediately drawn to. A broad grin creased Nori’s face. ‘It’s the children!’
Lana smiled at her, ‘Justine made the calls and arranged it all. Then, while we were picking you up Suzie and Toby went to the school and collected them. We knew you would all want to get together as soon as possible.’
***
The helicopter landed on a newly laid pad alongside the main building, and as the seat belts were being unbuckled Ali could see his son and daughter running down the road, followed at a more leisurely pace by the adults.
Ali and Nori rushed out to meet their children who jumped gleefully into their parents’ arms, smothering them with hugs and kisses.
They were also greeted with handshakes and hugs from the other members of the board of directors and the group then made their way up the hill to the Reynolds’ house, laughing and talking animatedly as they went.
***
While Ali and Nori made their way inside to get settled in, the two youngest members of the board remained outside. They found seats on the patio and relaxed in the sunlight.
‘You’ve changed,’ said Justine in her usual blunt manner.
‘A lot happened out there to change me.’
Justine nodded, ‘It was bad?’
‘Far worse than I could ever imagine. The pictures on TV don’t convey even part of the tragedy.’
‘Are you alright?’
Eliza smiled wearily, ‘I’ll survive. That’s the problem you see. I’ll go on living, and living well, while those we left behind could be killed at any moment or die of a disease that should have been eradicated years ago.’
‘Are you saying that the project was a failure?’
‘Oh no! It’s doing
