Felice, p.15
Felice, page 15
Colleen, her hair done up like her mother’s and wearing a matching miniature robe, held a doll wrapped in a blanket like Emma’s. “I got to hold Emma. Wanna hold Mary?”
“I’d love to, darling,” Felice bent low enough for Colleen to slip the doll into her arms. Thinking she might have heard someone at the door, she excused herself.
“I’ll come along,” Colleen announced.
“You may,” Felice said. Carrying the doll and with Colleen at her side, Felice opened the door to a scowling Mayhew.
“It’s about time. I’ve been pounding until my fist is bruised.”
Felice bristled. “And a pleasant good evening to you as well, Lord Ainsworth.”
Mayhew tossed his hat onto an entry table and glanced around. “What, no servants?”
“Everyone is helping with the festivities. Where have you been all the day long?”
“I told you, I procured some photographic equipment,” he said. “I’ve been busy fiddling with it. Took me longer than I expected.”
“No, Mayhew, you mentioned no such thing. You merely mentioned looking into a purchase the night we had dinner at Le Blanc House.”
He glanced down at Colleen as though he’d only now noticed her presence. “Don’t tell me these . . . these imps are allowed to join the adults?”
Brenna’s words regarding the nobility’s views on children echoed through Felice’s mind. Her spine stiffened. “This is a special occasion, so yes, they are allowed to mingle with the adults. Come now, Mayhew, don’t be persnickety.”
They stepped into the sitting room. At the sight of Bastien and René, Mayhew cursed under his breath. “Since when does one drag the hired help to a family gathering?”
Felice was fast losing her patience. “Come now. You are well aware their sister is married to my cousin, which makes their offspring not only my nieces and nephews, but those of the Thibodeaux brothers as well. Under those circumstances, Michel has reason to include them.”
Colleen lifted up a turtle to Mayhew. “Wanna pet Finn’s turtle before Pa finds it in here?”
Mayhew took a step back. “No, I do not care to touch the filthy thing.”
He turned to Felice and whispered in her ear. “How long will this ragtag bunch of heathens be allowed to remain in the room? Surely they won’t be sitting at table with us.”
Felice fought to keep her temper from exploding. “Don’t,” she said through clenched teeth. “Just don’t.”
Colleen looked quizzically at Mayhew, then shrugged and, handing the turtle off to Finn, gathered her doll from Felice’s arms and set it in Emma’s cradle. She ran over to René and stretched out her arms to him.
René lifted her up, settling her on his hip. She began to chatter away. Whatever the girl had to say, it prompted a laugh from deep within his belly. Stunned, Felice thought she had never heard such a wonderful sound.
Colleen slapped a hand on each side of his face and squeezed until his mouth looked like a fish. “Lithen to me,” Colleen said.
He leaned his head back, and his hearty laughter erupted again.
Felice couldn’t help it; she giggled.
René shot her a quick glance. His penetrating gaze locked with hers for mere seconds, but the sheer intensity of it pierced the distance between them like a bullet aimed straight for the heart.
He turned his focus back to Colleen as if nothing had occurred. Nonetheless, Felice had lost her breath and now struggled to regain it.
Mayhew bent to her ear. “What the hell was that about?”
“What was what about?” she responded.
“The look he gave you.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Like hell. The bastard is like a rutting bull around you. Has he forgotten where he came from? Which gutter he crawled out of?”
Felice had had enough. “Mayhew, please accompany me to the library.”
“What the devil for?”
“We need to talk.”
“Any place is better than here,” he mumbled.
Once in the library, she shut the door behind them. “I don’t know what’s put you in such a foul mood. I do hope it has nothing to do with lively children and a contented family celebrating a babe’s birth. Under the circumstances, it would be best if you took your leave.”
His jaw slackened. “You don’t actually think to order me around, do you?”
She lifted her chin. “You don’t belong at this function, so whatever you were up to today, I suggest you carry on and leave us be.”
He leaned toward her, fury burning in his eyes. “You’ve a tongue like an adder tonight.”
Instinct nearly had her taking a step backward. Instead, she held her ground. “If you disapprove of how the Andrews family chooses to conduct itself, then I doubt you’d be content if you were to wed the likes of me.”
His eyes widened. Turning on his heel, he gave her his back and moved to the other side of the room. He shoved a hand through his hair and stood before a bookcase for a long while. Finally, he returned to where she stood. Oddly, he was once again the Mayhew she knew. “You’re right, darling, I am out of sorts. It does happen to everyone now and then, right?”
She could only nod, fearing she would say something further she might regret.
He reached out and, lifting her chin with a curled finger, planted a light kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you on the morrow, darling.” He winked. “Perhaps I’ll have a little surprise for you.”
Which was the last thing she needed. Today’s spectacle had been revelation enough. “I’ll see you out,” she said.
“No, darling. I shall see myself out. Enjoy the evening with your family. Heaven knows you’ve been laboring much too long and hard. No one deserves a night of frivolity more than you.”
He brushed his lips across her forehead again and made his exit.
