GRAEME UNCAGED: Part One (Taming the Billionaire Book 2) (11 page)

Olivia’s relief was obvious.

“Oh, thank you. I am dreading meeting her at Julia’s wedding, but I’ve steeled myself for that. But to see her at dinners and other functions week after week, Graeme, I couldn’t bear it. I know she’s still after you. Glen is only a means to an end for her. Francine’s very friendly with Natalie at The Club, and Natalie has told Linda that Francine is determined to replace me as your wife.”

Sir David smiled kindly.

“Sweetheart, nobody would subject you to Francine. When we appointed Glen she wasn’t his submissive.

“We were all surprised that they clicked and have been carrying on for the last month.”

The old man snorted.

“Only a month, and he’s moving her to London to live with him...that’s pretty impetuous. Neither Graeme nor myself feel comfortable with such an impetuous Vice-Chairman.”

“Glen and Francine will not be at Julia’s wedding, ‘Livi,” said Graeme softly. “I explained to Glen when we gave him his invitation how much the girls dislike her, so he’s elected not to come to the wedding alone. I also told him a short while ago that Francine is banned from any Bank or family functions.”

Olivia smiled. “I’m glad...”

Graeme grunted. “So how do we handle it?”

Olivia smiled. The solution was obvious to her.

“Rodriquez’s Bank.”

“Rodriquez’s Bank?”

“Banco Madriata Velázquez that you just bought from Rodriguez.  You told me last night you were wondering what do with it.  I believe you said it needs a complete overhaul, a strong hand at the helm?”

“Yes, baby, I did.”

“Put Glen in charge of the revamp. It’s small enough and was cheap enough that if he does a less than stellar job it won’t matter much in the grand scheme of the Browning Banking Group. It won’t cost all that much comparatively to repair any damage he does.

“In fact, from what you were saying, he can’t help but improve the situation. Glen’s forte is administration isn’t it?”

Sir David and Graeme both nodded.

“Give John Taylor complete authority over the Trading though, and instruct Glen that his parameters are to modernize and open a few more branches,” Olivia continued. “Oh, and make sure he understands he can’t sell off any of the Bank’s property…”

Graeme grinned. “You learn quickly, baby.”

“How can I not be aware that the Browning family never sells property, unless it’s for an obscene profit?” Olivia quoted Graeme’s words back to him. “And of course, with the present state of the entire European economy an obscene profit is not possible…”

Graeme smiled, proud of her conclusions.

“Why do you want to make sure John controls the trading?” Sir David agreed, but wondered why Olivia had reached that conclusion.

“Because Glen could cause us more trouble than Tim O’Rourke did. He’s very sure of every decision he makes, and if he ordered his traders to take a fifty million Euro position and it went sour, he would probably be pig headed enough to refuse to admit his mistake and bail. One bad decision of that magnitude on the trading desk could cost you ten million Euros. The little I know of Glen, I think he’d make them stay with it to the bitter end just to appease his ego. As you said, his forte is administration, not currency and stock trading.”

Graeme smiled and nodded.

“We could appoint him President of the Bank, pay him the same as he’d get being Vice-Chairman here, tell him he’s helping us out of a bind, and let him think it’s a temporary situation where he’ll end up here in this office in a couple of years. Which of course, he won’t.”

“See, ‘Livi, Graeme married you as much for your brains as your beauty. Neither of us thought of that, and yet it’s a simple and clean solution,” Sir David agreed.

“Now, we just have to decide who is going to take this office and I do hope, Graeme, that you and I will have a new Vice-Chair appointed by the end of December and I will be able to retire on schedule.”

“Why don’t you appoint one of the senior department heads, someone Glen can picture stepping down when he’s finished in Madriata?” suggested Olivia.

Graeme and Sir David exchanged glances and smiled.

“Who would you suggest, ‘Livi?” asked her husband.

