by Karen Abbott
Alex grinned, recognising her slip into childhood ‘playground’ talk for what it was.
“My gang’s bigger than yours!” he retorted in like manner.
“Oh, yeh?”
They laughed together and hugged as a threesome.
“Go and pack your things, Dani, and I’ll give Grand-père a call. He’s setting up the hoist system, ready for the opening. You will still come to it, won’t you?”
“Just try keeping us away!”
Dani felt a bit sad as Alex drove her away. It was one part of her life, albeit a short part, closing down … but she was also excited about moving in with Alex and Christian.
“Does Christian know I’m coming?” she asked as they approached Vertbois.
“No. I didn’t dare raise his hopes.” He glanced sideways at her. “No regrets?”
“No. As you said, it will give us a chance to see how things work out.”
Christian was busy doing a jigsaw, watched over by Madame Toussaint. He looked up and smiled with delight when he saw Dani.
“Hello! Have you come to play with me? Are you going out, Papa?”
Dani answered, “Yes.”
And Alex answered, “No.”
They laughed and Alex added, “Dani is going to be your child-minder from now on. What do you say to that?”
“For ever?” Christian asked.
“Well, for the rest of the summer,” Dani replied.
“And what then?”
“By then, you’ll be ready for school and we’ll see how things go.”
“Do I have to be very good, so that you’ll stay?”
Dani laughed.
“I don’t expect you to suddenly become angelic! It’s me who’s on trial, not you!”
“So, if you’re very good, Papa will let you stay?”
“Something like that!”
“I hope you’ll be very good, then!”
Dani could hear Alex explaining their business arrangement to Madame Toussaint, which, she admitted, she was old-fashioned enough to appreciate.
Madame Toussaint seemed to find nothing amiss with it.
“I will still be available to sit with Christian when Mademoiselle Cachart has time off,” she volunteered, making Dani realise that she had agreed to the deal without any mention of either hours of duty or rate of pay! A fine businesswoman she was!
When Madame Toussaint had left them, Alex showed her to her room. It was set out as a bed-sit … with a wash basin; a single bed, covered with a pretty floral day-cover; a series of fitted cupboards, drawers and a ward-robe; and an extension overlooking the rear garden, that held an easy chair; a small table and a small television set.
“Of course, you must feel free to use the rest of the house, whether I am home or not,” Alex hastened to explain. “You are to treat the house as your home. I specially took this house because of this arrangement. It will give you a place of privacy that is solely for your own use. Unfortunately, there is only the one bathroom, with an extra toilet just off the entrance hall … but I’m sure we will be able to work around that. You have full access to all its facilities. Also,” he added, seeming to be going through a mental tick-off list, “I don’t expect you to become my cook and housekeeper. I have a cleaner who comes in three times a week and I usually cook my own dinner … or buy a take-away. You never know,” he added with a grin, “we might even get the chance of the occasional meal out, with the help of Madame Toussaint! However, it will be a help if you agree to prepare and supervise Christian’s meals, of course. Now, is there anything I’ve forgotten?”
“I suppose I ought to enquire about my hours and rate of pay,” she suggested mildly.
“Of course! How remiss of me! Shall we say any evening I am in, you can count as your own … though I hope you will stay in for some of them?” He raised an eyebrow enquiringly at her and Dani blushed.
“Yes, of course.” Her heart raced at the thought.
“And you must have at least one day a week free, plus Sunday. Can you be flexible on that? My hours of work are sometimes a bit unpredictable, as, no doubt, you’ve noticed!”
“A little!”
“Enough said! As for rate of pay?” He mentioned a sum that made Dani’s eyes widen.
“That’s far too much!” she protested.
Alex shook his head. “When I said that Christian is worth any amount, I meant it! That’s the rate of pay! Take it or leave it!”
She laughed. “Well, in that case, I’ll take it!”
“Good. Now, come here! A quick kiss before Christian comes to see where what we’re doing!”
Dani gladly stepped forward into his open arms and melted into his embrace. He kissed her tenderly at first, savouring the sweetness of her … but, as their passion arose, the kiss deepened. Dani felt that she couldn’t get enough of him and hungered greedily for more. When she heard a small moan deep within them, she was startled to realise that it came from her and when they reluctantly pulled apart, she was surprised to find that her feet were still on the ground. She had felt almost disembodied, floating somewhere above them.
They were both breathless, their eyes locked on each other.
“Too many kisses like that will spoil my resolve!” Alex warned softly, cupping her face in his hands.
“And mine!”
She lowered her eyes for a moment and then raised them again, to find he was still gazing intently at her.
“I’ve never been kissed like that, before,” she whispered.
Alex traced a finger down her cheek and around her mouth, delighting as she moved her lips into its path. He drew the backs of his nails gently across her cheeks.
“I’m glad I’m the first to awaken you, my love … and, don’t worry, I mean to keep to my vow.” He drew her close against his chest and buried his face in her hair. “This is just a practice! A taste of things to come!”
Dani sighed contentedly. She couldn’t wait for the rest!
