Taming Graeme (Taming the Billionaire) (39 page)

 
Olivia smiled up at him. “I shall finish by Thursday, Sir, one way or another. I’ve just finished Lesson Eight.”

 
“You never let me down, Olivia, do you? Never...”

 
They went into the dining room to enjoy their dinner, and as Mrs. Green served them, James not back yet from taking the envelope to the courier, she smiled at Olivia.

 
“You know, Miss Stone, I think if I put some soda crackers on a plate with a bottle of ginger ale for you to sip first thing in the morning, that might stop you being sick, if you just stay in bed long enough for your tummy to settle. My sister lives in America, and she’s had six children. She says it’s a cure her neighbour passed on, and it worked for her.”

 
Olivia looked at her gratefully. “All suggestions are most welcome, Mrs. Green. Anything that will calm my nausea...”

 
“It won’t last all that long,” Graeme told her. “I’ve been researching morning sickness on the internet today and it should be gone within a few weeks.”

 
“That’s a relief. I was dreading another seven and a half months of this.”

 
“I’m glad you have such an appetite at mid day and dinner, pet. I’ve never seen you this enthusiastic about food.”

 
“I suppose it’s because I’m eating for the baby as well,” she smiled at him.   “What other research have you done, beside morning sickness?”

 
“I’ve ordered you some maternity clothes. I found a very nice designer on line, and I chose the pieces I thought you’d look prettiest in, all in soft colours that will compliment your colouring and your eyes.  I know you won’t need them for months, and the dresses we bought yesterday will see you through work for the next couple of months, but I wanted to spoil you...”

 
“Oh, Graeme, you are spoiling me. I’ve never had as many clothes in my life as I do now!”

 
“We’ll have to buy you some more shoes. One site I’ve visited today say your feet are sure to swell.  But I thought that should be done in person as the pregnancy progresses, not online, so that we can be certain they are comfortable. And I’ve ordered you a new chair for your desk, with proper lumbar support.”

 
“I am spoiled rotten!”

 
“I researched baby doctors. I found one or two highly recommended specialists that I’d like to investigate further, because I want us to see someone next week, and make sure everything is going along as it should be.”

 
“Yes, I’d feel more comfortable after we know everything’s good...and I think I need to start on some pre-natal vitamins, don’t I?

 
“You do, kitten. And I’ll be making sure you take them every morning.”

 
“You will?”

 
“Yes. Gideon will clear out your bed sitter tomorrow, himself, so nobody else knows, and get everything to the townhouse. I don’t want you even near the dump.”

 
“Oh. But how will he get in? Mrs. Dawson would never let him in...”

 
“I took the key out of your bag, and that’s where James is now, taking it to the courier so Gideon will have it on his desk in the morning. He’s already acknowledged his instructions and let me know he’ll be looking after it tomorrow afternoon. Mrs. Pyle, our London housekeeper will hang your clothes up and leave your bits and bobs in the boxes Gideon packs up in the small sitting room, so you can go through them at your leisure.”

 
Tears welled up in Olivia’s eyes. “Graeme, no one has ever looked after me the way you do.”

 
“I am beginning to think that no one has ever looked after properly, ‘Livi. I mean, aside from making sure you had enough to eat to keep you alive and the bare essentials to keep you decent, have they?”

 
“No...no...Not really,” she admitted.

 
He covered her hand with his. “Well, Olivia, I am telling you now, that you will continue to be looked after. Having this baby means so much to me, you will never want for anything again.” Sincerity shone out of his eyes. She cried.

 
The bottle of ginger ale and the plate of dry soda crackers were beside her when they went to bed, early because Graeme wanted her to get lots of sleep. He loved her softly and tenderly that night, and she was in heaven. She let herself pretend for a little while after, as she lay in his arms, that he loved her, really loved her... 

 
Everybody at Merchant’s Bank was surprise
d
to see Graeme on Monday morning. They’d all thought he was going back to London.

 
Hell, he was surprised at himself, but when he saw how sick his kitten had been yesterday morning, he knew he couldn’t leave her.

 
He took over an office close to the Currency Trading Roo
m
and spent the first two hours of the day on the telephone to Mrs. Hall, Gideon, John Taylor, and his other Department Heads.

 
“Schedule a Department Head’s meeting Thursday morning, will you?

 
“Yes, sir,” said Mrs. Hall, adding the item to a growing list of things for her and Rose to do immediately.

 
“Fine. I’ll see you Wednesday morning. Er, are you alone in your office?”

 
“Yes, sir. I just sent Rose to get us some tea. We won’t have time for a tea break this morning, with your list.”

 
“Good. Now, how do you honestly feel about her taking your position? I realize now it would have been wiser to involve you in the decision making, rather than acting on my own. You know better than anyone what I require.”

Mrs. Hall smiled to herself. “She’ll be fine for you, Mr. Browning. She’s got excellent skills, and she’s quick to learn. She’ll need a bit of patience, but if you can hold your temper if she makes a mistake, at least for the first month, she’ll suit you.”

  “Good, that’s one worry off my mind. I’ll be out of the office for a good part of Friday, so don’t schedule any meetings for that day.”

 
“Yes, Sir.”

 
“When do you retire, the week after next?”

 
“Yes, Sir. A week next Friday.”

 
“I’ll miss you, Mrs. Hall. Transfer me to the Legal Department, will you?”

 
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Browning.” Mrs. Hall was mulling that over after she’d hung up and Rose had returned with two cups of tea. It wasn’t like Mr. Browning to compliment her. He always behaved politely and thanked her, but seemed to expect her flawless efficiency. He had never, in the nine months she’d worked for him, consulted with her, or asked her opinion like he just had. He seemed almost human...

