Heirs Book Two: American Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

to
marry De Angelis, I ask that you wait another few months before you
announce the engagement. Give me time to arrange for an annulment
for De Angelis from his former wife so that the two of you can
marry in the Catholic Church as good and true Catholics. That way
we won’t be alienating our strong Catholic demographic.”
    It was exactly the same as last time, she
thought furiously. When she had come to see Paddy he had talked her
out of marrying Lorenzo and into moving to France.
    “What makes you think you can arrange an
annulment?” she argued, tempted despite her misgivings.
    “Was De Angelis even married in the eyes of
the Church? If he didn’t have a Catholic wedding the first time
around, we’re half way there. Dominique, if you wait until, say
July at the latest to announce the engagement, I will give you my
unconditional blessing on the union. Think about Declan’s political
future. How can a few more months hurt?”
    She had Lyric on her back about cutting
costs, her last fashion show had been a massive flop and although
she had stopped dreaming about Jean-Luc, that just meant her
nightmares had changed topic. Her life was a grade-A mess and the
only thing holding her together at the moment was the thought of
marrying Lorenzo.
    But the wily devil was twisting her around
his shrunken little finger again. She thought of her accountant’s
reproachful face and the mounting debts that might horrify even
Lorenzo. Well, if the scheming old man wanted to buy her time, he
was rich enough to do it.
    “There’s the matter of Declan’s college fees
to start with,” she said, “And my overdraft. Oh, and if I’ve got
your blessing you can throw me a proper engagement party with all
the trimmings come July.”
    Paddy threw back his wizened head, revealing
a throat as thin, scrawny and creased as last year’s Thanksgiving
turkey and gave a cackle of mirth. “By all that’s holy, that’s not
the first bargain you’ve ever haggled out of me. It’s a done deal.
Now go and send Jimmy in here with my wheelchair and ask Barbara if
she’s trying to starve me to death. I’m good and ready for my
dinner.”
     

Chapter 3
     
    Maixent hauled his body out of the pool. Water rolled
off the sleek planes of his back and chest. Then he lent down and
gave Leigh a hand out of the water. Servants hurried over with
fresh towels and robes.
    “I’ve missed our swims,” he said, wrapping a
robe around himself.
    Since returning from New York Leigh had
excused herself from the early morning exercise program she had
shared with Maixent and Thiérry. Sweating bodies and skimpy bathing
suits were a fingernail width away from intimacy after her last
encounter with Thiérry.
    “Well I couldn’t let you down like your
other exercise partner. And how is Thiérry recuperating?” She tried
to keep her voice casual. Maixent and Thiérry had taken a couple of
days to go snowboarding in the Alps, trying out the new boards they
had brought back from New York. Thiérry had twisted his ankle,
returning to St Benezet on crutches with Maixent insisting he take
a week off and stay at home to convalesce.
    “Grumpily!”
    “Busy day planned?” she turned the
conversation to safer topics.
    “I’m wearing my Minister of Sports hat today
for talks about this year’s Recortadore Carnivale. But you know I
always start the day better when I can get in a swim or jog
first.”
    They seated themselves at the glass table
where breakfast was already laid out for them. Leigh waved away a
servant and poured them both freshly squeezed orange juice.
    A stack of flapjacks with maple syrup, hash
browns and bacon on the side was laid out on the table. Maixent
gulped his hot black coffee.
    “You picked up some bad habits at Princeton.
If the palace staff didn’t love you so much you’d never get
Hyacinthe to cook an American breakfast,” Leigh remarked. “It must
cut up his French pride dreadfully to lower his standards.”
    “With comments like that,