They spent the rest of the morning on the beach, digging in the sand, playing with a ball and splashing in and out of the sea, for all the world as if they were a real family. Dani found it satisfying and began to feel less anxious about taking on another woman’s child.
This was the easy part, she acknowledged. It wouldn’t always be as idyllic as this. Life never was!
She felt the glow of Alex’s admiration of her slim, lithe body. Her clothes were always from the ‘petite’ section, but she knew she was amply proportioned … firm, high breasts; a slim waist and flat stomach and legs that seemed longer than they were by the high-legged cut of her pale blue bikini.
Alex, too, had a fine physique … slim build but with broad shoulders and narrow hips, the ideal male figure, she had read in women’s magazines. They could hardly keep their hands off each other, but did so for Christian’s sake … until a frolic in the sea gave them the opportunity to indulge in a playful way.
Alex gripped hold of Dani around her waist and lifted her over a crashing wave … but, when her feet touched down on the sandy sea-bed, she managed to pull him down into the water with her and they clung together, letting the wave toss them in its wake, delighting in the feel of their touching bodies.
Determined not to be left out, Christian called, “Now me! Now me!” and they scrambled to their feet and lifted an arm each to swing Christian over a wave and let him partly down into it, enjoying the sound of his delighted laughter and squeals of joy.
Over his head, Alex said quietly, “This is what he has missed! You’ve no idea how happy it makes me!”
“Yes, I do!” she returned. “I feel it, too.”
They had a late lunch back at the house and then Alex left to attend a meeting somewhere on the mainland, he said. “But I’ll be back early evening so that you can help Lys distribute those advertising leaflets.”
He was as good as his word and Dani cycled back to the windmill, arriving just before a group of the artisans from the port set out with a handful of leaflets each. Lys
paired them off and told them which area to cover.
Dani found herself with Marcel, who seemed a little put-out by her change of status.
“You’re throwing yourself away as a children’s nanny!” he scorned. “I thought you’d have more discrimination than that!”
“It’s to help a friend,” she explained. “Just like we’re now helping Lys … and she is helping all of you by promoting your work! Xavier has already sold more pictures by having them on display here … and we’re not even open properly yet!”
“Not that he needs much help!” Marcel retorted in aggrieved tones.
“What do you mean? He’s an up and coming artist, like the rest of you.”
“Huh! Like not! He’s already got it made!”
“Oh! You mean because of his father being a Count?”
“What? I didn’t know about that! You mean he’s ‘high-nob?”
“Well, not really. He’s the younger son, you know. None of the inheritance comes to him. He has to make his own way in life!”
“I should have thought he’s already made it!”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s famous! Didn’t you know? His pictures hang in all the Art Galleries and in many prestigious houses! Any of his acrylics sell for hundreds of euros, more than that even. Sometimes his work fetches four figures!”
Dani didn’t know what to do. Did Lys know? Or was Xavier keeping it secret from her for some reason? The question was, should she tell her? Or was it none of her business?
How would she feel, if were her who was being deceived?
She knew she would hate to be the last to find out and, decided she would have to tell her quietly, before someone else did.
There was no opportunity that night. When all the leaflets had been pasted on lamp-posts and walls around the island, the various pairs made their way back to the windmill where madame Giraud had prepared a supper of soup, breads and pastries for them all.
Lys was in high spirits and Dani didn’t want to bring her down to earth with what could be unsettling news. The group had travelled from the Le Château by various means and at the end of the evening, they made their way back, Lys transporting four of them squeezed into her car. Dani bade her goodnight and cycled back to Vertbois.
Alex noticed her quiet air but Dani led him to believe that she was tired from the bill-posting activity, though she managed to give him a lively account of the supper afterwards, dispelling any seeds of worry.
“You’ve had an exciting day,” he agreed. “Why don’t you have a bath and go straight to bed? I’ve got a load of paperwork still to get through, so I’d be poor company, anyway.”
Dani agreed and, with only a light kiss, they parted company for the night.
The next morning, after a night of restless concern, Dani knew she had to tell Lys what Marcel had said. Fortunately, Alex was free again that morning and Dani told him she wouldn’t be long … just some sorting out she had to do.
Once at the windmill, and having greeted Etienne and admired his work so far, Dani asked Lys to slip into the craft shop for a minute. Without any ado, she gently told her what Marcel had said, adding, “I know it’s none of my business … but, if Marcel knows, you can bet that others do, too. I thought it had better be me to tell you.”
Lys gaped at her.
“Are you sure?” she faltered. “He’s never said. No, you must be mistaken. It must be someone else.”
Dani raised an eyebrow.
“There’s only one Xavier Monsigny, younger son to le Comte de Monsigny? He earns commissions in hundreds of euros … thousands, even! Your boyfriend’s a celebrity, my dear!”
Chapter 9
Lys’s face changed from bewilderment to anger … and then to a dawning light of understanding.
“No wonder he was upset when three of his paintings were stolen soon after he came here! They were all commissioned paintings. He might have told me! I’ve probably made such a fool of myself, offering to pay my way and even loan him some money at times!”
Her face fell.
