‘Leo, my son, I’d such as you to satisfy your new stepmother.’Sébastien gave a chuckle, slipping a possessive arm round Chanelle’s waist. ‘Your stepmother! What a thought, hein? Why, you’re not a lot older than her. You’ll surprise at us two getting hooked, I think about. An unconventional couple… However there’s no accounting for love.’

Pulling her shut, his father kissed the younger girl on the lips, who stood mute and nonetheless beneath this very public present of affection.

‘Dad, please,’ Leo muttered, horrified now.

‘Oh, cease fussing. My God, who put that stick up your bottom? As if I want ask… Your grandmother is accountable for this new prudery, I’ve little question. She tried that nonsense with me, you already know. Guilt tripping. However I wasn’t all in favour of dwelling like that, with my head in a rattling yoke. That’s why I left Paris, even when it meant not being there for you and Francis. And look what I caught… Come, Chanelle, don’t be shy. Shake your stepson’s hand.’ And once more, he laughed.

‘Congratulations in your marriage ceremony to my father.’ Politely, Leo shook Chanelle’s hand, and kissed her on the cheek as was anticipated.However all of the whereas, he was conscious of his father turning to Liselle and embracing her as an alternative, whispering one thing in her ear that made his supervisor shriek with laughter. One thing about him? Or was that paranoia?

His father was extraordinarily expert at inducing paranoia. Considered one of his superpowers, in reality.

‘I’ve heard a lot about you,’ Chanelle was murmuring as she appeared him up and down, her gaze sharpening with curiosity. Her voice was smooth and breathy. Was she channelling Marilyn Monroe? Little question that method had labored properly together with his father, who had very particular tastes in girls. Today, at any price. Leo’s mom had been a really totally different form of girl. ‘Your father was proper. You might be very good-looking.’ She leant nearer. Moderately too shut, in Leo’s opinion, for a just lately married girl. Her fragrance was cloyingly candy. ‘And I’m glad you misplaced the beard.’

She had blue eyes. Like Maeve’s.

And but Chanelle’s eyes had zero influence on his libido. The one factor he felt for her was pity. She was too younger and, he felt positive, too inexperienced in love to know what sort of man his father was. As soon as Sébastien Rémy had used this lovely mannequin for his personal functions, principally embarrassing his household and getting himself again into the general public eye, he would dump her as he had dumped his earlier lovers, and little question depart her broken-hearted.

Whereas Chanelle was shaking Jean’s hand and kissing Liselle on the cheek, his father clapped him on the shoulder. ‘However sufficient about us,’ Sébastien mentioned, grinning. ‘I noticed that cosy snap of you with the English lady. You sly factor… The place did you meet her, eh? Ought to we anticipate marriage ceremony bells quickly?’

Leo met his eyes with chilly dislike. ‘There’s nothing between us. It was simply Jean making mischief.’

‘In fact, after all.’ His father winked, his smile understanding. ‘And you’ve got an exhibition quickly. Might we be permitted a sneak preview? Maybe once we come to the château for lunch tomorrow?’

Leo stiffened. ‘Tomorrow? Have you ever checked with Grandmère that it’s handy?’

‘I rang her earlier than coming right here. She invited us to lunch.’ Sébastien appeared concerning the café-bar, his eager eyes taking in each element. ‘I knew you’d in all probability be right here. Francis had a greater head for enterprise than you, God relaxation his soul. The ruthless contact… So vital for creating wealth. However you’ve not been too dangerous at maintaining a tally of issues, I’ll say that for you, and Jean is an efficient supervisor right here. I’m glad you’ve been operating the property so properly for me.’ He paused, his gaze returning to Leo’s face. ‘Although I’m disenchanted to not discover the little English lady with you. I’d fairly hoped to introduce myself.’

Over his lifeless physique…

Leo was conscious of a surge of aggression, and was stunned by his need to guard their visitor from his father’s intrusive, over-the-top character.

‘You didn’t come to Francis’s funeral,’ he mentioned bluntly. ‘Why not?’

His father appeared shocked by this direct demand. Shocked, even. Then, to Leo’s amazement, his eyes welled with tears. ‘Ah, my poor son. My dearest boy… ’ He shook his head, a tear trickling down his rugged cheek. ‘I couldn’t be there, don’t you see? It could have killed me too, being requested to face on the graveside and watch as my darling son… No, the entire thing was not possible.’

He laid a heavy arm about Leo’s shoulders, reducing his head to mutter in his ear, ‘However I noticed it on the web afterwards. And it introduced me to tears, what you mentioned at… on the funeral.’ His voice had damaged to a barely audible croak. ‘Thanks.’

Leo was not ready for the wave of uncooked ache that hit him, listening to this. His brother’s loss of life was nonetheless a weight on his coronary heart. Now this…

‘Let’s take this again to the château, we could?’ he mentioned hoarsely, and turned with out ready for his father to comply with. ‘This place is simply too public.’ His voice thickened with emotion as he strode from the bar, muttering, ‘I must get out of right here.’

He didn’t need his father and his new stepmother setting foot contained in the château. However what may he do? Sébastien Rémy had each proper to be there, as proprietor and chef de famille. And Chanelle was apparently pregnant. It could be extraordinarily discourteous to show both of them away. However there was little question in his thoughts that his father had come to make bother and intrude in Leo’s plans. Little question he’d need Jean stored on because the café supervisor, as an illustration, and would insist on that, undermining Leo’s authority.

Worse, judging by the telephones that had been skilled on their reunion, all this may be entrance web page information tomorrow…

Maeve was downstairs within the labyrinthine kitchens on the base of the outdated château, a medieval-like maze of pantries, walkways, nooks and crannies, watching with curiosity as Bernadette demonstrated tips on how to make croissants, when the distant jangle of the château bell sounded above them.

‘It is fairly late for a caller,’ Bernadette mentioned in shock, reaching for a material to wipe her arms. ‘However I would higher reply the door. Grandma often goes as much as her room for a nap earlier than supper, and Nonna’s too deaf to listen to the doorbell. Although she at all times hears once I supply to make her chocolat chaud, funnily sufficient.’ She started eradicating her apron. ‘Why don’t you keep right here and check out folding and rolling the dough your self?’

The method of creating home-made croissants had been so prolonged and concerned, Maeve was too terrified to the touch the dough herself. If she messed it up, she may smash the entire batch. Bernadette had already defined how she’d made the dough yesterday, kneaded it and rolled it a number of occasions, then left the dough wrapped in plastic within the fridge in a single day. Now slabs of butter needed to be folded into it earlier than one other chilling and rolling session, after which they may lastly make the particular croissant shapes prepared for baking.

Given how difficult the method was, Maeve had no concept how individuals who made croissants themselves as an alternative of shopping for them from a boulangerie had any time left for really consuming them…

‘Or I may reply the door,’ she mentioned hurriedly, ‘if that’s okay. I’m undecided what the croissants would appear like if I attempted folding the dough myself. Like a complicated yoga place, I anticipate.’

‘I’d wish to get again into yoga,’ Bernadette mentioned, grinning. ‘I’m so unfit.’ That they had been talking an uncomfortable mix of English and French however Bernadette was utilizing easy phrases and going as slowly as she may when utilizing French, usually repeating sentences in order that Maeve may catch up. ‘Nonetheless, I may do with rolling this batch for the final time earlier than the dough dries out… Both that or I’ll must wrap it in plastic and put it again within the fridge to complete later.’

‘I’ll go,’ Maeve mentioned firmly.

Supply: www.seynovel.com