“But that’s a moot point. You are married.”
“She knows…somehow she found out that Tasha doesn’t know I have to be married for one year to inherit.” Andre cleared his throat. “Cecily threatened to tell her if I don’t relinquish my claim on the Renault fortune.”
Camille’s eyebrows shot up. “Is she gone?” There was an immediacy in her tone now. She went to the couch and sat down. After a brief interval of silence, she looked up at Andre. “We have to get that woman off this property.”
“Already taken care of.” He moved to the chair opposite Camille and dropped down onto it. “I had her removed and barred from the estate. That’ll give me time to figure out how to proceed.”
“You have to tell Tasha.”
Andre stared down at his hands. He rubbed his palms and then laced his fingers together before looking back at Camille. “And you know very well what’ll happen next. She’ll leave.”
“No.” She shook her head. “We don’t know that.”
“You’re kidding yourself.”
Camille sucked in a breath as a look of worry crossed her face. She blew out a sigh and nodded. “Yeah. She would. She’s just too damned proud for her own good.”
Andre laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You two are very much alike, you know.”
“Well, you know what they say about birds and feathers.”
Birds and feathers? Andre was mildly curious but didn’t want to get Camille started on something else. He had a real, not to mention immediate, problem. A problem he was beginning to realize that he needed help in fixing.
“Nevertheless…” Camille said. “I doubt Cecily will go away so easily, considering that busting up your marriage will be rather profitable for her.”
“What am I going to do?” The thought caused Andre’s entire body to tense up. “I had her removed from the estate, but let’s face it…there’s no way to stop her, short of keeping Tasha hostage here on the grounds.” He sucked in a breath and tightened his mouth. After exhaling, he said, “I can’t do that.”
“That’s why you have to tell Tasha.”
“I don’t care about the money myself.” He looked at Camille. “But it’s not just my money at stake. There’s you and Julian and Lecie. How can I be responsible for the three of you losing one hundred million dollars?”
Camille hated the thought of hiding anything from Tasha, but she also had her child’s future to consider. A fifty-million dollar trust fund for Juliana, and any other children Camille might one day have, would go a long way toward securing their futures. She looked at Andre. “But what’ll we do?”
“I’d like to say I could hide it from her forever.”
“But that’s not very realistic, is it?”
Andre shook his head.
“Far as I can see,” Camille said. “You have one of two choices. You can tell Tasha now, and hope she doesn’t do what we both know she will.”
“Or…?”
“Or, you can take her away until the two months are up…and you, Julian, and Lecie have received your inheritances.”
“I could do that.”
“If you do choose that route, you have to tell her before you bring her home. If she finds out from anybody else, she will never forgive you.”
“I don’t think she’s going to forgive me no matter what.” Andre shook his head.
“If she hears it from you, I think she will. Eventually.” Camille shrugged. “It’s just a matter of how much time that’ll take.”
“You make it sound so easy.” Andre laughed as if it were a ridiculous notion.
“The question you have to ask yourself is…do you want to stay married to Tasha?”
Of course, Andre wanted to stay married to Tasha. A year ago, he hadn’t thought getting married was a good idea, that it would only lead to trouble. But that was then and this was now. Now he was married to Tasha and he wanted to stay that way. He also wanted to make sure his brother and sister got their inheritances.
Was it possible that he could do both?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
TASHA LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW at the gardens below, the rolling hills beyond, and the Mediterranean off in the distance. The storm clouds had moved on, leaving only blue skies.
She moved away from the window and headed for the bathroom. She’d been expecting her period for the better part of a week now, but she wasn’t getting her hopes up. She’d done that last month and had been disappointed three days later.
Tasha turned sideways and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her tummy was still flat. She wasn’t even bloated, which was something that always happened when she got her period. She used her upper arms to squeeze her breast. They were sore, sorer than usual for the onset of her period.
The last time she’d experienced anything like this—
No! Tasha shook her head. She wasn’t going there. Not today. Not now.
She sucked in a breath, took one last glance at herself in the mirror and left the bathroom. The jewelry she’d picked out for the day had been laid out on top of the dresser. Emeralds to match her perfectly-fitted chartreuse pant suit.
She picked up the ring and slipped it on the ring finger of her right hand. The white gold ring was set with a five-carat emerald surrounded by an entourage of four carats of round and baguette diamonds that trailed across the band. The ring’s design made Tasha think of movie stars from days gone by. She envisioned Carole Lombard or Greta Garbo wearing something like this on the red carpet.
She picked up the earrings and pinned them to her ears. Fifteen carats of emeralds and more than six carats of diamonds. The earrings were heavy, to be sure, but she’d endure them for a little while. Their sleek, shimmering and sophisticated droplet design made her feel like a princess.
Next, she scooped up the bracelet. It was the least flashy of the set, with three and a half carats of round diamonds and one and a half carats of emeralds on four dangling rows of glittering elegance.
The emerald-and-diamond-studded choker was a display of refined elegance, showcasing more than thirty-eight carats of vibrant green emeralds and over sixteen carats of shimmering diamonds. Tasha picked up the necklace, an end in each hand, lifted it to her shoulders and held it there. Latching these expensive, jewel-heavy necklaces that Andre had been giving her had proved to be quite the chore.
