Page 22 of A Noble Affair
“Sure.” Manon hesitated. “I’ll have a crèpe with jam.” Charles went over to pay, knowing that most of it would end up in the garbage. Manon made her way to the only wooden bench that was left, looking down, and fiddling with the tassels on her camel-colored purse with gold buckles.
Chastity thoughtthe woman facing her seemed familiar as she took a bite of her waffle, and she only caught the end of Thomas's sentence. “…too bad my father couldn’t come.” Shesnapped back to attention. “Yes it is, sweetie. I think he had to work.”
To tell the truth,she was surprised that Marc had given up the chance to accompany them to the market, in what would have been their first public outing surrounded by people she might know. She’d tensed up when Thomas invited him, breathing a sigh of reliefwhen he turned it down.
She squeezed his hand. “I have to say, buddy, I’m glad it’s just the two of us.”
Chastityglanced up as Mr. de Brase walked towards her, easily managing two glasses of spiced wine and plates of food. For a minute she thought he was coming to sit with her and she felt her face grow hot. He stared right through her, though, then sat with his back to her, a short distance from where her son was sitting across from her. She looked down and discovered powdered sugar all over the front of her sweater. She brushed it off as her heart raced wildly.Oh right. That’s the viscount's girlfriend—the famous Manon Dupreyin the flesh.
“—but can we invite him for Christmas?” she heard Thomas asking. He was almost done with his waffle and hadn’t noticed anything with her was amiss. She caught his last words and was able to reply smoothly. “Um. Perhaps not for Christmas. But maybe we can invite him for New Year’s.”
“Oh, yes. He can stay up with us until midnight.” Chastity immediately regretted having offered even this intimate part of their lives. She wasn’t ready for the holidays yet.
Manon tooka dainty bite of her crèpe and chewed it thoughtfully. She took a sip of wine, before saying, “So, are we okay, you and me? We haven’t talked since I got back.”
Charles looked up in surprise that she would bring it up in a public place. “We’re fine,” he said shortly. “Unless there’s something you haven’t told me.” He examined her quizzically, but she didn’t take the bait.
When he had taken another bite of his baguette and sausage, she spoke. “You’re trying to turn this back on me, but I’ve given you every reassurance I can think of, and it’s like talking to a brick wall.”
He watched her blink away tears and realized that for once she was being sincere. He felt guilty for the second time thiseveningfor having kept her at arm’s length. Maybe it was hasty to think about breaking up with her this soon. It wasn’t like he was ever going to have what he hadwithMiriam again. Surely this was as good as itwas ever going to get.
Charles reached out and touched her hand, giving her a genuine smile for the first time allday. “You’re right. I haven’t been very giving. But we’re fine.” He gave her hand a pat, then picked up his plastic glass of hot wine and drank what was left.
She pushed her plate away. “I can’t finish this. Shall we get out of here?” He noted the crèpe, which had exactly one bite taken out of it, just as he had expected.
“Of course. You know I can’t leave here yet. I need to stay and support this event a bit longer since it's the grand opening.”
“I knew that,” she lied.
Chastity watchedas Mr. de Brase stood and put his black wool coat back on. It was warm enough in the food stall to take it off, but the cold air crept into the rest of themarchéand made the outerwear indispensable. She noticed how nice his red scarf looked against his matte complexion, and how well it matched the actress’s coat. He put his arm around her as they walked out, tilting his ear to catch what she was saying while they turned the corner.Just perfect. Chastity sighed.
“Are you finished, Thomas?” She forced herself to be cheerful.
“Yup, Mom. You’re the one who’s not.” Hepointed at her forgotten waffle on the plate and grinned.
“Ah, silly me. I must have had too big of a lunch.” She scooted her plate towards him. “Want it?”
“No thanks, Mom. I’m full.” Thomas was silent, spinningthe paper plate in front of him. Chastity's mind was filled with the image ofthe viscount’s unsmiling face as he walked towards her.
“Mom?” Thomas’s voice was tinged with a worry she didn't pick up on.
“Hm?” she murmured absently.
“You said I could talk to you about anything, right?”
“Sure thing, sweetie.” She was not looking at him, but at the crowd walking by. “Oh look.” She pointed. “There’s Maude. Shall we go catch her?” With the eagerness only achild could possess, Thomasforgotthe subjectand raced after her friend, grabbing the back of her coat.
“Tommee,” Maude squealed, picking him up and twirling him around. “You know, in a year or two I won’t be able to do that.”
“I know.” Thomas grinned as his mom walked up.
“Hey,” Chastity greeted Maude with thebiseson each cheek. “Have you seen anything you liked?”
“Well, yeah,” Maude said. “I’m interested in the knitted hats and scarves because I’m willing to bet I could make something like that and it would sell.”
“Wait. You knit?” Chastity raised an eyebrow.
“Every scarf and sweater Michel owns.”
