Rafael's Convenient Proposal. Rebecca Winters

desk she smiled, looking supremely pleased with herself.

      “Take a chair, brother dear. You’re prowling like a hungry wolf. What’s put that grave look on your face?”

      He remained standing. “There’s no easy way to say this. As you know, Maria has experienced unbearable stomach pain lately. She finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with cancer. She’s in the very last stages. He said she won’t be leaving the hospital.”

      “Oh no—” Lianor cried. In the next instant she’d leaped from the chair and had thrown her arms around him again, dissolved in tears. “The poor thing. What about Apolonia? Does she know yet?”

      “No.” He’d left his ten-year-old daughter playing with a friend. His housekeeper, Ines, was watching them. “It’s going to come as a tremendous shock.”

      “I can’t believe it. Maria’s too young. I thought she’d be with you until Apolonia was all grown up.”

      “So did I,” he muttered.

      “This is awful,” she lamented.

      It was. Since his wife, Isabell, had died of pneumonia within weeks of giving birth, sixty-two-year-old Maria who’d been a maid in Isabell’s parents’ home, had taken on the role of surrogate grandmother to Apolonia.

      Lately his daughter had grown quiet and seemed moody which was not her normal nature. No doubt her worry over Maria, who hadn’t been able to hide her discomfort from the family for several months now, was at the root of her uncharacteristic behavior.

      He feared that when Apolonia heard that the only mother-type figure she’d ever known was on the verge of death, his daughter wouldn’t be able to handle it without Lianor being there to take her place.

      “That’s why I came here instead of phoning you. I want you to come home with me and we’ll tell her together tonight.”

      She pulled out of his arms, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry, Rafael, but I’m afraid I can’t.”

      He blinked in shock. “Why? What’s more important?”

      “The vice president of the company is flying in from New York. I have to pick her up at the airport in two hours.”

      “You mean the notorious Lady Windemere?”

      His sister looked wounded. “I’m sorry that her being a brilliant woman lauded by Wall Street makes you see her in such an unfavorable light, Rafael.”

      “How else can a man view a woman who’s hard as nails, as the Americans say.”

      “You’re wrong about her, you know. She’s not the owner, and she’s not Lady Windemere. For your information it’s the name she gave the company to revitalize and romanticize it. The rising profits are the proof of her business acumen.

      “Her name is Mallory Ellis. And I’m asking you not to speak about her in such a derogatory way again.”

      He couldn’t help it.

      Mallory. Even her name sounded too masculine to his ear. There was nothing soft about Lianor’s new idol. The idea of his sister spending any more time with some hard-boiled female powerhouse who eschewed marriage and family was anathema to him.

      “How long is she going to be here?” his voice grated.

      “Tonight through tomorrow night. She’ll fly home the following day.”

      Rafael swore under his breath.

      She put a placating hand on his arm. “Look—don’t say anything to Apolonia for a couple of more days. I promise I’ll come home as soon as Mallory has flown back to the States.”

      He fought to tamp down his frustration. “It doesn’t look like I have any choice. Where’s this American paragon going to stay while she’s here?”

      “At my apartment.”

      “No, Lianor, you can’t do that.”

      “She has become a friend, Rafael. While I was in California she went out of her way to show me one of the most wonderful times of my life. We stayed overnight at her parents’ house and they were nothing but gracious to me.”

      Rafael had no idea all that had gone on while she’d been out of the country.

      “I’m certainly not going to let her go to some sterile hotel room. Besides, you always wine and dine your friends and business associates at home.”

      “I happen to live at our family’s pousada which makes it convenient to entertain guests.”

      His sister eyed him frankly. “Taking her home would have been my first choice, but knowing how you feel about my job, I thought it best to stay away.”

      “It’s your home too,” he averred forcefully. After a pause, “Bring her there tonight.” He decided he wanted to meet this dangerous stranger who’d become friendly with his sister so quickly. “I’ll arrange for a room.”

      “This is very important to me, Rafael. Will you give her the Alfama suite?”

      The Alfama? His first inclination was to remind her that he reserved the best suite in the palacio for heads of state and royalty. But he caught himself in time.

      “I’m prepared to do that favor for you…provided you do one for me later.”

      “Of course.”

      He eyed his sister through veiled eyes. She had no idea what she’d just agreed to. “I’ll inform Vaz she’ll be staying there for two nights.”

      “Thank you,” she whispered before kissing his cheek. “I love you. I know you’re worried sick about Apolonia’s reaction. Over the next few days I’ll try and think of someone who could take Maria’s place.”

      “I already have the perfect person in mind,” he murmured, “but we’ll talk about it when I can have your undivided attention.”

      After giving her another hug, he left her office in a better mood than when he’d arrived. Apolonia and Lianor adored each other. His sister wouldn’t be able to turn him down when he asked her to take over Maria’s role.

      It would bring Lianor back into their world of mutual friends and men. To make certain she said yes, he would visit Maria in the hospital here in Lisbon right now and tell her Lianor had agreed to be there full-time for Apolonia. That would calm Maria’s fears.

      As for Lianor, when she went to see Maria, the older woman would thank her for doing her duty as Apolonia’s loving aunt, that is if she could still communicate. Lianor wouldn’t have the heart to argue with a dying woman.

      His sister didn’t know it yet, but she needed his daughter as much as Apolonia needed her.

      Driving into the city from the airport, Mallory thought she’d never seen anything as romantic as Lisbon against a twilight sky. Draped over seven hills with the Tagus river flowing through, the sight enchanted her. She said as much to Lianor who’d picked her up outside the terminal in a silver Jaguar.

      The other woman nodded. “If you think this is beautiful, wait till you see my family’s home overlooking the Atlantic. That’s where you’ll be staying while you’re here. It’s just a half hour from Lisbon on the Estoril coast with its own private beach.”

      “It sounds heavenly.”

      “Do you want to stop for something to eat first?”

      “Thank you for offering, but they served a meal on the plane before we landed. I’m still full.”

      “If you’re sure.”

      “Positive. Right now I just want to absorb everything.”

      “That’s how I felt when I flew to Los Angeles for the training session. After it was over and you took me to the airport, I couldn’t resist spending a few days in San Francisco. The