“Need some help?” From behind, Andre slipped the ends of the necklace from her hands and latched it around her neck. “There,” he said, caressing her shoulders. “You look positively marvelous.” In the mirror he gave her a smile.
“Thanks to you.” She chuckled.
“Nonsense.” He swung her around in his arms and embraced her. “You make the jewelry I give you look good.”
“You are a wonderful liar.” Tasha slid her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was long, slow and deep.
When their lips parted, he said, “And that, mon trésor, is why I never tire of showering you with fine things.”
“You do an excellent job of spoiling me.” The words were there, telling him how much she loved and appreciated him, but her tone was lacking. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t want him to know she was feeling bored because she didn’t have anything to do, aside from dressing and adorning herself with the expensive clothes and jewelry that Andre constantly gave her.
“What is it?” He crooked his finger under her chin.
“I think I need a hobby.”
“A hobby?”
“Or a job.”
“A job?” Andre’s eyes nearly crossed. It made Tasha laugh.
“I don’t have anything to do, Andre.” She shrugged. “I’m not the sit-around-and-do-nothing kind of girl. I need something to occupy myself with during the day.”
“We have a movie studio at our disposal,” he said. “Or at least we will in two months. Shall we find a project for you to star in?”
As appealing as that would’ve been to her a year ago, it didn�
��t carry the same weight now. She hesitated and glanced away. “I seem to have lost that bug.”
“Okay…” His voice trailed off and his eyes darted back and forth. He sucked in a breath, and said, “Why don’t you come to work with me?” His eyes brightened as he said it. “Help me run Mont Claire. I need someone I can trust. And who better than you?”
“You mean it?” Tasha’s hopes escalated. Working alongside Andre—well that, she just realized, was now her dream.
“I do.” He gave her a nod and a smile. “And we can start now. I was just coming to tell you that I have to go away on business, to prepare to take over Mont Claire. But now, instead of merely traveling with me, you will join me as not only my wife, but also my business partner.” There was a giddiness in his demeanor now. “There is much to do. We’ll be gone for several weeks.”
Tasha swelled with eagerness. The prospect of running a billion-dollar corporation with Andre made her feel more alive than she had in months. “I’m probably going to have lots to learn.”
“And I will gladly teach you,” he said. “But I think you’re going to be more useful than you know.” He winked at her.
“This is so exciting. When will we leave?”
“Soon. The day after tomorrow.” His eyes made a powerful contact with hers. “We’ll be gone several weeks. You’ll want to get started packing.”
“Several weeks as in three or four? Or more like a couple of months?”
“More like a couple of months.”
“That’s a lot of business to attend to.”
“Mont Claire has a great number of holdings.”
“Boy, I’ll say.” She glanced around the room. “So I guess I should pack a little of everything?”
“A lot of everything.” Andre chuckled. “I know you have your favorites, and by all means bring those. If you discover you need anything later, we’ll buy it while on the road.”
Tasha had to admit that she liked directing packing more than the actual packing. Last evening, she’d given her maid Rose and a couple of the other house maids a list of the things she wanted to take, and this morning they were filling her suitcases.
That left Tasha with some time to go into Marseilles and pick up a few things. She was sure she could pick them up on the road, but half the fun of going away was picking up last minute items. She left word of where she was going with Rose, and headed for the garage.
On the ground floor, Tasha learned that all three chauffeurs were already out. Andre had said something about hiring another driver, but as of yet, it hadn’t been done.
“That’s okay,” she told Parker. “There are other cars in the garage, right?”
Parker nodded.
“Well, have one of them brought around for me. I’ll drive myself.”
“If that is Madam’s wish.” Parker headed for the garage.
Tasha went back to the central stairway and headed up to the second floor’s main entrance to wait for the car. She reached for the doorknob, but changed her mind, deciding to check with Camille to see if she wanted to join her.
She trotted up the stairs and headed for the nursery, figuring that’s where she’d find Camille. In her place, that’s where Tasha would be.
Peeking her head into the room, she saw Camille sitting in the rocker, holding Juliana. The lights were turned down, soft music filled the air, and the baby was sleeping peacefully. Seeing the glow emanating from Camille’s face, Tasha smiled.
“Hey…” Tasha whispered, standing in the doorway.
“What’s up?” Camille asked in a hushed voice.
“I’m going into town.” Tasha tried to match her tone. “Wondered if you wanted to come with me. We could do lunch.”
“I wish I could,” Camille said. “I’m interviewing today.”
“Interviewing? Interviewing for what?”
“A new nanny.”
“A new nanny?” Tasha was starting to feel like a parrot. “What happened to Cecily?”
Camille hesitated. “I wish I knew. She up and quit.”
“Really?” Tasha’s voice showed her confusion. “I got the feeling she thought herself rather grand working here.”
“Maybe she found something else that she thinks will make her feel grander.” Camille chuckled.
Tasha pushed away from the doorjamb. “Okay…well, you know Andre and I are leaving town tonight. We’ll be gone a while,” she said with a bit of remorse. Tasha hated leaving behind her one true friend. “Stay in touch, okay?”