She shut the door to the library behind him and heaved a sigh. What she needed was time to collect herself before returning to the fold. Tomorrow, she’d quietly begin the task of searching for Abbott’s replacement. Once she located Abbott, she’d inform Michel of the crime the man had committed; then she’d make haste to leave New Orleans.
In the meantime, she’d have to work alongside René, but that was all the contact she intended to have with the scoundrel who, with little effort, set every nerve in her body tingling. She could no longer deny the mutual attraction. She wasn’t about to make the same mistake with René that she’d made in Paris. From now on, she would no longer so much as meet his eyes.
She wandered about the room, feeling as though she’d like to disappear for a while. A quick exit out of New Orleans held more appeal by the hour. But where would she go if she actually did choose to vanish? What if, instead of sailing to the shipping offices to inspect the company books, as she’d done in the past, she were to simply step aboard one of the family ships, bid adieu to everyone, and start over?
Spying a globe sitting on a shiny brass stand, she walked over and gave it a spin. She closed her eyes and waited for it to stop, then set her finger on the globe and opened her eyes. “Colombia? What in heaven’s name would I do down there?”
She took in a long, slow breath, and on the exhale decided she was not one to run and hide. She’d rejoin the festivities, refusing to make excuses for Mayhew’s behavior. It was no one’s business what went on between them.
And she darn well wasn’t about to let his nasty disposition affect hers.
Chapter Fifteen
René and Henri reached the docks just as dawn peeked over the edge of the earth, painting a swath of glorious pink along the horizon.
“C’est magnifique,” René murmured.
He loved mornings like this—calm waters, the scent of night-blooming jasmine still lingering in the air, and a heavenly promise of cloudless blue skies all day long. He set down the pup long enough to unlock the office door.
Michel strode around the corner of the building. He paused and fisted his hands on his hips. “Do not tell me you expect to keep your mutt inside.”
“Mais oui.” René fought a grin, one he couldn’t account for.
“Leave the beast at home. Let Monique watch it.”
“Non. Miz Sassy, she be my responsibility, don’cha know.” He summoned Henri, who followed him inside and laid a small makeshift bed on the floor beside René’s desk. Sassy climbed right in, turned a couple of circles, then plopped down into a furry ball and closed her eyes. “One more day and she will be trained to see herself out whenever the need arises.”
Michel raised his hands in a sign of surrender. “I could’ve stayed home for this kind of tomfoolery.”
“Why the glum mood this fine day?” René asked. “Family life not agreeing with you?”
Michel grunted. “A full night’s sleep would do wonders to sweeten my sour disposition.” He slid a document from under a paperweight on his desk, his frown deepening before he tossed it aside. “Worry only adds to my foul temperament.”
“What did you just read that you didn’t like?”
“Bastien’s report on the Endeavor. I doubt she made it around the Horn, it’s been so long. Damn, I hate losing a ship.”
René’s gut wrenched at the morose thought of a crew drowning at sea. “You can’t give up just yet. Maman made Captain Thomas a gris-gris.”
Michel glowered at René. “What in the Sam Hill does one of your mother’s voodoo charms have to do with any of this?”
“The captain, he wears the amulet under his shirt to protect against a bad journey. Maman swears the Endeavor will return. She says giving up hope curses both ship and crew. This is one time I shall not go against her word.”
“Oh God no. Let us never defy the powerful voodoo priestess.” Michel yanked open the drawer to his desk and set out his pencils, inkwell, and pen, then slammed it shut. “What do you suppose went on between Mayhem and my sister last evening?”
Remembering the argument he’d overheard between the two of them, René frowned. “It is not for me to suppose anything where those two are concerned.”
“Humph. What’s your opinion of the man?”
He’s a rake of the worst kind. Close to losing his temper, René managed an indifferent shrug. “It is not my place to judge him.”
Michel gestured toward the top of his head. “Do you see anything up here besides hair?”
What the hell kind of mood is this man in? “What be your meaning?”
“It means, I am not wearing a dunce cap. I have not been ignorant of certain goings-on around here. I don’t much care for Ainsworth, but I cannot put my finger on just what bothers me about him, which is why I ask. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t disappointed when he made a hasty exit from my home last evening. And seeing as how you had your eye on Felice for the entire gathering, to say you harbor no opinion is laughable.”
Christ. René picked up a sheaf of papers from his desk and leaned back in his chair, feigning indifference. “Henri went for coffee and beignets. I told him to get enough for all of us, including Bastien and your sister. Both should arrive shortly.”
Michel grunted. “I am still not wearing a dunce cap, mon ami. You insist on being evasive, so I figure now is as good a time as any for a much-needed conversation.”
“Oh?”
“You’ve proven yourself to be an invaluable asset to the company. I hope you look forward to many successful years to come.”
René ignored the chill snaking down his spine. Whatever Michel was up to, he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it. “Go on.”
“That said, I can think of only two reasons why I would sack you.”
No longer bothering to disguise his irritation, René mumbled a curse and tossed the papers back on his desk. “Is this the part where I am supposed to inquire as to what those two reasons might be?”
Michel snorted. “One reason would be if you ever stole from the company—which is highly unlikely because theft was precisely what persuaded Cameron to hire you. I must admit, stealing a shipload of the company’s rum and holding it for ransom in exchange for gainful employment was an act of sheer genius. I couldn’t see it at the time, but thankfully, Cameron did.”
