Nacho Figueras Presents Read Online Free PDF Page A

across the room. Half the women in the club turned to look at the handsome brothers, and not a few men hungrily eyed their beautiful wives.
    Lord Henderson hurried over to greet them, kissing all the women hello and then taking Pilar by the arm and leading her into the crowd. There was something proprietary about the way he shepherded her that made Enzo pause for a moment and take a second look.
    “Huh. Hendy and Pilar,” said Antonia, echoing his thoughts. “That’s new.”
    Enzo watched the dapper older man as he slid his hand to the small of Pilar’s back.
    You sly old dog , he thought, and smiled. “I like them together,” he said. “That should have happened ages ago.”
    Noni shrugged. “Well, good luck to Hendy, anyway,” she said, wryly toasting the couple before taking another sip of her drink.
    Enzo turned to her, mildly exasperated. He understood how Antonia felt about Pilar, but he wished the two women could find a way to bury the hatchet. They were more alike than either would ever admit.
    “Is that what made you so mad this afternoon?” he asked. “Another run-in with Pilar?”
    Noni flushed and buried her face in her drink. “It was nothing,” she murmured; then she looked up at him sharply. “How did you know about that, anyway?”
    It was Enzo’s turn to look away. “I noticed that you seemed upset as you were leaving.”
    He could feel Antonia’s questioning eyes on him as he resolutely kept his gaze on the dance floor.
    “You notice a lot,” she finally said.
    “Well, you stomped off the pitch and then drove away from the farm like a bat out of hell,” he said. “Hard not to notice.”
    She snorted. “I did not. I was maybe doing twenty-five.”
    “You’re supposed to do fifteen. What if you hit a horse?”
    She threw her hand up, laughing. “No one does fifteen. You never do fifteen! And how am I going to hit a horse? Give me a break.”
    Enzo opened his mouth to argue further but was interrupted by Hendy, who had commandeered the DJ booth, Pilar by his side.
    “Hello?” Hendy said into the microphone. “Hello? Hello?”
    The room quieted as people turned their attention toward their host.
    “Ah, yes,” said Hendy in his posh British accent, “um, well, I just wanted to say welcome to you all. And thank you very much for attending.”
    A few people shouted “thank you” back at him.
    He nodded in return. “Yes, you’re very welcome, of course. My pleasure, you know, so happy to see everyone here celebrating what was a most excellent and winning season…um…”
    He trailed off for a moment, and Pilar reached out and took his hand. He smiled at her gratefully and took a deep breath.
    “So, since you’re all here anyway, I have something of an announcement to make…”
    The crowd got even quieter. Enzo glanced at Noni, who looked concerned.
    “I’m afraid that this party isn’t just an end-of-the-season gala. It’s actually a retirement celebration as well. Because, uh, I am quite sad to announce, this polo season has turned out to be my last on the pitch.”
    There was an audible gasp from the audience. Enzo looked over at the Del Campo family, who looked somber but not surprised.
    “Did you know?” he whispered to Antonia.
    She shook her head in return.
    Hendy cleared his throat. “Yes, well, I know I have always said they would have to carry me off the field, but, unfortunately, my doctors seem to feel that is exactly what will happen if I continue to play. The old knee simply won’t take it any longer. So, I thought it best to spare you all the sight of me limping about and just go out on one last, winning season.”
    He smiled shakily, and his voice grew deep with emotion.
    “I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. I have, of course, been a lucky, lucky man to have been able to play the game I love for all these years. And I have been particularly lucky in this last decade to have played on the Del Campo family team, La Victoria.”
    He stopped for a