Camille got up and put Juliana in her crib, covered her with a light blanket, then turned toward Tasha. She sucked in a breath and moved toward her. “You and I,” she said, reaching for Tasha’s hands, “are going to be seeing plenty of each other. We are family now, after all.”
Tasha shrugged and tried to ward off the tears pooling around her eyes. “I’m just being a big baby.”
“You and I have been friends for so long…”
“Yeah, and isn’t this what we’ve always dreamed of?” she asked herself as much as Camille. “To be married to two brothers so we’d officially be in the same family.”
“Yeah.” Camille laughed. “I guess neither of us considered that marrying rich brothers would mean lots of time away from home.”
“Well, at least not ones as rich as Andre and Julian.”
They both tamped down their laughter, for fear of waking the baby.
After two days, the call Cecily had been waiting for came.
Peter Wittmeyer’s breathless voice delivered the news, “Tasha just left the de Laurent estate. And she’s alone.”
“Are you sure it’s her?” Cecily asked.
“Positive. She’s in a convertible.”
“Direction?”
“So far, it looks like Marseilles.”
“Great.” Cecily paused, mentally checking her excitement. It was too early for that. “With any luck at all, she’s heading for Marseilles.”
“Wherever she’s headed,” Peter said. “I’ll be right behind her.”
“Keep me posted,” Cecily said. “I want to know every move she makes.”
Tasha had made a few stops in Marseilles. First, to pick up a pair of red shoes she’d seen in a boutique window over the weekend. Then a local drugstore just around the corner from her favorite bistro, where she perused the aisles to get a few travel-sized toiletries. Andre had told her there was no point, but some things were a hard habit to break. Maybe someday she’d get used to the idea that jet-setting around the globe was common practice, but so far that hadn’t happened. Right now, Tasha was giddy about the upcoming weeks of travel ahead of her and Andre.
She’d been so wrapped up in the idea of running Mont Claire with Andre that when she strolled past the pregnancy tests, it slammed into her that she still hadn’t gotten her period.
Tasha stopped. Various notions flitted through her mind. How many days had it been since she’d thought her period should be starting? She counted mentally and moved her fingers in unison. Upwards of ten now. Tasha ran the facts through her head. Bloating, no. Pre-menstrual cramps, no. And that one pimple that always popped up on her chin, no. Breast tenderness, check. Tasha reached for one of the packages like it might be hot or something. Once she latched on to it, she tossed it into the hand basket she was carrying.
She’d take it when she got home. That way, when she and Andre left that evening, she’d know one way or another.
Tasha finished her business at the drug store and headed around the corner to grab a bite at the bistro. She was one of those rare people who could eat alone and never give it a second thought.
She’d settled in at a table by the window and ordered an iced tea. After the waitress brought it, she doused it with Splenda and stirred it with her straw. Just as she was about to take a sip, she saw someone approaching. Glancing up, she saw Cecily, Camille’s newly ex-nanny looming over her.
“Cecily.” Tasha set the glass down on the table. “Imagine seeing you here.”
“Sure.” Tasha shrugged. “Why not?” She waved her hand at the empty chair and sipped her tea with the other.
“Are you alone?” Cecily asked.
Tasha nodded. “Yeah, everybody’s busy.” She shrugged. “But I still have to eat.”
“As do I.” Her shaky tone didn’t match the big smile she’d plastered on. Something was going on, and Tasha intended to find out what.
“So I’m told that you’ve left our employ.” Tasha looked her straight in the eye. “I thought you were happy with us?”
“Oh, I was.”
“Then why’d you quit?”
“Quit?” Her tone rose an entire octave and then fell again before she added, “Is that what he told you?”
He? A bad feeling was starting to gather around Tasha. “Did you or did you not voluntarily leave our employ?” she asked uneasily.
“I did not.”
“What exactly are you implying, Ms. Mason?” Overcome by the feeling that this wasn’t a friendly meeting, Tasha moved the conversation to a purely professional level.
“I’m not implying anything.” She raised a high chin. “It’s a fact, I was fired.”
“By whom?” That feeling of dread that’d been creeping up on her wrapped itself fully around her.
“Your husband.”
“What?” That didn’t make sense to Tasha, and it showed in her voice. “Why on earth would my husband fire you?”
“Oh, he has a very good reason for wanting to get rid of me.” She was almost laughing now.
“And what might that be?” Tasha shifted in her chair, trying to ward off the uneasiness creeping up her back.
“He doesn’t want me to tell you the secret.” She was whispering now, like she had some deep, dark secret.
“But you’re going to.”
“That I am.” She nodded. “I gave him a chance to choose, but he didn’t like that idea.”
“Why don’t we cut to the chase?” Tasha was starting to get annoyed. “And you tell me what you think you know.”
“He had to marry you.”
Tasha looked at Cecily through squinted eyes. Andre didn’t have to marry her. But who told Cecily about the baby? “No one forced him,” she said in a hardened tone.
Billionaire Games Boxed Set (The Marriage Bargain, The Marriage Caper, The Marriage Fix) Page 32