Liz Fielding: The Corporate Bridegroom

Gossamer light, it was a kiss that asked questions he hadn’t been aware of framing. As he straightened, he saw that her eyes were wide with surprise.

“You’ll be fine,” he said reassuringly.

“Fine?” Romana snapped. “Of course I’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine. I don’t need a Farraday man to tell me that.”

In fact, that kiss had been something else. It was the fizz of electricity that had shot through her when she’d kissed him. Somehow he’d got under her skin, and even now her lips burned, throbbed, wanting more.

She took another sip of water to cool them.

She didn’t want his reassurance. She refused to think about what she really wanted. It wasn’t going to happen, because all he wanted was Claibourne & Farraday. Her store. Her life.

Dear Reader,

Welcome to my brand-new trilogy, BOARDROOM BRIDEGROOMS. Claibourne & Farraday is “the most stylish department store in London.” It’s a store filled with precious and beautiful things from every part of the globe. On the retirement of their father, the three talented Claibourne sisters are all set to take the store into the twenty-first century. Romana as head of public relations. Flora, a designer with an instinct for a “look.” India, the oldest of the sisters and passionate in her love for the store, stepping into her father’s shoes as managing director.

But the Farradays, three dynamic businessmen with plans of their own for Claibourne & Farraday, are determined to take full control of the store back into Farraday hands.

India invites the Farraday cousins to “work-shadow” the sisters in order to find out what it takes to run a department store like Claibourne & Farraday. First, lovely, high-spirited Romana Claibourne takes on the frozen heart of Niall Farraday Macaulay and brings it to meltdown….

With love,

Liz Fielding

To find out more about Liz Fielding, visit her Web site at www.lizfielding.com

BOARDROOM BRIDEGROOMS!

It’s a marriage takeover!

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

PRESS RELEASE

CLAIBOURNE & FARRADAY are pleased to announce that Miss India Claibourne is to be appointed Managing Director with immediate effect.

Miss Romana Claibourne and Miss Flora Claibourne have been appointed full board members.

CITY DIARY, LONDON EVENING POST

Has sexual equality finally penetrated the hallowed portals of London’s oldest and most stylish department store?

With today’s announcement that India Claibourne, 29, is to step into her father’s shoes as Managing Director of Claibourne & Farraday, an era ends as one of the last bastions of male domination is finally breached.

It seems the gorgeous Claibourne girls, who have been part of the management team since they were old enough to dress up as elves and help Santa in his grotto, have decided it’s time to put an end to the nineteenth century male imperialism of the founders.

Not since 1832, when C&F founders, valet Charles Claibourne and butler William Farraday, hammered out an agreement of succession that hands a ‘golden share’ and total control to the oldest male heir of either family, has their authority been challenged.

Will the Farraday men take this lying down? Watch this space.

MEMORANDUM

From: JORDAN FARRADAY

To: NIALL FARRADAY MACAULAY

BRAM FARRADAY GIFFORD

I’m sure you’ve already seen the attached newspaper clipping. To answer any questions you may have, I have issued an immediate legal challenge to India Claibourne’s position as Managing Director.

The Claibourne response is interesting. They have not, as I had expected, taken the feminist stance, or fallen back on sexual equality legislation. They instead evinced surprise that three such ‘busy men’ could find the time to assume day-to-day running of a ‘retail outlet’.

It is possible that they suspect it is our intention to liquidise the considerable assets in the C&F trademark and property and sell out which, once we gain control, they will be powerless to prevent. They must be convinced otherwise, which is why I have agreed to the suggestion that we each spend some time work-shadowing them during the next three months.

The Claibournes apparently hope to demonstrate that their ‘hands-on’ experience is a greater asset to Claibourne & Farraday than our years in the City. A delay of three months in the spirit of co-operation will do us no harm if, as I suspect it will, this ends up in court. The inside knowledge gained will serve us well if we have to go to court in order to evict them from the boardroom.

The timetable I’ve agreed is that Niall will shadow Romana Claibourne during April, Bram will do the same with Florence Claibourne during May, and I will work with India during June. I attach a dossier on each of your respective partners for you to study. Please give as much time as you can spare to this project without it appearing to intrude on your normal activities.

I realise this is an imposition but, as joint shareholders, I ask you to remember that the reward will be total control of a prime retail investment and one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the country.

EMAIL

To: Romana@Claibournes.com

cc: Flora@Claibournes.com

From: India@Claibournes.com

Subject: Niall Farraday Macaulay

Romana

The lawyers have asked for three months to come up with a rebuttal of the Farraday claim to run Claibournes. As a delaying tactic I’ve had to ‘play nice’ and offer the Farradays an opportunity to see how we run Claibourne’s—from the inside.

Niall Farraday Macaulay will be contacting you shortly to arrange a convenient schedule for him to shadow you during April. The man is an investment banker and would, no doubt, love a chance to get his hands on the Claibourne & Farraday assets. I need you to convince him that it’s in his best interests to leave them with us.

That the Farradays accepted an invitation to shadow our roles in the company suggests they see it as an information-gathering opportunity. Please be on your guard.

Indie

ROMANA CLAIBOURNE, juggling a desperately needed carton of her favourite coffee, a small leather overnight bag and a couple of designer carrier bags, searched her handbag for her wallet in a state of rising panic. Not that the panic was entirely due to her missing wallet, or even Niall Farraday Macauley’s annoying decision to make his presence felt on today of all days.

In spite of anything her sister might believe, there were worse things in the world than men with Farraday in their name.

Worse even than being late.

That was nothing new—she’d never been early for anything. Yet India’s crisp little voice mail message this morning had been very clear on one point. Punctuality was essential. Niall Macaulay wanted to discuss shadowing arrangements with her at twelve o’clock sharp and she was to drop everything and be on time. Nothing—not even the opening event in Claibourne & Farraday’s annual charity week—was more important. This was a crisis.

And this was the good part of her day.

‘Sorry…’ She threw an apologetic glance at the cab driver. ‘I know it’s in here somewhere. I had it when I picked up—’

‘In your own time, miss,’ the man replied, cutting her short. ‘I’ve got all day.’