Finding Monsieur Right (2010) (38 page)

'Oh, but you
are
sad!' Amelie exclaimed, looking worriedly at Daisy's face. 'What is wrong?'

'I don't know,' Daisy said, bursting into tears. 'Oh, Amelie, I'm sorry.'

'No, no. Come on, let's sit down.'

'It's just ...' Daisy said, then stopped to blow her nose in the handkerchief Amelie had produced from a small reticule. 'Oh, I don't know. Sometimes I wonder what's wrong with me.'

'But nothing is wrong with you, Daisy. You are really nice.'

'I
know
I'm being silly,' Daisy went on, wiping off fresh tears, 'but after a while it drives you mad to feel that boys never take you seriously. Nobody ever does, you see -' she looked into a mirror opposite their banquette and caught sight of herself in her vaporous dress '- because they think I'm just ... a bit of fluff. I
know
they do. And maybe I
am
. Oh, never mind.'

'You just haven't met the right person, that is all. But you will, I am sure of it.'

'I just feel like it's all gone a bit ... flat, you know? Coming to Paris was such a big thing for me, and I got
so
excited about it,' Daisy continued, shaking her head ruefully. 'And, for a while, it did feel like my life was really changing. I even thought ... I might actually want to live here. But now the year's almost over and I haven't done anything with my time here apart from write a pointless blog for
Sparkle
.'

'Daisy, that is not true,' Amelie said seriously. 'You have really helped me, for example. You know, you are much more my sister than Claire ever has been.'

It was Amelie's first ball and she looked adorable in a white-and-gold vintage prom dress they had found together on an expedition to the Puces de Clignancourt.

'And the year is not over yet,' Amelie continued, slipping her arm through Daisy's. 'You have the whole summer left. Why don't you come with us to the Ile de Re? Everybody will be there.'

'Well, maybe,' Daisy said, smiling. 'Come on, I need a bit of fresh air. I think I look a bit ... blotchy.'

As they approached the nearest set of tall, gleaming French windows, Daisy could see the outlines of a man and a woman standing on the monumental balcony, looking out at the city lights. Champagne glass in hand, they were laughing together and looked the epitome of glamour. The man had his arm around the woman's waist. Daisy sighed - yet another happy couple! She was really beginning to feel like a prize gooseberry! Then the woman's voice rose, clear and confident, and Daisy and Amelie stopped in their tracks.

'Do not worry,' the woman was saying. 'Isabelle is no match for me. She never was. I thought we always agreed about that.'

'Of course,' the man replied. 'But how can you be sure that it will work?'

Daisy and Amelie looked at each other: it was Agathe and Clothaire!

'Isabelle will never
dare
stand up to me,' Agathe went on dismissively. 'She is nothing but a little mouse.'

'I don't know,' Clothaire said uneasily, 'she's changed. She's become quite assertive.'

Agathe laughed. 'We shall see. Surely you agree that it would be a waste for somebody like Isabelle to get the lecturing job at the Sorbonne? I would obviously be much better at it. She might have stumbled upon something interesting by accident, but I am the one who can turn it into a really brilliant piece of work. No, no, Clothaire, Isabelle belongs in a little job in a little provincial school. I think that will suit her much better. And believe me, once I have had my chat with Professeur Sureau tomorrow morning, it will be over for her.'

'But are you ready for Sureau?' Clothaire asked, sounding nervous. 'He is pretty shrewd, you know.'

'Well, he can cross-examine me as much as he likes. I know everything there is to know about Meredith Quince. Remember, I have all of Isabelle's files.'

'Even the preliminary research?'

'Oh yes! I got hold of that as soon as she left for England. Daisy almost caught me that day in the flat, but she did not suspect anything. She is not exactly a bright spark, is she?'

Clothaire gave a short scornful laugh. At this Amelie made a dash forwards, but Daisy held her back.

'Go back to your sister,' she whispered. 'I'll deal with this.'

Amelie hesitated for a moment, then obeyed.

'And as you know, I had no trouble helping myself at regular intervals after that,' Agathe went on complacently. 'Isabelle likes to email her work to herself for safekeeping. Well, it wasn't safe from me - I know her password. And now all I need is the manuscript of
The Splodge
. As soon as she arrives I will slip away and get it from her flat.
That
should convince Sureau, I think.' She threw her arms around Clothaire.

