by Jan Moran
Danielle smiled at Jon through her joyful laughter and tears. She looked up and saw Abigail smiling at the rail, her hands clasped over her heart. Marie was beside her, waving and throwing kisses. Liliana called to Nicky, and Jasmin stood beside her, quiet for once, her mouth agape in astonishment.
The nun and Libby stood near them, beaming. Libby said, “I can guess who this is.”
Jon stood and gave her an enthusiastic hug. “Isn’t it wonderful?” He brushed his eyes and embraced the nun, too, to her surprise. “We’ll take care of the details, Libby, but we’ve got to get back on board. The captain waits for no one, not even a Newell-Grey. Well,” he added with a wink to Nicky, “hardly anyone, but he’ll wait for you. In fact, we’ve all been waiting for you, for a long, long time.”
Danielle laughed and hugged Nicky, rocking him in her arms. “Everything will be all right now. My darling Nicky, my brave Nikolov. We’re going home!”
Epilogue
Danielle stood at the bedroom window gazing over moonlit fields of flowers, their sweet scents mingling in the early pre-dawn air. Jon stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her, nuzzling her neck. This is a perfect moment, she thought, resting her head against his chest and breathing in the beloved summer aromas of the Grasse countryside.
Their late afternoon wedding on the lush grounds of her family’s chateau had been intimate, with a small number of friends and family in attendance, but the dining and dancing and revelry had lasted until midnight.
And now, everyone else at the Bretancourt family chateau was asleep: Marie, Liliana, Jasmin, Nicky, Philippe, Jon’s parents, the Leibowitzes, and Abigail and Lou and the triplets.
Danielle’s nose was tingling with the scents of dewy flowers and the musky warmth from their night of lovemaking. An idea for a new parfum danced in her mind.
Jon smoothed a wisp of hair from her forehead. “What are you thinking, my beautiful wife?”
Danielle smiled up at him. “That I want to capture this moment forever.”
Author's Notes
Chapter 1. The Prime Minister’s radio address is a transcript of British Prime Minister Chamberlain’s radio address, September 3, 1939. To hear the real speech, visit YouTube.com and search for: British Declaration of War Radio Broadcast, September 3, 1939.
The Perfumes:
The fictional perfume, Chimère, is based on a perfume I created with perfumer Marvel Fields, then of Mane USA. It was called Fabulous by Jan Moran Beverly Hills, and was sold in boutiques. It exists today only in my private reserve.
Other perfumes are based on an artisan perfume line I developed. The Joie de Bretancourt, Jour de Bretancourt and Nuit de Bretancourt perfumes are entirely fictional.
For more information and to join our list for all the latest news, visit www.janmoran.com
Follow Jan on Twitter @janmoran and on Facebook.
Acknowledgements
My deep appreciation and love goes to my mother, Jeanne Hollenbeck, who contributed her memories of life during World War II.
Great love and appreciation to my husband, Steven Fish, who is my partner in business and in life. Thank you for believing in me, and for your marketing genius, which was the breath of life for Scentsa.
Thanks to our children: my son, Eric Moran, who has spent countless hours helping grow the Scentsa business. And to his wife and my beautiful daughter-in-law, Ginna Moran, who proof read this manuscript and is a wonderful writer in her own right. And to Daniel Fish, Brian Fish, and Eric Fish, for brightening moments with humor and laughter.
Appreciation to those on the ScentsaBeauty team who also offered insights: Jazmin Garcia, Caitlin MacBeth, Caroline Refalo, and Felicia Roberts. Many thanks to everyone in the world of Scentsa; I enjoy working with every one of you.
Kudos to graphic designer Sherri Yu for such a beautiful, compelling cover design. Warm appreciation to Aly Spencer, Vana Margolese, Francesca Daniels, Heidi Powers, and Sandy Williams for their enduring friendship. A special thanks to Josette Banzet and her daughter Danielle Spandau, after whom Danielle Bretancourt is named. And sending heartfelt gratitude to literary agent Deborah Ritchken for her insightful comments.
A sincere thank you to our beloved readers, bloggers, and media partners. Without you, I would have no reason to dream life into fleeting ideas.
Finally, my deepest gratitude to our Scentsa business partners at Sephora and other retailers. Great appreciation goes to Jessica Hanson for her support of Scentsa. And a very special thanks to Karen Marin for her belief in Scentsa from the beginning.
Questions for Book Clubs
In the beginning of the story, Danielle is constrained by societal values, but as the story progresses, she shuns convention. Why do you think her beliefs and behavior changed?
Women’s career roles in history underwent seismic shifts during World War II. Do you think that Danielle’s motivation for business was external, internal, or both? Why?
How would today’s modern communications of mobile phones, email, and satellite media have changed this story? The relationship between Danielle and Jon? The war itself?
Danielle experienced many scenes through her sense of smell. What are your favorite olfactory observations in this story?
How does Danielle’s keen sense of smell add to setting and characterization?
Danielle and Max make the distinction between Germany and the Nazi party. How does this conflict affect their relationship? How do politics affect other relationships in the families?
When Danielle is launching her perfume line at Bullock’s Wilshire in Los Angles, she realizes she feels like an American. What do you think she meant by that? Do you have any stories of immigration in your own family?
Do you know what year women in your country gained the right to vote? The right to own property? Can you imagine how having new access to these rights might have motivated women? Why or why not?
Danielle never gives up hope of finding her son, and senses that he still lives. Do you think parents have a sixth sense about the well-being of their children?
As an entrepreneur, what were Danielle’s challenges and keys to success? Do you have any entrepreneurial ambitions, or have you ever started a new venture? Do you know where might you find business advice in your community or network?
Visit www.janmoran.com to discover more details about this book and follow Jan’s blog. Please join the reader’s club list, too!
Table of Contents
Praise
Also by Jan Moran
About the Author
Dedication
Part I - Europe
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Part II - America
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Part III - Europe
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Epilogue
Author's Notes
Acknowledgements
Questions for Book Clubs
From.Net
