Taming Graeme (Taming the Billionaire) (54 page)

THIRTY THREE

 
As Olivia was leaving the next morning
to meet Rose and Linda, Graeme was busy in the study. She went in to kiss him goodbye.   “Oh, ‘Livi, I want you to buy a white dress.”

 
“But, white is for virgins, and I’m pregnant.”

 
“I don’t care. You came to me a virgin. I want to marry you in white. It pleases me, so you’ll do it.”

 
“As it pleases you, Sir.”

 
“Glad you remember your place, kitten,” he smiled and kissed her deeply. “See you at the Four Seasons at noon. Julia and Nick are joining us for lunch.”

 
Vienna Winsome had the perfect dress. White with a cream shimmer, long sleeves, low, square neck, high waist, bell shaped skirt. It only needed to be shortened. She could have it three days before the wedding. A veil was quickly chosen, and Linda’s deep pink sheath, the same pink as the peonies Rose had ordered for the wedding.

 
Olivia saw Rose wistfully eying a taupe cocktail dress that would be perfect with her colouring. She smiled. Rose was working like a Trojan to make this wedding perfection. Rose deserved a reward...

 
“Rose, Graeme said I was to buy you a dress to thank you for all the work you’ve been doing on the wedding. Please go try that one on.” He’d said no such thing, but if he could claim Olivia had suggested a new house for Louisa...

 
“But, Olivia, did you see the price?”

 
“Price is irrelevant today. Just go try it on…” Olivia was quickly becoming used to that black American Express card.

 
Nick and Julia were already seated with Graeme when the girls arrived. Michael joined them minutes later. Talk was of weddings, and engagements.

 
“Where are Louisa and William?” Julia asked.

 
“I, eh, didn’t invite them, jewel. I couldn’t stomach William two days in a row.” 

 
Everybody laughed at Graeme’s pained expression.

 
“Did you pick dresses?”

 
“We certainly did, Graeme. Mine is white, with a creamy shimmer,” Olivia said with an amused glance at her finance. “Linda’s is deep pink, exactly the color of the peonies Rose has ordered from the florist, and as
you
suggested, darling, I made Rose pick out a lovely cocktail dress to wear to the wedding, as our thanks for her hard work.”

 
Graeme grinned back. She was paying him back for the remark about her suggesting a new house for Louisa...well, two could play this game.

 
“I’ll bet you forgot to get her shoes as well, though?”

 
“Of course not, Sir. The bridal salon carries a full range of shoes, so I have some Louboutins, Linda some Gina’s, and Rose chose a pair of Jimmy Chou platforms.

 
“Vienna was there herself and was most helpful. We got wonderful lingerie, all three of us to go under our dresses...”

 
“Touché, kitten,” breathed Graeme in her ear. “I think you won this round...” Graeme’s mobile rang.

 
“Browning here…yes…three o’clock…good, we’ll be there…”

 
He turned to Nick. “Right, Nick, we have an appointment at three to see that renovated factory you found on line…”

 
Julia’s eyes shone. “Really, Daddy?”

 
“Yes, I did a little research this morning, and I think Nick found a much undervalued property. So, shall we go and see it?”

 
They explained to Michael, Linda and Rose about the home they were going to see. Of course the three of them wanted to tag along. The estate agent was rather overwhelmed by the size of the viewing group.

 
The place was even better than the pictures. Julia and Linda couldn’t stop gushing. The estate agent’s grin grew wide.

 
Olivia shook her head and pulled the two women aside. “You two are costing Graeme money, you know…”

 
“What do you mean, ‘Livi?” asked Julia, affronted.

 
“The more you praise the place, the higher the price will go. When we saw our new house, Graeme warned me to keep a straight face and point out flaws. He says that little ploy probably saved us fifteen million pounds in the end. So, shall we go back out and start being wet blankets?”

 
Julia smiled. “Of course, I should know that, Nick tells me that all the time. I think Daddy didn’t want to rain on my parade, did he? But let’s go be wet blankets and save some money.”

 
“That money will end up back with you, Julia. Graeme plans to give the difference between your house price and Louisa’s to you and Nick, so Nick can start a rental portfolio and not have to work for the Bank. Graeme likes Nick enormously, and says he likes the way Nick’s eyes look when he smiles at you…”

  Julia beamed and hugged Olivia.
“Oh, ‘Livi, thank you for telling me that! I do so love Nick, you know. He’s so aware of the financial disparity between us. You know, he broke up with me when he found out how rich we are, and it took me two months to get him back!  If Daddy does that, it will even the playing field a bit and Nick will feel so much better about marrying me.”

 
The women went back to the group. “Daddy, could we just look at the kitchen again? I’ve been thinking, it isn’t to our taste at all, is it Nick? I think we’ll have to spend a lot of money to refit it, tens of thousands…”

 
They went back to the kitchen and of course, since that level of the home was open plan, she then decided the floors would all have to be replaced with a very rare, extremely expensive Brazilian hardwood that would cost over a hundred pounds a square foot, or over a hundred grand just for that level, she informed everyone with a perfectly straight face, and on and on, and soon Linda was entering into the game.

 
Olivia stood back, smiling. Graeme glanced at his kitten and realized why Julia had suddenly changed her tune.

Olivia never let him down....

  Nick started costing things out in his head, on the high side of course. Michael started talking about heating systems, and central air, and solar panels, and before you knew it, the grin on the estate agent’s face had disappeared. Rose started talking about the number of windows, all bare to suit the current décor, and the cost of triple glazing and window coverings.

