Heaven Scent (54 page)

Xavier checked his watch. He was due to catch a flight to Paris shortly. ‘Yes, of course.’

‘Then just know that I’m doing something that’s in everyone’s best interests.’ Leoni nodded firmly. Her eyes shone behind her glasses. ‘I think I’m doing the right thing – no, I
know
I am. And I’m confident you’ll agree with me when you see the final result.’

Xavier gave up. He had no idea what Leoni was talking about and he didn’t have time to guess. He wished he had time to go and visit Cat in her room but he guessed she was probably sleeping and he didn’t want to disturb her.

‘Have you spoken to Cat?’ Leoni asked, reading his mind. ‘I think you should . . . before it’s too late.’

Xavier shook his dark head, his heart flipping over at Leoni’s words. ‘I want to, I really do, but I don’t have time. That sounds callous but you have to understand, this other thing I’m working on is crucial. Something that is in everyone’s best interests, as you would say.’ God only knew what Cat must make of him running off every five minutes. He realised Leoni was speaking and he forced himself to listen.

‘So I bought her a dress as a thank you,’ Leoni was saying. ‘Cat was so pleased, it made me realise how nice it is to do something for someone.’ She caught his glance and half smiled. ‘I know, I know, at last I’ve figured out that being selfish isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.’

Xavier grinned. ‘I’m just glad you and Cat are finally getting on. I wasn’t sure you’d ever forgive her for marrying Olivier.’

Leoni nodded. ‘Me neither. I was so angry . . . so jealous. Hey, we all make mistakes, don’t we? I honestly think she’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. And she’s got a backbone too.’

Xavier said nothing. It was his turn to be evasive.

Leoni didn’t notice. ‘She was so brave, wasn’t she? Imagine how different it could have been for Max out there in that valley if she hadn’t been able to tell us where Mak was . . . I don’t know if I could have survived another tragedy.’

Xavier reached an arm out and pulled her into a hug. ‘I know. Thank God Cat had the guts to charge after Max like that. Madness, of course; she hasn’t ridden for years, by all accounts.’

Leoni nodded. She changed the subject as they headed outside. ‘Grandmother is desperate to speak to you. I think she feels guilty about meddling so much.’

‘So she should,’ Xavier replied moodily. ‘Hiring Yves, inviting Angelique back here – what was she playing at?’

Leoni surprised herself by defending her grandmother. ‘She thought she knew what everyone wanted . . . she thought she was doing the best for the family.’

Xavier let out a short laugh. ‘She shouldn’t make decisions on behalf of the family. We might all be related but we’re individuals too, she can’t possibly know what’s best for each of us.’

Leoni nodded in agreement. ‘I think she realises that now. She hasn’t said anything but I’m sure it’s how she’s feeling.’

‘Hmmm.’ Xavier wasn’t convinced. As far as he was concerned, his grandmother had come out of the womb interfering and getting her fingers burnt a couple of times wasn’t going to put her off. She had done untold damage with her prying and high-handedness and Xavier was finding it difficult to shrug off the impact it had had on his life. His grandmother couldn’t have known about the potential time bomb he was certain he was going to find proof of in Paris, but still, she should have stayed out of everyone’s business.

‘Have you been to see Max?’ Xavier asked. He shuddered, thinking how differently things could have turned out.

Leoni rolled her eyes. ‘Silly boy. He’s messed his face up a bit and his head is going to be scarred for life but apart from that, he’s lucky to escape with some cuts and bruises.’ She gave him a sly glance. ‘A bit like Cat. Lucky you managed to get there in the blink of an eye.’

‘Wasn’t it?’ Xavier met her eyes and raised his eyebrows. ‘Dad called the emergency services about Max but it was only after he’d had a stiff drink that he remembered about Cat going after him.’

‘Didn’t Angelique tell you?’ Leoni was taken aback. Seraphina had given her to understand that it must have been Angelique who alerted Xavier to the fact that Cat was out in the rain on their most temperamental horse.

