Blood Is Thicker...
By
Christine
Part Two
Chapter 10
Pik knew Fouchon was tending to the legitimate sides of their businesses, as well as the more insidious. He was positive there would be several new clients for the hunt once he returned, and more often than not clients would spend time at the mansion. Pik had to get her out of the mansion, and he had to pry himself away from Madeleine long enough to do his part of their business. But he was loathe to pull himself away from her.
They lay together one morning, with Madeleine resting her head on Pik's chest, and he asked her about her childhood. "Did he really abandon you and your Mama?"
"Didn't you read the letter?" she asked.
"No, Maddie, I didn't think I should. It looked too personal."
She smiled. "Thanks. No, he didn't abandon us," she said, remembering. "In the letter, Mama said she just took me and left him. She said she loved him, though, but asked me to trust that she did what was best, even if I didn't understand. That's all she said about him."
Pik had warned her to keep their relationship a secret from Fouchon, for as long as Pik felt was necessary. Fouchon could be very quirky at times about his possessions, and he knew Fouchon would consider Madeleine among them. He knew Fouchon would be especially possessive about something that had been stolen away from him.
Twelve glorious days and nights they had together before Pik heard from Fouchon. He would be returning in two days and told Pik they would be busy. Right away he walked Madeleine to the guest cottage which was behind the main house and across from the pool. He unlocked the door and planted the key in her hand. She turned to him, puzzled.
"Fouchon, er, your father, will be here the day after tomorrow."
She didn't say anything. She was excited beyond words, and dreadfully nervous. What if he didn't believe her? Pik had taken the time to authenticate her documents, so Fouchon would know they were legitimate, but, still….there was the chance he would deny her.
They went inside the guest cottage, and it was quite nice, every bit as elegant as the mansion itself, only smaller. "I think it would be better for you to stay here instead of in the main house."
"Okay, if you say so," she replied sadly, looking around the cottage.
"I don't want your father wondering what might have gone on in the house, with the two of us alone. This is hard for me too. But you have to trust me. I know Fouchon very well."
It was getting difficult for her to think of having to leave Pik. He saw her frown and pulled her to him.
"Listen, you know I don't to be apart from you. Trust me, this is the best thing for now." He kissed her softly, but she still seemed sad. "When we're sure the time is right, we'll tell him."
"Tell him what?! That we've been sneaking around right under his nose…."
He stopped her before she could finish. "We'll tell him," he held out a black velvet box to her, "that we are going to be married." She snatched the box from him and opened it. It held an elegant solitaire surrounded by alternating pearls and garnets, their birthstones. She was stunned by its beauty and by what it meant for her and Pik. She couldn't move and Pik grew impatient and hastily slid the ring onto her finger. He closed his hands around hers, looked deeply into her eyes and raised his eyebrows in a silent question to her.
"Yes, yes, oh yes…" she choked out. He closed his eyes in relief and nodded. Then he removed the ring from her finger, put it back in the box, and closed her hands around the box with his own.
"When the time is right…" he said.
"When the time is right," she vowed.
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