“What about Michael Wilde? He’s held most positions in the Bank, has a level head, is personable, and his number two could take over the Mergers and Acquisitions Department easily. And you’ve personally groomed Paul Easton to the point where he could become Number Two, couldn’t he?

“Mr. Wilde is about sixty, isn’t he? That would make sense to Glen. Glen would just assume Mr. Wilde would retire in a couple of years. Not that I think he will, gentlemen. I think Michael Wilde will still be in the saddle when he’s seventy.”

Graeme and his Uncle started to laugh.

“Olivia perhaps you should be the Vice-Chairman. Michael was our second choice, after Glen...”

Olivia started to giggle.

“What’s funny, baby? Let us in on the joke…”

“I was just thinking, if Glen does take Francine with him to Madriata, what your daughter will do…Since Louisa’s new Mother-in-law lives there, Louisa won’t have any trouble at all getting Francine barred from all the important functions…”

NINE

Louisa called her sister about four that afternoon.

“Hi, Jewels, what are you and Nick doing?”

“We’re going over a list of properties Nicky bought from your father-in-law, trying to decide which ones to keep and which ones to give to the Bank. Sorry, nearly
ex
-father-in-law.  I couldn’t believe it when you told me about the phone call with William!”

“I know, but I’ve seen the solicitor and I should be a free woman in six weeks and able to marry again in eight, if I marry in England.”

“I hope you can keep William and his odious father away from the baby, princess.”

“Ah, yes...would you and Nick like to come out for a drink?  I’d like to talk to you about that.”

“Where are you?”

“At the Four Seasons. Grab a taxi, you can be here in half an hour from you new house, can’t you?”

“Yes, but Nicky bought me a new Fiat for my wedding present, so we’ll come down in that. It’s such fun to drive! See you in the Amaranto Lounge in about forty five minutes, I need to change and put some makeup on.”

“Louisa sounded stressed and excited at the same time,” Julia told Nick as they got ready to go out.

“Divorce is very stressful I would imagine,” Nick said. “But it’s a stress we’ll never know, Julia, because neither of us will be anything but faithful, passionate and respectful to each other.”

“I know that, Nicky. But she sounded excited as well, as if she has some secret.”

“You know Louisa doesn’t keep secrets, Jewel, so we’ll know what’s she’s up to within the hour.

Rodriguez and Louisa found a quiet table for four and sat waiting. The flash of a camera startled Louisa.

A reporter and photographer approached the table. Louisa expected Rodriguez to tell them to get lost.

However, Rodriguez smiled at the man
.

His mother’s social secretary had done his job well.

“Excuse me, Sir? I met you at the Paris Grand Prix where you took overall honors, I’m Josh Greenly with the Sporting Daily Paper and Website. Are you in England for the Sales at Cheltenham? Buying some more horses for your stud farm?”

“Not primarily, I came over on personal business, but that’s a good suggestion, Josh. Perhaps we should go tomorrow, Louisa, and buy you another jumper? You only have one. I like buying you things, Louisa.”

The reporter looked at Louisa. 

“Oh, Louisa Browning Spenser...you look lovely. How are your Olympic aspirations coming along?”

Rodriguez smiled at Louisa and then at the reporter. 

“Ah, Louisa will not be riding for England in the next Olympics.”

“No?”

The reporter was surprised. Louisa Browning’s Olympic aspirations were well known throughout the equestrian community.

“I am certain the
Espagnolian
selection committee will be delighted Louisa will have citizenship by then,” smiled Rodriguez. “We spoke to the Chairman this afternoon, and they are extremely pleased she will be available to ride for us.”

“Oh, really, that’s a scoop!  Moving to Espagnolia are you, Louisa?”

“My fiancée will be moving to Espagnolia as soon as her divorce is final. We expect to be married in about eight weeks, before our child is born,” smirked Rodriguez.

“Child?”

“Louisa and I are expecting a son early in the New Year. He will be eighth in line to the Espagnolian Throne.”