“I feel cheated! Why couldn’t he tell me? What difference would it have made? If Marcel knows, I bet everyone else does as well! They’re probably all thinking I’m hanging on to him, only after his money!”
Dani could understand her feeling a bit aggrieved but felt she was going too far with it.
“Don’t be silly. No-one seeing you together would think any such thing!”
“It’s all very well for you to say that! You’re not the one they’re poking the finger at!”
“And neither are you! You’re making …”
Lys held out her hand as if warding Dani away. “No! Don’t say any more! I’m going to go and see what he has to say for himself!”
Lys swung on her heels and stalked out of the shop before Dani could say any more.
Dani returned to Vertbois in a subdued frame of mind. She was sure it would all blow over, but she didn’t like to think of Lys being unhappy. Maybe she should have kept the information to herself!
Alex was busy setting out Christian’s wooden railway track on the lounge floor when she returned. He looked up at her.
“Everything all right?” he asked perceptively.
Dani was too upset to tell him about the matter … and wasn’t sure Lys would want her to do so anyway.
“Yes, fine,” she replied. “I just wanted to check over something with Lys. It’s the opening tomorrow. We want everything to go off well.”
“Come and see my trains!” Christian called. “Papa is making a super lay-out!”
Glad of the diversion, Dani pushed the matter to one side. There was nothing more she do about for now, anyway.
They spent a pleasant day together. After Alex had completed some work on his lap-top, that he explained was connected to the main business computer via the internet, they had lunch and then took an excited Christian to St. Trojan, where a narrow-gauge railway ran through the forest and sand dunes to the Gatseau beach and the narrow straits of Maumusson at the most southerly tip of the island.
The small train was a picturesque, ancient model, pulling half a dozen open-sided carriages that were almost filled by a party of excited young school children.
“Wow! That must be a nice school to go to!” Christian exclaimed on being told. “Will the school I go to come to the beach in a train?”
Alex laughed, ruffling his hair.
“I don’t suppose they come every day! I expect it’s a treat for the end of term. I bet they have to go back to school and write about it!”
Christian still seemed enthralled by the idea and was reluctant to leave the train to go on to the beach. The engine driver let him try his hat on and promised that he would be allowed to stand in his cab before their return journey later on … if he was a good boy and did as his mama and papa were telling him.
Alex and Dani exchanged a secret smile over his head and Alex linked his fingers into Dani’s as they strolled behind Christian, who was now eager to run over the last dune to see the sea. To any casual onlookers, they did indeed seem like a normal family group. Dani’s heart felt warmed by the thought. She was beginning to wonder why the thought of taking on someone else’s child had seemed so terrifying until a short while ago.
Later, after their evening meal, Dani asked if she might make another visit to see Lys. “Just to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow,” she excused herself. In her own happiness, the thought of Lys’s temporary upset with Xavier cast a shadow over everything.
Alex laughed good-naturedly.
“Your evening time is your own,” he reminded her. “Take the car, if you like. You have a licence, don’t you?”
“Oh! Yes, I have. Thank you. I’ll be careful.”
Alex kissed her lightly.
“I wouldn’t have offered its use, if I didn’t think that!”
Dani wondered what reception she would receive from Lys. When she arrived at the windmill, it was to see Lys, Etienne a
nd a few of the artisans stringing bunting around the car park and making everywhere look bright and festive. She couldn’t see Xavier anywhere but waited until everyone else had gone before bringing the question into the open.
Lys pulled a face.
“He said he doesn’t know what I’m fussing about! And he’s gone up to the northern end of the island … to La Côte Sauvage, Chassiron and St. Denis ... ‘to find some peace and quiet,’ he said!”
Lys’s voice was flat and Dani immediately put her arms around her.
“He’ll be back. He’d said he wanted to go up there … before all this.”
“Yes, but not like this! Not just now! And he said he hoped I’d get over my fit of the sulks whilst he was away!”
Dani was sympathetic.
“Not the best of ‘au revoirs’!” she said wryly. “What did you say to that?”
“Nothing! Just be glad I didn’t have anything in my hand to pour over his head! I felt like it, I can tell you!”
“Oh, poor you … and lucky Xavier! You will make up, though, won’t you?” Dani asked lightly, trying to defuse Lys’s annoyance. “After all, what if Xavier had told you straight away? Would it really have made any difference to your feeling for him?”
To her relief, Lys considered the point.
“I don’t know. I suppose I’d have felt he was out of my league … socially and financially,” she admitted honestly. “As it is, I still feel he hasn’t trusted me enough to tell me his true status. It was bad enough finding out that his father is a Count … but I still thought he was an up and coming artist, not an already established one making pots of money! I thought we were beginning things together, both building our careers. I’ll never be able to earn anything like what Xavier earns from his paintings!”
“So what? Isn’t it more important that you love each other?” Dani asked reasonably. “Anyway, most men like to provide for their wives, don’t they?” She grinned wickedly. “There won’t be as much income to miss when the patter of tiny feet come along, that way!”
Lys was glad they were outside in the rapidly fading light, hiding her blushes.
“We haven’t got that far yet!” she exclaimed.
