subject. She didn’t want to think about Christian Delornay being a good man. He was simply her employer and her temporary lover.
“Do you think Madame Helene will agree to the changes he suggests to her this afternoon?”
“I hope she will, or I am afraid Mr. Delornay will follow through on his threats and leave the business.”
“But where would he go? This is also his home, is it not?”
“He owns an unentailed property in Hertfordshire that his father gave him. I suppose he could go there.” Ambrose frowned. “Although, what he would do with himself as a gentleman farmer I’m not quite sure.”
“I cannot quite imagine that,” Elizabeth replied.
“I wish he would find another outlet for his talents, though. The pleasure house has started to consume his life, and he doesn’t even own shares in it.”
“It still belongs to his mother?”
“And to his father. I believe they bought out all the other shareholders several years ago.”
“Then one wonders why Mr. Delornay stays.”
Ambrose’s smile was wry. “That is indeed the question, Elizabeth, and one that I do not have the answer for. I suspect things are coming to a head, though, and that Mr. Delornay will soon have to choose between his need for independence and his devotion to his mother’s creation.”
6
“I think your ideas are very promising, Christian.” His mother clapped her hands and smiled down at him. “Very promising, indeed. And I’m certain that I detect the hand of Mrs. Smith in several of them.”
“You would be right, Maman . Mrs. Smith proved to be most helpful.” Christian poured them both some more coffee and felt himself start to relax for the first time in days.
Helene took her cup, added cream, and sipped at the fragrant brew. “Then you admit that I was right, Christian? You did need some help after all.”
Christian clinked his cup against his mother’s. “Indeed you were, Maman, as always.”
Helene’s warm laughter meant he had to smile back at her.
“Ah, you are just like your father, mon cher . So stubborn.”
“And not like you at all.”
Helene sighed. “I have been told that I, too, can be stubborn, but I cannot accept it.” She leaned forward and placed her hand over her heart. “It is just that I know when I am right, and I am quite prepared to fight for it.”
Christian hid a smile and finished his coffee. In truth, his parents were equally hotheaded on occasion, a trait he had tried hard to suppress in his own dealings with his family. Controlling his emotions had served him very well.
“I hear you are sharing a bed with Elizabeth Smith.”
“That is correct.”
Helene nodded, her blue gaze considering. “She is an interesting woman.”
Christian glanced up at her. “Speaking of Mrs. Smith, do you think you could find out more about her?”
Helene put down her cup and slid off her perch on the edge of Christian’s desk. “I have already made some inquiries on your behalf, although it is difficult to get information out of France since the downfall of that rat Napoléon.”
“I appreciate your help, Maman . I’ve never been one to like a mystery.”
“Yet you’ve taken her to your bed.”
“Do you object?”
Helene shrugged. “It is not my place to tell you how to conduct your love life.”
“Really? You were quick enough to come to me with your concerns last year.”
“Because I was afraid for you.” Helene hesitated. “Those clubs can be ... dangerous.”
Christian met her worried gaze head-on. “I know that. Why do you think I frequent them?”
“I ... I could tell you why, but I don’t think you would wish to hear what I have to say. And we are getting along so nicely today that I don’t want to spoil it.”
Christian managed a smile. “Then perhaps we should talk about something else.” He gathered up his papers again. “I hear that Lisette and Gabriel are about to travel up north to their property there. Do you plan on visiting them this
“Do you think Madame Helene will agree to the changes he suggests to her this afternoon?”
“I hope she will, or I am afraid Mr. Delornay will follow through on his threats and leave the business.”
“But where would he go? This is also his home, is it not?”
“He owns an unentailed property in Hertfordshire that his father gave him. I suppose he could go there.” Ambrose frowned. “Although, what he would do with himself as a gentleman farmer I’m not quite sure.”
“I cannot quite imagine that,” Elizabeth replied.
“I wish he would find another outlet for his talents, though. The pleasure house has started to consume his life, and he doesn’t even own shares in it.”
“It still belongs to his mother?”
“And to his father. I believe they bought out all the other shareholders several years ago.”
“Then one wonders why Mr. Delornay stays.”
Ambrose’s smile was wry. “That is indeed the question, Elizabeth, and one that I do not have the answer for. I suspect things are coming to a head, though, and that Mr. Delornay will soon have to choose between his need for independence and his devotion to his mother’s creation.”
6
“I think your ideas are very promising, Christian.” His mother clapped her hands and smiled down at him. “Very promising, indeed. And I’m certain that I detect the hand of Mrs. Smith in several of them.”
“You would be right, Maman . Mrs. Smith proved to be most helpful.” Christian poured them both some more coffee and felt himself start to relax for the first time in days.
Helene took her cup, added cream, and sipped at the fragrant brew. “Then you admit that I was right, Christian? You did need some help after all.”
Christian clinked his cup against his mother’s. “Indeed you were, Maman, as always.”
Helene’s warm laughter meant he had to smile back at her.
“Ah, you are just like your father, mon cher . So stubborn.”
“And not like you at all.”
Helene sighed. “I have been told that I, too, can be stubborn, but I cannot accept it.” She leaned forward and placed her hand over her heart. “It is just that I know when I am right, and I am quite prepared to fight for it.”
Christian hid a smile and finished his coffee. In truth, his parents were equally hotheaded on occasion, a trait he had tried hard to suppress in his own dealings with his family. Controlling his emotions had served him very well.
“I hear you are sharing a bed with Elizabeth Smith.”
“That is correct.”
Helene nodded, her blue gaze considering. “She is an interesting woman.”
Christian glanced up at her. “Speaking of Mrs. Smith, do you think you could find out more about her?”
Helene put down her cup and slid off her perch on the edge of Christian’s desk. “I have already made some inquiries on your behalf, although it is difficult to get information out of France since the downfall of that rat Napoléon.”
“I appreciate your help, Maman . I’ve never been one to like a mystery.”
“Yet you’ve taken her to your bed.”
“Do you object?”
Helene shrugged. “It is not my place to tell you how to conduct your love life.”
“Really? You were quick enough to come to me with your concerns last year.”
“Because I was afraid for you.” Helene hesitated. “Those clubs can be ... dangerous.”
Christian met her worried gaze head-on. “I know that. Why do you think I frequent them?”
“I ... I could tell you why, but I don’t think you would wish to hear what I have to say. And we are getting along so nicely today that I don’t want to spoil it.”
Christian managed a smile. “Then perhaps we should talk about something else.” He gathered up his papers again. “I hear that Lisette and Gabriel are about to travel up north to their property there. Do you plan on visiting them this
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