The veil of secrecy surrounding the future of Tony Douglas, erstwhile heir to the throne at Laing O鈥橰ourke, feels no closer to being lifted this week.

Douglas is the inspirational and brash Lancastrian Ray O鈥橰ourke drafted in as his replacement a couple of summers ago after a stint running Heathrow airport.

When the 62-year-old O鈥橰ourke decided the recession meant he was not ready to vacate the chief executive鈥檚 seat, it sparked an industry-wide game of 鈥渨ill Douglas stay?鈥� that has reached fever pitch.

For now it appears has been struck that sees Douglas get his hands on some of the levers of power. The solidity of any deal is another matter.

If  Douglas stays, as many believe he will for now (correct as at 10.46am on Monday 19 October鈥�) it will raise questions about whether he will eventually replace O鈥橰ourke after what will effectively be a sideways move, holding pattern, call it what you will.

Most people familiar with the apex of the Laing O'Rourke power structure agree if Douglas does go there is no obvious internal successor as things stand.

The person seen at Ray鈥檚 side most often in recent times has been group commercial director Anna Stewart but in the words of one person the other day: 鈥淎nna is Ray鈥檚 cheerleader rather than his heir. If Ray says he wants to grow the business to 拢7bn turnover she鈥檒l be the first to bang her fist on the table and say 鈥榥o, 拢10bn鈥�.鈥�

Either way, it must all make Douglas feel a bit like Prince Charles.

In fact, gaining an insight into the timing or likelihood of the handover between the Prince of Wales and his mother would probably prove easier.

The way the story has played out in the media is testament to the company鈥檚 culture of omerta. First Douglas was off, then he wasn鈥檛, then he had two mystery job offers, then he was staying again. It can't be good if you're a client.

Ask most people what they think about Ray O鈥橰ourke and they鈥檒l tell you he鈥檚 a shrewd and visionary man who genuinely cares about apprentices, innovation and the future of the industry. So why is his company鈥檚 dealing with the media so鈥�  1970鈥檚?

The language of the Laing O鈥橰ourke in-house press team would be perfectly at home in an episode of Life on Mars; it鈥檚 all about 鈥渕arking cards鈥� and 鈥渉aving bigger fish to fry鈥� than answering questions.

You have to begrudgingly admire the company for its stubborn refusal to 鈥減lay the game鈥� but the aloofness has tended to prompt either obsequious or obsessive coverage in the press.

Those who know Ray O鈥橰ourke say it partly stems from shyness, something Douglas doesn鈥檛 suffer from and may have been behind the thinking when he was appointed.

Either way, perhaps any deal will only be ephemeral. When two construction bosses were asked this week if any O鈥橰ourke/Douglas pact would last, both rolled their eyes and shook their head wearily.

Douglas doesn鈥檛 hide his ambition. If another juicier job came along surely he鈥檇 jump ship pretty quickly after this snub?

Or then again maybe he鈥檒l stay and take over. And then maybe, just maybe, the company will start talking about itself a whole lot more?

Don鈥檛 hold your breath.