Xavier shook his head. ‘Angelique? No. I didn’t even know she knew.’ He scowled. ‘Are you saying Angelique could have gone after Max but that she chose not to?’

Leoni shrugged. ‘I have no idea. You’d have to ask her.’

Xavier frowned. ‘I don’t have time.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘I have to go or I’ll be late for my flight to Paris. I seem to be living out of a suitcase at the moment. I hope Ashton doesn’t mind me crashing at his place – I must call him on the way.’

Leoni’s eyes flickered for a moment.

Xavier watched her. ‘Any message for Ashton, by the way?’

‘No, thank you.’ Leoni didn’t even know how she was going to face him at the launch. Her heart ached at the thought of losing Ashton’s friendship forever but she didn’t know how she was going to get past what he’d done. ‘Actually . . . ask him how he got the building,’ she said.

Xavier looked bemused. ‘How he got the building? Er, all right. I’ll ask him. Would you like me to tell you what he says?’

Leoni looked away. ‘No. I don’t think there’s anything he can say that will make me think differently of him.’

‘Right.’ Xavier had no idea what was going on. Maybe Ashton would be able to enlighten him when he arrived.

Bewildered, Xavier stepped out on to the gravel driveway. He was beginning to think they’d all done far too much in the name of the family recently. They all deserved to be happy so it was about time they started living and doing what they wanted, not what they felt they
should
do.

Grimly, Xavier strode to the car waiting for him in the driveway and got in. As the car pulled away, he turned and took a glance at La Fleurie. He had a feeling things were going to be very different for everyone after Paris.

 

‘Please be all right,’ Madeleine pleaded as she swept Max’s dark hair back from the bandage wrapped round his head. He was asleep and in spite of the fact that she was neglecting her studies, she hadn’t left his side once since she’d heard the news about his accident.

Madeleine sighed. That wasn’t completely truthful; she’d been forced to sit outside on a number of a occasions as a stream of visitors had filed in and out, including Seraphina, Guy and Delphine. Seraphina had been practically inconsolable in the beginning and she had only calmed down when she had been fully assured that Max was going to be fine, with no lasting damage. Finally convinced her twin was in safe hands, she had left him to heal, popping in each morning and then going back to La Fleurie to look after Cat, who was also battered but thankfully not hospital-bound.

Guy had been equally distressed and when Max had come round, they had spent hours talking to one another. Madeleine had kept her distance, hovering outside the door with her hands clasped round a cup of coffee. She knew the discussions taking place were serious and it was only when she saw Max crumple and Guy hold him tightly that she knew everything was all right between them. Leoni had also made an appearance, bringing Max’s favourite chocolates as well as some rude magazines Xavier had sent on inside some other, more innocuous-looking journals. Leoni had scolded Max like a child, before giving him a warm hug that showed just how pleased she was that he had survived the terrible accident.

Enjoying a rare moment of solitude with Max again before any visitors were due, Madeleine gently stroked his face. Neither Vero nor the boys had been to visit Max, which summed up how little they cared about him. They knew about the accident because Madeleine, unsure of the best thing to do, had sent them a text to let them know. She needn’t have bothered; the boys hadn’t responded and Vero had sent a jaunty text back to say she might visit when she’d finished partying in Marseilles.

Madeleine felt tears approaching as she examined Max’s injuries. A large bruise stained Max’s left cheek where his perfect cheekbone had been shattered and his lip was torn. His head was tightly covered in a bandage with a large, padded section over the gash he’d received from the jagged rock he’d fallen on. The doctors, delighted to have someone as glamorous as Max Ducasse in their wards, claimed he had nearly died and would have done if the ambulance services hadn’t reached him as quickly as they had.