Louisa turned deep red, but kept smiling.

“Well, congratulations to both you,” said the reporter, surprised.

“Hmmm, my girlfriend is a presenter on
What’s Happening.
That’s an entertainment programme on Channel Five nightly. I happen to know she’s doing an interview not far from here right now. She’d love to have you on her programme tonight, Sir. Would you mind if I called her?”

Rodriguez smiled. This was going better than he and Mama had dared to hope.

“Please, call your girlfriend. My fiancée and I would be delighted to be on television this evening.”

The waiter approached the table, and Rodriguez ordered a bottle of champagne, a vintage Pol Roger, and asked that it be served when the other couple arrived. He also ordered sparking water for Louisa, and a generous selection of canapés.

Julia and Nick arrived at the entrance to the lounge the same time as the television crew.

“Oh, there must be a celebrity here,” exclaimed Julia. “How exciting, I wonder who?”

“They seem to be heading over to your sister,” said Nick. “Who’s that with her?”

“No idea, but wow, he’s something else. Quite an improvement on William, that’s for sure. Let’s get over there and find out who he is.”

Louisa waved at them, Rodriguez looked over and smiled, and they were quickly seated.

The young television presenter, having been graciously granted an interview by a smiling Rodriguez, reiterated what her boyfriend had passed on, and took some close-ups of Louisa’s ring as she asked her how long she had known Rodriguez.

“Years,” said Louisa airily. She was enjoying the attention. “We ride on the International Equestrian Circuit, so we met some years ago.”

“And of course, I know her father well. In fact, I just sold him a bank,” added the Espagnolian.

“Graeme Browning  and his wife Olivia are delighted at our marriage.

“We did not become romantically involved until early this year, when my marriage was annulled and Louisa realized her husband was unfaithful. He is having a child by another woman himself. Louisa will be divorced in six weeks and we will marry before our son is born. He will be eighth in line to the Espagnolian Throne.

“My Uncle, the King is delighted that he will have a grand-nephew. Louisa will take Espagnolian citizenship as soon as possible, and it is our hope that we will both represent Espagnolia at the next Olympics.

“I am so fortunate that this beautiful woman returns my love for her. We have loved in secret for too long, now we are happy to announce our joy in each other to the world.”

Rodriguez held Louisa’s hand and brought it to his lips as he gazed into her eyes. He had been interviewed many times in the past and knew how to work the camera and the presenter.

“That’s so romantic,” sighed the presenter, and the camera man panned the table, getting a fine shot of Julia and Nick as well.

An assistant passed the presenter a note. She read it, her eyes widening.

“Sir, this is interesting, this situation. Your former wife is also having a child with her new husband, and she’s been quoted as saying it was your fault that she never had your baby, that you are sterile.”

Louisa looked affronted.

“What a lie! ‘Riguez is the most virile man you could ever imagine! A perfect lover! Why, I’ll bet she was secretly using contraception because she didn’t want a child, and that’s forbidden by the Church, isn’t it?”

“And our child will be born before Maria Isabella’s,” said Rodriguez smoothly. “You know the old saying, a woman scorned…”

Everybody laughed.

“What the hell have you been up to?” demanded Julia as soon as the TV crew had disappeared.

“You remember when I spent two weeks in Ireland, buying my jumper?” said Louisa nervously.

“Hmmm?” Julia was in interrogation mode.

“Well...uh...’Riguez was there buying some studs, and we went to dinner and spent the next five days in bed.  The baby is actually his.

“I was relieved when I realized William has dark brown hair and brown eyes, so he would never dream he wasn’t the father. I thought I was just a fling to ‘Riguez, until yesterday, when we had dinner with Daddy and Olivia, and after, well, he told me how much he loves me and when he did the math and worked out that the baby is his, well, this morning we went to Cartier and got this,” and Louisa stuck her ring in Julia’s face.