Read Online Precious Gifts by Danielle Steel - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Danielle Steel
Ads: Link
deserve for all you’ve done for me over these many years. In addition, I apologize to you from my heart for the revelation of a child you knew nothing about. Please believe me when I say that I never loved her mother as I did you. You were always my only true love. I am sorry I was such a fool in my lifetime. I love you although I was never the husband you deserved.’ ”
Arnold looked at them, and saw that Véronique was in tears. “And then he signed it,” he said quietly, as Véronique discreetly blew her nose. Paul had shown far greater insights in death, about his children, and even about her, than he had shown in his lifetime. And Véronique thought he would do the girls some good with his bequests, and Bertie, too. She wondered if Bertie would try to overturn the will, although Paul was under no obligation to leave him anything. Unlike French law, in America he didn’t have to leave his children any part of his estate, and he had eloquently explained why he hadn’t left anything to Bertie. It touched her, too, that he had left her the Bellini, a reminder of their good times together, and their passionate beginning, although she still didn’t believe it was real. That had never really mattered to either of them—they just loved it, and had fallen in love with it when they first saw it. And she was touched that he thought she should paint again. She had considered it many times herself since the girls had grown up, but never got around to it. And she didn’t know if she would now or not. It was so many years since she’d painted and it was hard to start again. And they had far more important issues to discuss and think about now, like Sophie Agnès Marnier. The girls wanted to know everything about her from Arnold, and were extremely upset, understandably, not about her share of the estate, but about the very fact that she existed, and that their father had never told them about his love child. It was shocking news to them now, and they couldn’t question him about it, only Arnold.
Arnold said that she lived near St. Paul de Vence, near the château, which was how Paul had met her mother, and that, as far as he knew, Paul had not seen Sophie or her mother in thirteen or fourteen years. He had done little to help her, which was why he wanted to do so now. And he had pushed her from his mind, until he began examining his conscience closer to his death. His adding her to his will had been an afterthought. Arnold said he knew nothing else about her except an address, which they had verified for the purposes of the will. Paul had not contacted her or her mother before his death, and Véronique found herself thinking that he had walked away from his obligations and responsibilities to her, too, just as he had done with everything else, although he had tried to repair some of the damage posthumously.
As they left Arnold’s office, Timmie suggested they have dinner together, and Joy volunteered to postpone her flight until the next day. Getting back to the restaurant was no longer crucial since the reading of the will. She was going to be able to quit when she went back and focus only on her career for the first time in five years. And they had much to discuss and think about, and decide what to do about the château. They each had a project that their father had funded with his bequests. And they wanted to discuss what to do about Sophie. They owned a château with her now. Arnold said he would be sending her a copy of the will, and her share of the bequests.
They all agreed to dinner that night, and Véronique as well. They arranged to meet at Da Silvano, near Timmie’s apartment, at eight o’clock. And as Véronique rode back to her apartment alone in a cab after the meeting, she was still devastated about the discovery of Sophie and her mother. She couldn’t help thinking that even after he died, Paul had managed to hurt her again, deeply, by revealing an affair that had happened during their marriage,
Arnold looked at them, and saw that Véronique was in tears. “And then he signed it,” he said quietly, as Véronique discreetly blew her nose. Paul had shown far greater insights in death, about his children, and even about her, than he had shown in his lifetime. And Véronique thought he would do the girls some good with his bequests, and Bertie, too. She wondered if Bertie would try to overturn the will, although Paul was under no obligation to leave him anything. Unlike French law, in America he didn’t have to leave his children any part of his estate, and he had eloquently explained why he hadn’t left anything to Bertie. It touched her, too, that he had left her the Bellini, a reminder of their good times together, and their passionate beginning, although she still didn’t believe it was real. That had never really mattered to either of them—they just loved it, and had fallen in love with it when they first saw it. And she was touched that he thought she should paint again. She had considered it many times herself since the girls had grown up, but never got around to it. And she didn’t know if she would now or not. It was so many years since she’d painted and it was hard to start again. And they had far more important issues to discuss and think about now, like Sophie Agnès Marnier. The girls wanted to know everything about her from Arnold, and were extremely upset, understandably, not about her share of the estate, but about the very fact that she existed, and that their father had never told them about his love child. It was shocking news to them now, and they couldn’t question him about it, only Arnold.
Arnold said that she lived near St. Paul de Vence, near the château, which was how Paul had met her mother, and that, as far as he knew, Paul had not seen Sophie or her mother in thirteen or fourteen years. He had done little to help her, which was why he wanted to do so now. And he had pushed her from his mind, until he began examining his conscience closer to his death. His adding her to his will had been an afterthought. Arnold said he knew nothing else about her except an address, which they had verified for the purposes of the will. Paul had not contacted her or her mother before his death, and Véronique found herself thinking that he had walked away from his obligations and responsibilities to her, too, just as he had done with everything else, although he had tried to repair some of the damage posthumously.
As they left Arnold’s office, Timmie suggested they have dinner together, and Joy volunteered to postpone her flight until the next day. Getting back to the restaurant was no longer crucial since the reading of the will. She was going to be able to quit when she went back and focus only on her career for the first time in five years. And they had much to discuss and think about, and decide what to do about the château. They each had a project that their father had funded with his bequests. And they wanted to discuss what to do about Sophie. They owned a château with her now. Arnold said he would be sending her a copy of the will, and her share of the bequests.
They all agreed to dinner that night, and Véronique as well. They arranged to meet at Da Silvano, near Timmie’s apartment, at eight o’clock. And as Véronique rode back to her apartment alone in a cab after the meeting, she was still devastated about the discovery of Sophie and her mother. She couldn’t help thinking that even after he died, Paul had managed to hurt her again, deeply, by revealing an affair that had happened during their marriage,
Similar Books