Madeleine didn’t know what to believe but the thought that Max might have died was too much for her so she chose to think the doctors were being dramatic. She did know he was covered in bruises and that he had stitches on almost every limb but Madeleine wasn’t prone to dwelling on the negatives; she’d rather think he was over the worst. She sat up as Max’s eyelashes flickered and whipped her hand back. She had no idea if Max was slipping in and out of consciousness or if he was just sleeping and she felt self-conscious at the thought of him hearing her banging on about how worried she’d been.

‘Madeleine,’ he murmured, his eyes fixed on hers.

Madeleine thought he sounded pleased to see her but she wasn’t sure. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Like shit,’ he responded, pushing himself up on one elbow. ‘I could murder a coffee.’

‘I’ll get you one.’ Madeleine started to get to her feet.

‘Stay,’ Max said, grabbing her hand. She sat down again. ‘Have you been here every day?’ he asked, reaching out to touch her soft brown hair. Wearing a white peasant blouse dotted with red cherries and cut-off denim shorts, she was a sight for sore eyes. ‘Remind me if I forget – I need to ask you about Paris.’

Madeleine blushed. ‘Er, yes, I have been here every day. I know that makes me look like a stalker but I wanted to make sure you were all right.’ She took out her phone. ‘I sent a text to Vero and the boys but they . . .’ Just then Vero poked her head round the door. Wearing black leather from head to toe and flipping her long, black hair out as she removed her motorcycle helmet, she cut a vampy figure.

Madeleine stood up, feeling redundant. How could she, the epitome of the girl next door, compete with Vero?

‘I heard you had an accident,’ Vero mentioned coyly as she came into the room. ‘Thought you might like some company.’

‘I would, actually,’ Max said.

Madeleine stepped back, crushed.

‘I meant Madeleine’s, not yours,’ Max told Vero coldly, enjoying her startled expression. ‘You only want to hang out with me when I’m doing something stupid, which makes me think you don’t exactly have my best interests at heart.’

Vero flushed.

‘I thought so. Go away, please. I’m busy.’

He held his hand out to Madeleine. As Vero flounced out of the room, Madeleine took his hand, her heart beating frantically. She felt euphoric that Max had chosen her over Vero.

‘What were you saying about Paris?’

‘Oh yes.’ He nodded then thought better of it. His head hurt like hell. ‘When I was lying here with nothing to do but let the doctors sew me back up, all I could think about was you.’ He smiled at her in the most heartbreaking manner, stopping as his split lip hurt. ‘Ouch! I realised you were the one who’d stood by me all through the idiotic stuff I did at college and being there when no one else was. That means a lot to me.
You
mean a lot to me.’

Madeleine melted. However mean he’d been to her in the past, none of it mattered. Not now.

Staring at her, Max realised she had very pretty eyes. ‘How do you fancy coming to Paris with me? To the launch, I mean.’

‘Oh, just try and stop me.’ Madeleine laughed, squeezing his hand.

Guy went in search of Delphine and found her in her quarters. Outwardly, she seemed composed but when she turned to face him, Guy was troubled by her appearance. For the first time, he realised she was old, something he hadn’t really thought about before. She was in her early seventies, hardly a spring chicken, but she had always seemed so sprightly before. There was a pile of unopened post in front of her, which was most unlike Delphine; she was efficiency personified. It was another detail that jarred.

He was worried about her. He couldn’t help thinking she might be heading for a stroke or something. He couldn’t possibly say such a thing to her; Delphine was known for being openly dismissive about illness which, rather like displays of emotion, she saw as a deplorable weakness. Taking the seat opposite her by the window she seemed reluctant to leave, Guy was shaken at the thought of something happening to his mother.

‘I’m going to see a grief counsellor,’ he blurted out, anxious to divert attention away from his concerns for her. He’d promised Max and Seraphina he would get some help and he was going ahead with it, regardless of what his mother had to say. ‘I’m sure you’ll think I’ve lost my mind and that the group will be full of weak-willed losers who should stop banging on about their emotions and just get on with it but I promised the twins. Or rather, I promised myself I would do this for them.’