Page 14 of The Billionaire's Baby Betrayal

He leaned back in the rocker, sighed, and looked at her with a sad smile. “Lily would also expect no one but you to help me care for Luis. Are you up for it? At least for a short while.”

Eleanor was as relieved and overjoyed as one could be under the circumstances, but she refrained from displaying such happiness. She would lavish all her joy and love on Luis.

“I am more than up for it.” She stood and glanced at Andrés as she returned her handkerchief to her handbag. “I shall seek out Luis’ nurse and ask about his specific care while he is in the nursery.”

Her demeanor softened as she stopped before opening the door and turned back toward Andrés. “Thank you for your trust in me. May I suggest you go home, shower, and rest briefly? You will need all the strength you have over the next few days and weeks. I will remain here until you return.”

“Are you making it your duty to care for me, too?” He smiled ironically.

“I am for now.”

Andres’ reverie was broken by the sound of Luis’ laughter in the hallway outside the study. He chuckled that the “short while” of Eleanor’s care for him and his son had gone on for seven years and seemed unlikely to end for some time to come.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Luis ran in and stopped when he didn’t see his father behind the desk.

“Are you looking for me?” asked Andrés.

Luis turned toward his father’s voice. “Yes, Papa. I want to see the trophy.” He had the pale skin of his mother, but the rest of his features were a copy of his father’s.

“I would be happy for you to see it after you remind me what you are supposed to do when a door to a room you wish to enter is closed.” He walked to his son and stooped to look him in the eyes.

Luis hung his head and spoke quietly. “I am always to knock, Papa.” He lifted his head. “Lo siento, Papa.”

“Gracias, mi hijo. Now, let’s show you that trophy.”

Luis ran and jumped into his father’s desk chair. “Will it look better from here?” he asked, giggling.

Andrés laughed. “Everything looks better from there. Look to your left, Luis.”

He whirled the chair around. “It’s so shiny, Papa! Will you keep it in this room?”

“For a time. I hope to add more trophies won by our horses and will have to have a display case made to fit them all.” He moved to stand beside the desk chair.

“Papa, I’m so silly,” said Luis. “I forgot to ask which of our horses won the race.”

Andrés picked up his son and twirled him around, making him laugh. “Why, Señor Alberto Luis, of course.”

CHAPTER7

PIPER

It was early Saturday morning when Piper arrived in Uruguay. She had managed to get a redeye flight out of London and slept soundly from London to Madrid and on to Montevideo.

She took her time in the airport ladies’ room to freshen up before meeting the driver she’d been told would be waiting for her at baggage claim. She washed her face and applied mascara, a puff of translucent powder, and a lip tint. Her copper hair was braided and coiled in an updo, and she felt put together enough to arrive at Estancia Luis Grande looking professional.

On her way to baggage claim, she saw a Spanish newspaper with Andrés Olivera’s picture on the front page. He was in a tuxedo, smiling and popping open a bottle of champagne, and a group of beautiful women and handsome men surrounded him. Her Spanish was excellent from the years she had spent traveling and working in South America, and she gathered the event was yet another celebration of capturing the St Leger trophy, and had been held at the home of a good friend, Armand Durand, somewhere near Tacuarembó. Piper had a fleeting thought that Andrés wouldn’t be available to greet her when she got to the ranch. She found the driver waiting as promised. The distinguished-looking older gentleman was charming.

“Ah, Señorita Marshall, bienvenida a Montevideo. Será un placer llevar a una mujer tan hermosa,” he welcomed her in Spanish but continued in English. “Permit me to introduce myself, Gregorio Silva.”

She blushed at the compliment. “Gracias, Señor Silva.”

Once her luggage was retrieved by Gregorio, Piper was promptly escorted to a Lincoln limousine waiting at the curb and guarded by an airport security official. She was amused.Must be a perk of being a billionaire.

Gregorio graciously opened the passenger door for her before he stored her luggage in the trunk. Once leaving the airport, Piper was surprised at the short ride after the limo turned onto a road that led to another part of the airport property and pulled up at a helicopter hangar.

She leaned forward to speak to Gregorio. “Señor Silva, am I to understand that we are not driving to the ranch?”

“Eso es correcto, Señorita Marshall. The drive to Tacuarembó is over four hours, but the helicopter flight will be much quicker. Señor Olivera thought you would prefer to get to the ranch as soon as possible after your long flight from London rather than endure a long drive in the limo.”

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