They kissed.

'But her friends in London?' Clothaire said after a moment's silence. 'They might be able to back her up.'

Agathe sneered. 'Oh please, Clothaire. A bunch of senile eccentrics and a
gardener
? Do you really think Sureau would take their evidence seriously? Relax, Clothaire. I promise you: nothing can go wrong.'

Daisy took a step forward.

'Oh yes, it can!' she cried, trembling with shock and anger. 'And I promise you that it will.'

'Hello, Daisy,' Agathe said, unruffled. 'What a very ...
unusual
dress! How long have you ...?'

'Long enough. I know what you're up to. Agathe, how could you? You're supposed to be Isabelle's friend! And
you
!' she went on, turning to look at Clothaire, who shrank a little from her glare. 'You really are the lowest of the low!'

'Do not speak to me like that,' he spat back. 'This is nothing to do with you.'

'
I
will be the judge of that, thank you very much,' Daisy said, standing her ground.

'Clothaire, let me speak to Daisy alone,' Agathe said calmly, gesturing him away. 'I think it is better if I explain myself to her.'

Clothaire slunk off, glowering.

'All right, then. Explain away,' Daisy said.

'Yes, of course. Come with me, we will walk a little. It will be easier for me to find the words.'

Daisy, struggling to keep her emotions in check, followed her back inside.

Looking entirely self-possessed in her elegant black dress, Agathe looked to right and left, then said, 'Shall we have a drink at the bar, Daisy?'

'I'm not in the mood,' Daisy said shortly. 'Let's just have your explanation.'

'I know what you are thinking,' Agathe said softly, fixing her clear eyes on Daisy's. 'That I am a ... bitch, yes? And I can understand that. But it is not as it seems. You do not know everything.' So saying, she began to walk off again slowly and Daisy fell into step with her. 'You have never met Isabelle, I think?'

'Well, no,' Daisy admitted. 'But ...'

'Oh, I am sure that your English friends told you that she is great,' Agathe said, smiling a little.

'Yes, they have, actually!' Daisy snapped back.

They walked through one, then another dazzling salon adorned with gilt mouldings, antique mirrors and crystal chandeliers. The ballet had finished and the guests were gradually coming out of the auditorium, looking for a pre-dinner drink. Daisy could hear an orchestra downstairs playing an annoyingly romantic waltz.

'Daisy, you must understand that Isabelle has a lot of charm. She can be very persuasive.'

'Really? But didn't I hear you say that she was nothing but a little mouse?'

'Well,' Agathe continued, as they made their way through the growing crowd of revellers into yet another magnificent salon, 'I meant that she can make herself appear more interesting than she really is.'

Daisy looked back over her shoulder, wondering whether Chrissie and Jules might have arrived with Isabelle. But she could always catch up with them later. This was important.

'You think badly of me, don't you?' Agathe said, looking shamefaced. 'I admit that Clothaire and I have been having an affair for a long time. I know it was wrong, but I could not help myself!'

'Oh, really?'

'You see, I love him,' Agathe said seriously. 'And I believe we belong together.'

Daisy pondered this. She knew very well how difficult it was to fight romantic impulses. But she musn't let Agathe get to her.

'But you're planning to disgrace Isabelle and ruin her career!' she parried. 'Or couldn't you help that, either?'

Agathe stopped before another set of enormous doors, which were closed. She glanced around and pushed them experimentally. They opened.

'Let us go in here, it will be more quiet,' she said.

'Isabelle's work is
hers
,' Daisy went on earnestly, following her inside. 'You
can't
say it's yours instead. It's like stealing another designer's collection.'

'Ah, Daisy, always thinking of fashion,' Agathe said, smiling at her. 'You see, Professeur Sureau was always talking about how brilliant Isabelle is - it drove me mad. Because actually, Daisy, how do you know that I did not give Isabelle the idea for her thesis in the first place?'

Daisy was silenced. Because, of course, Agathe was right - she did not know this for sure. They were now standing in an empty, less ornate room. The noise from the ball seemed much further away.

'Have you been to the Opera House before, Daisy?' Agathe asked conversationally. Daisy shook her head. 'It really is a remarkable building. Did you know that the ballet school used to be up there, in the rooms under the roof?' she went on, pointing at the ceiling. 'There used to be all these
petits rats
, the little girls training to become ballerinas, in their pink tutus. It was very charming.'

