Page 73 of The Paris Trip

Chanelle pursed her lips and tossed back her hair, her expression defiant.

‘Not your girlfriend,’ his father repeated slowly, ‘but also not a stranger.’ He looked Maeve up and down with derision. ‘In other words, she’s your whore.’

Leo sucked in a breath at that outrageous insult, his vision clouding with a red haze of fury. Without thinking, he took three short strides forward and came bang up to his father, staring directly into his eyes, the two of them now a bare few inches away from each other.

‘What the hell did you just say?’

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

His father blinked in surprise, hesitating as he scanned Leo’s face, then said with deliberate provocation, ‘You heard me.’

Leo’s fists clenched by his side. ‘If you weren’t my father,’ he began, his voice low and dangerous, but felt a hand tug his sleeve, and turned to look down into Maeve’s face.

‘Don’t, it’s not worth it,’ she said quietly. ‘Plus, he is your father, remember?’

As the red haze dissipated from his vision, common sense returned. Leo shook his head like someone coming out of water. ‘You’re right, he’s not worth it. But you are, Maeve.’ He turned back to his father, drawing himself up straight. He knew what he had to do. It was something he had been avoiding for years. But the time had come. ‘I’ve had enough. I can’t live like this any longer. You don’t deserve me.’

His father gave a puff of laughter. ‘What does that mean?’ he demanded in his usual hectoring way, squaring his shoulders as Leo chose to retreat. No doubt his father felt he’d won that confrontation. But he was wrong.

‘I’m leaving Château Rémy,’ Leo said crisply. ‘I’ll pack my stuff tonight and be out of here tomorrow. I’ll leave a breakdown of the current business for you to look over at your leisure. By the way, Henri wants the family to visit for Aunt Beatrice’s birthday. And he needs help with the fire situation at the cave. Remember I told you about that?’

His voice was matter-of-fact, his anger having fallen away now that he had made his decision. And it was the right decision, he was sure of it. He already felt lighter, his burdens slipping away…

‘You can’t leave.’ His father was staring at him, his expression incredulous. ‘You’re needed here.’

‘I only took over when Francis died because I didn’t want to leave my grandmother struggling on her own. I knew you wouldn’t bother coming home to help her. Somebody had to look after her and Nonna. And Bernadette was still in college at the time. It wouldn’t have been fair to ask her to step up. But she’s older now and has a fair grasp of the family business. And you’re here with Chanelle. So I’m no longer necessary.’

‘You haven’t got anywhere to go,’ Sébastien pointed out cruelly.

‘No, but I have friends. I’ll sort something out.’

‘And what will you do for money? Because you won’t get a penny from me.’

‘You’ve never paid me a proper wage for running the business. It’s time to collect on that debt.’ He paused, adding softly, ‘Even if I have to take you to court for what’s due to me.’

‘Take me to court?’ his father echoed, looking astonished. ‘I’ll fight you. Anyway, you did it for love, you’ve just admitted as much yourself. And in return for bed and board here at the château.’ His father threw up his hands. ‘How many people get to live somewhere like this for free? You should count yourself lucky.’

Leo gave a humourless laugh. ‘Oh yes, I’m so lucky…’ He shook his head. ‘I’m not staying, Dad, so you might as well face it. And I’ll pot-wash if I must. At least I’d be independent at last. Though given how much I’ve learnt these past few years, running the business, I’m confident I’ll find good work soon enough. And my art may even start to support me again, now that I’ve gone back to painting.’

He moved about the room, automatically collecting things he would need to take with him. He would have to arrange for some of his work to be put into storage, in case it got damaged, left here alone with his father and Chanelle. His father might not sabotage his work, but he didn’t trust Chanelle and wouldn’t put anything past her.

With a shock, he realised Liselle would have to be told. She would have a meltdown when she heard that he was leaving. And Grandmère would be distraught. That hit him hard. But he couldn’t live his life for other people anymore. He needed to get free of this place before it killed him.

‘Are you okay?’ he stopped to ask Maeve, still furious at the way his father had spoken about her.

To his relief, she nodded, seeming calm enough. If anyone had spoken like that to Liselle, she would have screamed and scratched their eyes out. Maeve was made of sterner stuff.

‘You can’t be serious,’ his father stammered. ‘You can’t leave, Leo. I won’t hear of it. I won’t let you go. You can’t expect me to run the business… I don’t have the first clue what you’ve been doing since I’ve been away.’ He took a deep breath. ‘I demand that you stay.’

‘I’m done, dad. It’s over.’

‘But I’m your father. I am chef de famille. You must obey me.’

‘Not happening, sorry,’ Leo said shortly, throwing open the studio door. ‘I’ll talk to you later about the business. Now I need to speak to Maeve alone.’

His father hesitated, then left, taking Chanelle with him. ‘We’ll talk later, yes. And I will expect an apology.’

With a derisive laugh, Leo closed the door after him, turning at once to Maeve. ‘I’m sorry he spoke to you like that. If it had been any other man, I would have punched him for that. Please believe me.’

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