 
“Ronald,” said Graeme quietly as he and Nick pulled the agent aside. “I think the place has potential for my daughter, but it looks as if I’m going be spending a packet to get it up to their taste and my standards before the wedding. So we have two questions – how low will they go on the price and how fast will they move out?”

 
“Eh…I suppose the vendor might consider Seven million and ninety days possession?”

 
Graeme shook his head. “Five point five, and thirty days.”

 
“Oh, no, Mr. Browning, they’d never consider that.”

 
“Telephone them and ask. Cash. We don’t need a mortgage. The only subject will be an inspection by my contractor. Michael and I have just had a major expansion done to one of our businesses, and we found the man to be very realistic as to condition and cost. We came in four percent under the original estimate.”

 
The estate agent went into another room and made the call. Ten minutes later he was back.

 
“Well?”

 
“Six million and sixty days.”

 
Graeme and Nick shook their heads. “Our offer is firm. Good for twenty four hours only. There are a lot of properties out there right now.”

 
The estate agent went back to telephone his clients.

 
He came back. “Five point seven five million and thirty days.”

 
Graeme let Nick make the decision. “She’ll take it.”

 
Julia practically raped him in the living room, she was so happy.   Everybody laughed.

 
“Daddy can I share your decorator?”

 
“Well, Julia, we’ll talk to him and see if his firm can handle us, Louisa and you…”

THIRTY FOUR

 
Monday morning, Olivia was bus
y
sorting out a small snafu with Danny by telephone. The room went quiet. She hung up and looked around. Sir David was standing, talking quietly to John Taylor, looking at her. No one could remember the old man visiting Currency Trading, not in the last four or five years, anyway. Everybody was working diligently, trying to look very efficient.

 
“Olivia, would you mind coming up to my office, please?”

 
“Yes, of course, Sir David…”

 
“Talking to Belfast, were you?”

 
“I was.”

 
“Will they need you again? Shall I order the plane and let Mrs. Green know you’re coming back?”

 
“I don’t think so, Sir David. I think we sorted it out. I believe I may be going over Friday...your nephew mentioned something along those lines.”

 
Sir David smiled. “You certainly did an excellent job for us over there, my dear. I think you saved us a great deal of money. We just heard from the Police in Belfast. That motley crew have all confessed, even O’Rourke, and are pleading guilty. They had no choice, with you backing up their computer records before O’Rourke wiped it clean. The trial will be for sentencing purposes only.”

 
“Oh, I’m so glad I could help, Sir.”

 
“So, come up and have your morning tea with me, please. Now.”

 
She meekly followed him out.

 
Sir David’s P.A. brought in a silver teapot and two fine porcelain teacups resting on paper-thin saucers.

 
On his desk was a wedding invitation. Olivia had seen the proofs, but hadn’t been aware that they had been delivered or that Graeme had started to give them out.

 
“I haven’t asked my nephew to join us because I wanted to talk to you privately.”

 
“Yes, Sir.”

 
“I’m a little shocked at this wedding invitation.”

 
Oh, dear. Sir David didn’t think she was a suitable wife.

 
“I’m sorry if it displeases you, Sir David.”

 
“Whatever gave you that idea? I didn’t say I was unhappy about it, I said I was shocked. I didn’t the lad would marry again. I was afraid he’d bring that stupid William into the Bank and try to make a silk purse from that sow’s ear.

 
“I want you to get pregnant immediately, Olivia. You have a good head on your shoulders, and your children should be both attractive and capable, like the two of you. You will call me Uncle David from now on, and my wife Aunt Christine and we expect you for dinner tonight at seven. We have a few other guests unfortunately, so I’m afraid it will best bib and tucker…” He gave her a wide smile.

 
“Actually, Uncle David, didn’t Graeme tell you?”

 
“I haven’t spoken to him. Rose brought this to me a few minutes before I came down to get you. I called my wife and she’s as delighted as I am. Hasn’t told me what? Are you pregnant already?”

 
Olivia turned crimson. “Yes, Sir.”

 
“Wonderful. Hope it’s a boy. If it is, you have to call him David. If it’s a girl, you have to call her Christine.”

 
“I’m sure Graeme would be delighted to do that, Sir David, if you mention it to him.”

 
“Oh, I’ll mention it to him, alright. Now, let’s drink our tea. Where are you going to live? That townhouse is alright, but not really suitable for a family, is it? It certainly isn’t big enough for some of the entertaining you’ll be saddled with once Graeme is Chairman.”

 
Olivia told him of the new house. He smiled. “I know the place. It will do well for you, you’ll have ample room for all the entertaining you’ll have to do when he’s Chairman, Olivia. Your Aunt Christine will be your best resource for help, she been doing it for thirty years now, since my father retired.

 
“Graeme has no idea of the burden he’s placing on your young shoulders. How long are you going to work?”

 
“Graeme thought another three months, and then I’ll be home, preparing for the baby, and arranging our new home, and now I imagine I’ll be spending some time with Aunt Christine, won’t I, learning how to do my new job, as the Chairman’s wife?” 

 
New job until he divorces me. At least a year or a little more, I imagine.

 
“Such a level headed girl. Beautiful, so beautiful, and brains as well, and such a nice demeanour. I remember when you were a prickly little thing, but he’s tamed you well, my nephew.”