 
After Legal, he spoke to Stan Smith in Personnel, to make sure that a suitable luncheon or dinner had been arranged for Mrs. Hall’s retirement, and to inform the Department Head they’d need to sort out someone to take over Olivia’s administrative duties.

 
“That’s going to be hard, Graeme,” said Stan. “When you suggested her, I was dubious, but it was a stroke of genius. The girl is quite brilliant, isn’t she? I was looking over her file. Do you know, she took every course the Bank offered while she was in the Secretarial Pool, bookkeeping courses, computer courses including some on programming, a business writing course….I let her, even when I didn’t see the value to put a secretary into some of them, but it seemed to keep her happy and I didn’t want to promote her because of her caustic tongue, but I didn’t want to lose her, because of her superior skills. As you know the Bank policy is to pay the employee’s tuition to the college offering the courses, and then deduct tuition back on a monthly basis if the employee doesn’t pass the course with a high mark, but Olivia never had to pay a penny, she was always at or near the top of her class! I know she’d have loved to go into the I.T. Department, but I also know that she and that Department Head would have clashed instantly. He’s as difficult as Olivia used to be. But they love her in Currency, don’t they?”

  
“Yes, I saw that in her file,” grunted Graeme. “Eh, transfer me back to Mrs. Hall, will you?”

 
“Mrs. Hall, just a few more things I need you to do today….”

 
She went over the list of
to do’s
with Rose.

 
“Is the job always this busy?” Rose asked her.

 
“No, but with him deciding to stay in Belfast for two extra days, we have to rearrange, and do what we can to make sure everything flows smoothly here in London.”

 
“I wonder what’s going on over there,” said Rose.

 
“Must be serious. John Taylor was scheduled for Friday, but as you know Mr. Browning dropped everything Thursday and flew over a day early with Mr. Taylor. Now, Mr. Taylor is back but not Mr. Browning. And he has Security over there, and a forensic audit team but keep that under your hat. You’re closed mouthed, Rose and that’s good, because if something ever slipped because of you, you’d be out of here within minutes, you do know that, don’t you?”

 
“Oh, yes, Mrs. Hall. I know that I’ve got to be the soul of discretion. I think I’ll keep my tea companion to Olivia, you know. I don’t need idle gossip starting because of a casual remark.”

 
“I’m not sure I like that new girl in Secretarial,” said Mrs. Hall, deciding she could trust Rose.

 
“Nor me, not really. I didn’t like the way she was eying Mr. Browning up and down...as if she thought she might stand a chance with him.”

 
“She’s a bold one, that girl...”

 
“I know, Mrs. Hall. She almost licked her lips, didn’t she? I mean, he is extremely handsome, but you know she was bold enough to tell him he looked too young to be the Head of a Bank!”

 
Mrs. Hall laughed. “And I’ll bet he just ignored the remark, didn’t he?”

 
“He did. If it had been me, I’d have been mortified. But she looked at him as if he was a piece of chocolate she was about to enjoy...”

 
“That man keeps work and private life totally separate, Rose. Perhaps you should have afternoon tea with her and Amanda, and stress that, because young Amanda is rather a silly, thoughtless girl. She might inadvertently give Hailie the impression that Mr. Browning might be receptive to advances from a pretty woman.”

 
“I will.”

 
“Oh, and Rose? I’ve ordered you a new name tag. It says “
Mrs. Lewis”.
You should wear it for the next few months, until people get used to your new position.”

 
Rose smiled at the older woman. “Thank you, Mrs. Hall. I think that’s very appropriate. It lifts me from the level the girls used to interact with me, doesn’t it? Gives me some dignity, authority that fits the position I’m taking over.”

 
Mr. Hall smiled to herself. Yes, Rose would suit Graeme Browning.

 
Graeme leaned back in his chai
r
. He’d spoken to everyone he need to at Head Office. He glanced at his watch. Eleven fifteen.  Late enough to call Michael. He should be awake by now. He’d have been up all night supervising the installation of the new heating and air conditioning units.  He reached for his mobile and hit speed dial.

 
“Michael, how are you doing?”

 
“Good, Graeme, very good. How was Belfast?”

 
“I’m still there. Olivia uncovered some unauthorized activity which we have to deal with.”

 
“How is she?”

 
“Very sick in the morning, Michael, I’m happy to say. Not that she’s suffering, of course, but that she is pregnant.”

 
“You are a lucky man, alright.”

 
“I want my own child, Mike. I mean, I love my daughters and I’ll always be there for them, but I need a son to take over the Bank when it’s time. A son or a son-in-law. And I can’t see Louisa’s husband in that role, although I think he’d jump at the chance. Julia’s taste in men so far has been rather questionable, so I don’t think she’ll provide me with the solution either.”

 
“Is that the only reason you want this child?”

 
“No, no, it isn’t. Funny you should say that, I told myself, when I took Olivia the first time and found her to be a virgin, that she would be the mother of the heir to Browning’s Bank, because she’s smart and I thought she was quite tough, and those are attributes important to me. Plus, because she was a virgin, I knew I would be the father...knew beyond doubt, without a DNA test.

 
“Well, I was wrong, the girl isn’t just smart, she’s downright brilliant as well has being beautiful. She has,
had
a tough exterior, but that was only self-preservation.

 
“She’s really soft and vulnerable, Michael, caring and loving. She’ll be a wonderful mother to my children. I’m looking forward to this baby so much, seeing it grow in ‘Livi’s belly, seeing it being born, holding it for the first time, seeing it nurse at ‘Livi’s breast, hearing it saying ‘mama’ and ‘dada’ for the first time, its first steps...and then to having the second one...”