AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Paul. Young people are so impatient these days. Instant everything .., coffee, food, clothes. They hate to wait, even for the best, but for the best one always has to wait ,..'
Turning away she pressed a bell. The door opened and a plump, smiling woman appeared. Madame indicated Leonie.
'Take Madame Caprel and measure her, Ariette.'
The other woman nodded, smiled at Leonie and gestured to the door. 'If you will follow me, Madame?'
Leonie found herself in a small cubicle lined with mirrors. The carpets were, thick and luxurious, discreet lighting gave the room an air of romance which the faint scent lingering on the air emphasised.
Patiently Leonie stood very still while the other woman took careful measurements, noting them down in a small notebook. Even her wrists were measured, to Leonie's amusement.
Returning to the office, Ariette handed Madame Therese the notebook, then left. Therese glanced down the page, smiled and put the book away.
'I have discovered from your husband what sort of clothes you will need,' she said in satisfaction. 'Now will you take tea with me?'
'That would be very pleasant, Madame, but unhappily we have too many other things to do this afternoon,'Paul said. 'Another time, perhaps?'
They drove back to the flat and found a letter on' the doormat. Paul slit it open and read it, his face oddly blank, while Leonie waited for him to tell her what they were going to do for the rest of the day. She felt restless, uneasy. She had no roots here in Paris. She had no friends, no occupation. The future stretched ahead of her, as blank and mysterious as a dream forgotten on waking.
Paul looked up. 'We have an invitation,' he said slowly.
Her mind leapt to the obvious. 'From Jake?'
Paul frowned. 'No, not from Jake,' he said coldly. 'From Diane Irvine, an old friend of mine.'
An old girl-friend? Leonie knew that she would never find out from Paul's face. He was too good at disguising his thoughts. The handsome features could assume a masklike impenetrability when he chose.
'An invitation to what?' she asked.
'Dinner,' he said lightly. 'When?'
'Tonight,' he returned.
She looked horrified. 'But I have nothing to wear!'
'That can be put right immediately,' he said. 'We'll go out now and buy you a simple little black dress.'
She was reluctant to meet his friends so soon. 'Must we?' she asked nervously. 'Can't we wait a while? Until Madame Therese has made some clothes for me?'
Paul looked at her coolly. 'I want you to go tonight,' he said flatly. 'Diane has invited six of my best friends, and it will be an ideal opportunity to introduce you to them all. Now that you've met Jake there's no hope of fending off the rest of them. It's a pity Jake happened to arrive today, but it's done now. The whole of Paris will know we're back by tomorrow and the telephone will never stop ringing. We must face the inevitable.'
Leonie sighed. 'Very well.' Glancing at him, she asked, 'Is Diane married?'
'Yes,' he said curtly.
'What does her husband do?'
'He's a merchant banker,' said Paul. 'I think you'll like him. He's a very likeable man.'
'Irvine is an English name,' she said thoughtfully. 'George is an Englishman,' Paul stated. 'His wife is French, however. George runs the French end of his bank. Although he's English, he was born in Switzerland, and he spends a lot of time in Geneva, but Diane is usually in Paris. She hates to leave the city. She's a sophisticated city-dweller. All her pleasures are to be found here. She detests the country, but George has a passion for English country houses which he never gets the chance to enjoy because Diane would never consent to living over there.'
'Poor George,' said Leonie sympathetically.
Paul's mouth twisted ironically. T knew you would sympathise with him.'
They went out and chose a dress at an expensive boutique. Paul insisted on making the final decision. His taste, Leonie realised, ran to clothes of stylish simplicity, and she had to admit that the dress he chose suited her.
When she was dressed that evening, Paul surveyed her from head to toe, his eyes narrowed. 'Yes,' he said at last, 'you'll do. But there's one thing missing...' He produced a flat jeweller's box. Flapping it open, he drew out a diamond and emerald necklace. Leonie gasped.