“And your second reason?”
“Ah, that would be if you seduced my sister.”
“Christ.” Alarm shot through René like a bolt of lightning. The old sense of not belonging anywhere in the world swamped him. He worked to keep a neutral tone in his voice. “Look to Bastien if you want to warn anyone. Those two are thick as thieves.”
“They are merely friends, something you well know. Do you think I failed to take note of how she barely spoke to you when she arrived, but remained her spunky self with everyone else? The tension was so thick, I could’ve cut it with a knife. There’s an undeniable connection between you two. Knowing your reputation with women, I find your attraction to my sister a rather worrisome prospect.”
Merde. Michel’s dark suspicion could ruin René’s life in a heartbeat. To say he wasn’t attracted to Felice would be a damnable lie. But to swear he had no intention of seducing her would be God’s truth. The last thing he’d want would be to ruin her, for in the process, he would destroy everything he’d worked so hard for.
He’d learned long ago it was best to keep a lie as close to the truth as possible. “A man would be blind not to notice your sister’s beauty and zest for life,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean every man who notices her is out to take her to his bed.”
Michel shot René a searing gaze. “If she decides to give Ainsworth the boot, she could end up vulnerable to your advances. I warn you, my sister is out-of-bounds. You will share the same office, and you are free to socialize with her as it relates to this company or our family gatherings. Cross those boundaries and you will never work in this city again. Or in any other shipping company in the world, for that matter.”
René forced the muscles in his set jaw to slacken as he fought the anger roiling up from deep in his gut. Pausing to tamp down his frustration, he took in a few breaths, but lost the battle as the old cynicism returned. He’d be damned if he’d sit here like a dumb goose and let Michel tear him apart. “I haven’t forgotten I am a Cajun bastard, born and bred on the banks of Bayou Laurent. Nor have I forgotten that I do not carry the respected name of my illustrious”—he snorted—“father, Émile Vennard. Believe me, I know my place, and it is not with the likes of your sister. Or anyone of her ilk, for that matter.”
Michel tossed his pencil across his desk and cursed. Jumping to his feet, he paced back and forth, raking his fingers through his hair. He made his way to the window facing the docks and, thrusting his hands in his pockets, stared out at the busy scene before him.
René leaned back in his chair and tossed his own pen down. “What the hell’s gotten into you?”
Michel scrubbed his hand over his face and heaved a breath. “I am well aware of what went on between you and Cameron when he started seeing your sister three years ago.”
“You mean when your cousin bedded Josette.”
Michel turned on his heel and faced René, fire in his eyes. “He married her, goddamn it! You know bloody well what I’m talking about. You sought revenge by ruining Felice.”
The blood in René’s veins turned to ice. How long had Michel known? “But I didn’t follow through. What the devil kind of story were you told?”
“When I visited England three months ago, Cameron told me he’d learned what had gone on between you and Felice after she landed at his doorstep in Liverpool. When he heard she was heading here with Ainsworth, he figured there was likely unfinished business between you and her.”
Michel’s scowl deepened. “I knew something dire had happened when my carefree sister suddenly left New Orleans as if the devil was at her heels. You may not have ended up bedding her, but you used your wiles to tear her life to shreds.”
René’s insides roiled at the memory. “What I did was wrong. When she returned, I asked for her forgiveness, and she gave it to me. Rest assured, there is nothing further going on between us, nor will there be. The past has nothing to do with the here and now.”
“Oh, but it does.”
“How so?”
Michel paced again, the heels of his shoes hitting the floor so hard the wood vibrated. “I have always had a penchant for politics. Although I am no longer interested in a career in Washington, there is much for me to accomplish right here, and I wish to toss my hat in the race for mayor. Also, my family needs me, and I owe it to them to be the father I promised Brenna I would be when we wed. I cannot continue working from sunrise to sundown and leave our six offspring to Brenna. My newborn is asleep when I leave and also when I return.”
“What does this have to do with Felice and me?”
“I am desperate to retire from here, René. Truth be told, you are better at what I do than I am. I want you to take my place.”
“What?” René’s heart stuttered in his chest. “How long have you been pondering this?”
“Nigh on three months. Since traveling to England for my annual meeting with Cameron and Trevor. When I expressed my desire to spend more time with my family and enter the local political arena, Trevor brought up the idea of making you a partner.”
Partner? The breath froze in René’s lungs. Christ, this was more than he’d ever expected or hoped for. A partnership meant he’d have all the security he’d ever need. A lifetime of it. He would have one of the most coveted positions around—not only in town but in the entire Andrews Shipping Company the world over.
Michel returned to his desk and plopped down with a heavy exhale. “We’ve decided to make Bastien a partner as well—move him into your position.”
Merde. For the first time in his life, René’s glib tongue fell silent.
“Bottom line is, if you value a partnership in this company for both you and your brother, then stay the hell away from Felice. Keep your cock in your trousers when you are around her. I need your word that you will not touch her.”
René’s head reeled. He could barely think straight. Hell, he’d avoid her like the plague if doing so would garner such security for Bastien and himself.
