In their Wisdom by C.P. Snow

By sheer and meaningless coincidence, on the afternoon when Sedgwick was paying that visit to Hillmorton's bedside, there was a conversation proceeding in which when healthy Hillmorton might have taken some interest. Symington telephoned Jenny to say that the ‘showdown' couldn't be delayed much longer. He was proposing to have one final frank (not really frank, for he would have to conceal the not irrelevant factor that Swaffield might still veto any settlement whatsoever) exchange with Skelding, to see – when all the palaver was dispensed with and the ceremonies properly performed – what figure, yes, crude figure, the other side would settle for. Of course, Symington and Skelding knew almost exactly, and had known for months, what was in the other's mind. Symington had told his wife so, in their arguments at Christmas. But there had been no hurry, and a few per cent either way meant thousands of pounds.

Now Symington was in more of a hurry. He wanted a definite lawyers' bargain to confront Swaffield with. He and Jenny would struggle to make him give way. If he wouldn't – but that Symington left in suspense, still not resolved about how he should act himself and believing that Jenny wasn't either.