Sir Neil Barker reads the press comment on his latest deal with a self satisfied glow. His enjoyment is only spoilt by his desperate longing for a peerage, fuelled by bitter jealousy of his long term business rival Lord Beavis. When the Prime Minister's office calls to offer his congratulations he is sure he will be Lord Barker in the New Year's Honours List. He is offered a new chairmanship and confident his appointment will lift the shares significantly, buys before the appointment is announced, despite the warning from his long term PA Jaqui that he should wait until it was public knowledge. He contemplates the future with satisfaction but Lord Beavis has other ideas..