'Agathe, tell me the truth,' Daisy said, a little shaken. '
Did
you give Isabelle the idea for her thesis? Yes or no?'

'Well, we used to talk about Meredith Quince, certainly,' Agathe said, looking down and biting her lip. 'I'm trying to remember exactly how much I said to Isabelle, but, you know, when I read her chapters it all seemed really familiar. So I began to wonder about it, and then it did not seem right that she should get all the credit. What do you think, Daisy?'

'I don't know,' Daisy said, frowning.

'You see?' Agathe said, with a little shrug.

Daisy looked at her, uncertainty dawning. Perhaps she
had
misjudged the situation, and yet ...

'But why don't you confront Isabelle directly? It seems really mean to go to her supervisor behind her back.'

'As I have said, you do not know what Isabelle is like. You are going to laugh at me but ... I was afraid.'

'You, afraid?'

'Well, yes,' Agathe said, smiling at Daisy with disarming self-deprecation.

They had now drifted across the empty room and were standing near another, more modest-looking door. Agathe stopped and said conspiratorially, 'You know, Daisy, I think this might be the way upstairs to where the ballet school was. I have always wanted to see those rooms. I'm sure it's not really allowed, but shall we try to find them? Will you come with me? Please?'

'I really don't have time for this,' Daisy said, opening her bag to check her mobile. 'I bet Chrissie and the others have arrived.'

'Oh, come on, this will only take a minute,' Agathe said, putting a hand on Daisy's arm. She took a deep breath and added, 'And then we will go and talk to Isabelle together. I promise!'

Daisy stared at Agathe. Did she really mean this?

'Well, that would be the right thing to do,' she agreed, automatically closing her bag again.

'Thank you! You have changed my mind,' Agathe said, laughing a little and squeezing Daisy's arm. 'I am sure I will be braver if you are with me.'

She opened the door and they stepped out onto the landing of a narrow wooden staircase. Agathe found a light switch, and then, lifting the hem of her dress, began to walk up. She beckoned to Daisy to follow.

'This is exciting, isn't it?' Agathe said with a giggle. They arrived at the top floor. 'Now let me see. This way, I think,' she said, finding another switch and leading Daisy down a corridor. They walked past several sets of French doors beyond which lay mysterious darkened rooms.

'Are these the rooms you meant?' Daisy asked, stopping to peer through the panes. She tried a door: it was locked. 'I don't think we'll be able to see very much. Perhaps we should go back.'

'Yes, perhaps,' Agathe said vaguely. But she kept on walking and Daisy followed her until they got to a steel door bearing a large red sign that read: DANGER - ACCES INTERDIT.

Agathe clasped her hands in excitement. 'Oh, Daisy, look! I believe this is the door to the roof. Can you imagine how beautiful the view must be from there?'

'But the sign says ...' Daisy began.

'Oh, do not be such a coward,' Agathe said, laughing lightly. 'Look, the key is in the lock.'

She unlocked the door and Daisy felt a gust of fresh night air on her face.

Agathe stuck her head out and gasped, 'Oh! It looks incredible! We are so close to those wonderful statues. We will never get such a chance again.' She turned around and caught hold of Daisy's arm. 'Come on,' she said.

'Well, OK,' Daisy said reluctantly. 'Just a quick look.'

As she stepped outside, Agathe stepped back, snatching Daisy's clutch bag from her hand and throwing it down on the corridor floor. 'You will not need this,' she hissed, as Daisy stared at her in amazement. 'And now, if you will excuse me, Daisy,' she went on, kicking the clutch out of reach, 'I have something important to do. There is a manuscript in Isabelle's flat with my name on it, and I don't want you interfering, OK?' Upon which she gave Daisy an almighty shove, pushing her further out on to the roof. Daisy instinctively fought back, grabbing hold of Agathe's hair and pulling hard.

'
Aie!
' Agathe yowled. 'Let go!'

For a moment they struggled desperately at the threshold, panting and shrieking, then Daisy felt one of her stiletto heels give way, breaking with a snap. She stumbled back onto the roof, her arms flailing.

'
Et voila!
' Agathe yelled triumphantly, slamming the door shut and turning the key in the lock. After getting her balance back, Daisy threw herself against the door and banged on it furiously. But it was no use. Agathe had gone.