away from here,
peut-être.’
She said shortly, ‘I haven’t decided.’
His mouth curled slightly. ‘No doubt there is much to consider. But I advise you to ignore your mother’s hopes of having my father’s will set aside in her favour. It will not happen, no matter what
avocat
she chooses to employ in place of Monsieur Hargreaves.’
‘In his place?’ Ginny was bewildered. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘They spoke on the telephone today. She was angry he had not warned her that the house had been rented. He explained that he had not wished to immediately burden her with more bad news. That he awaited only a convenient opportunity. But it made no difference. She no longer wishes him to act for her.’
Stifling a groan, she said, ‘I’m sure she didn’t mean it. I’ll talk to her.’
‘I think it is too late for that. She blames him,
tu comprends
, for obeying my father’s instructions about the disposal of his estate. For not, as she says, making him see reason.’
The note of faint derision in his voice flicked Ginny on the raw. She said hotly, ‘Clearly you don’t understand how my mother feels. How bewildered—how hurt she is—to be treated like this—after eleven happy years.’
‘That is how you see it?
Une vraie idylle?
’ The mockery was overt now and it stung. ‘Which is how it began,
n’est-ce pas
? The deck of a ship beneath the stars—a man and a woman in each other’s arms, overcoming past tragedy, finding new hope together?’
‘And what’s wrong with that?’ Ginny demanded defensively. ‘Lots of people begin lasting relationships on holiday.’
He said softly, ‘And many more treat it as an enjoyable interlude, and never think of it again on their return to the lives they live each day. Perhaps that is the wisest course.’
She stared at him. ‘And that’s what you think my mother should have done?’
His tone hardened. ‘I cannot speak for her. But my father—
certainement.
’
She said, ‘I think you’re being insulting.’
He shrugged. ‘I would say—truthful.’
Ginny got to her feet, trembling. ‘What right have you to judge her—or any of us? My mother was left a widow with two young children, and very little money.’
His mouth twisted cynically. ‘Yet she was a partner in a beauty salon,
n’est-ce pas,
and could afford to pay for an expensive cruise in the Mediterranean, on which she did not choose to include you or your sister.
Incroyable
.’
Partner in a beauty salon? Ginny repeated silently, her heart missing a beat. Her mother had been a manicurist. An employee. What was he talking about?
She hastily switched tack. ‘You speak as if my mother abandoned us in the streets,’ she challenged. ‘We actually stayed with my godmother and her husband in Fulham, and had a wonderful time, whereas we’d have been bored stiff on a ship all day long.
‘And Mother was only able to go on the cruise because she won a prize in the National Lottery. Not one of the big ones, of course,’ she added quickly, seeing his brows lift. ‘But it paid for all sorts of things. Besides, she’d had a tough time and she needed a break.’
‘
Sans doute.
’ His voice was flat. ‘And, at the end of the cruise,
quelle surprise,
she has a new and wealthy husband.’
Her voice shook. ‘How dare you. What the hell are you implying?’
‘I imply nothing. I state facts. Can you deny that you have ever wondered how it came about—this so convenient marriage?’
‘Of course I deny it. They met and fell in love. That’s all there is to it.’ She gripped the back of her chair with both hands as pain, a strange mixture of hurt and bewilderment, twisted inside her, adding to her shock and confusion. ‘Is this the kind of poison you’ve been feeding to Andrew over the years? Turning him against his own wife? Well, I won’t—I don’t believe a word of it.’
‘A display of family loyalty?’ he countered harshly. ‘A little late for that, I think. And I
peut-être.’
She said shortly, ‘I haven’t decided.’
His mouth curled slightly. ‘No doubt there is much to consider. But I advise you to ignore your mother’s hopes of having my father’s will set aside in her favour. It will not happen, no matter what
avocat
she chooses to employ in place of Monsieur Hargreaves.’
‘In his place?’ Ginny was bewildered. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘They spoke on the telephone today. She was angry he had not warned her that the house had been rented. He explained that he had not wished to immediately burden her with more bad news. That he awaited only a convenient opportunity. But it made no difference. She no longer wishes him to act for her.’
Stifling a groan, she said, ‘I’m sure she didn’t mean it. I’ll talk to her.’
‘I think it is too late for that. She blames him,
tu comprends
, for obeying my father’s instructions about the disposal of his estate. For not, as she says, making him see reason.’
The note of faint derision in his voice flicked Ginny on the raw. She said hotly, ‘Clearly you don’t understand how my mother feels. How bewildered—how hurt she is—to be treated like this—after eleven happy years.’
‘That is how you see it?
Une vraie idylle?
’ The mockery was overt now and it stung. ‘Which is how it began,
n’est-ce pas
? The deck of a ship beneath the stars—a man and a woman in each other’s arms, overcoming past tragedy, finding new hope together?’
‘And what’s wrong with that?’ Ginny demanded defensively. ‘Lots of people begin lasting relationships on holiday.’
He said softly, ‘And many more treat it as an enjoyable interlude, and never think of it again on their return to the lives they live each day. Perhaps that is the wisest course.’
She stared at him. ‘And that’s what you think my mother should have done?’
His tone hardened. ‘I cannot speak for her. But my father—
certainement.
’
She said, ‘I think you’re being insulting.’
He shrugged. ‘I would say—truthful.’
Ginny got to her feet, trembling. ‘What right have you to judge her—or any of us? My mother was left a widow with two young children, and very little money.’
His mouth twisted cynically. ‘Yet she was a partner in a beauty salon,
n’est-ce pas,
and could afford to pay for an expensive cruise in the Mediterranean, on which she did not choose to include you or your sister.
Incroyable
.’
Partner in a beauty salon? Ginny repeated silently, her heart missing a beat. Her mother had been a manicurist. An employee. What was he talking about?
She hastily switched tack. ‘You speak as if my mother abandoned us in the streets,’ she challenged. ‘We actually stayed with my godmother and her husband in Fulham, and had a wonderful time, whereas we’d have been bored stiff on a ship all day long.
‘And Mother was only able to go on the cruise because she won a prize in the National Lottery. Not one of the big ones, of course,’ she added quickly, seeing his brows lift. ‘But it paid for all sorts of things. Besides, she’d had a tough time and she needed a break.’
‘
Sans doute.
’ His voice was flat. ‘And, at the end of the cruise,
quelle surprise,
she has a new and wealthy husband.’
Her voice shook. ‘How dare you. What the hell are you implying?’
‘I imply nothing. I state facts. Can you deny that you have ever wondered how it came about—this so convenient marriage?’
‘Of course I deny it. They met and fell in love. That’s all there is to it.’ She gripped the back of her chair with both hands as pain, a strange mixture of hurt and bewilderment, twisted inside her, adding to her shock and confusion. ‘Is this the kind of poison you’ve been feeding to Andrew over the years? Turning him against his own wife? Well, I won’t—I don’t believe a word of it.’
‘A display of family loyalty?’ he countered harshly. ‘A little late for that, I think. And I
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