It didn’t.
“I don’t think so.” He shook his head. “One article is fine, and we don’t have time for publishing. See what you can get done by next week then have it printed at our expense. Choose the best images” — He nodded towards Gabriel — “and make it into a special presentation booklet, like a theatre program. Glossy pictures and all, print two thousand copies, ready for the wedding in two weeks. That’s all I want from you.”
“I can get more done with a bit more time,” she began, but he was no longer interested.
He leaned back in his chair and waved with his hand as if to dismiss them.
“You’d better go,” Nurse Ann said, stepping forward.
There was no option but to leave.
______
Outside, on the landing, Pierre paused by the polished round table. Lord M’s breakfast tray had been left there, probably by the housekeeper.
Confusion and anxiety warred within Pierre. Why didn’t he want her to do anymore? Surely, he was happy with her work, wasn’t he?
“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked.
No, she wasn’t, and his presence wasn’t helping. The breakfast tray in front of her with Lord M’s simple tea and cornflakes only reminded her of the eggs Benedict and smoked salmon Gabriel had had with Nicole. In bed. A wave of resentment rose through her body all the way to her mouth.
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” she answered a little too crisply.
“Pierre…I…” Whatever he was about to say, he seemed to change his mind when the double doors opened behind them and Liam came out of Du Montfort’s study.
“How is he?” Gabriel asked.
Liam shrugged. “The sleepless night has worn him out. But he’s too keyed up to sleep. He keeps worrying about arrangements.” His eyes flicked to Pierre then away, as if hiding a secret.
What had he been trying to tell her before with his warning looks?
“Liam, am I going to lose my job?”
A look, again as if he knew something and wasn’t telling her. “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. He wants me to do this research and suddenly he’s just asked me to cut it short and just produce something in a leaflet for the wedding. As if he doesn’t want me to work for him after that.”
“I don’t think so. He’s just obsessed about the wedding,” Liam said too quickly. “He can’t stop checking every detail. He’s had Nicole in here twice a day.” Liam tipped his head towards the study. “It’s just really important to him that everything is perfect.”
“What does Adam think?” Gabriel asked.
“Adam doesn’t know what’s wrong either, not without an MRI. But he says it’s important not to upset him.”
She thought about it.
“But that doesn’t explain why he doesn’t want me to do any more research about the other festivals. I’d have thought it was just what he cared about.”
Liam shrugged.
“Liam, you would tell me if you’ve heard anything, right?”
“I haven’t heard anything about you.”
This didn’t comfort her; if anything, it worried her even more. Lord M usually had a lot to say about her, at least about her changing hair colours. They had an easy, fun relationship, and he always enjoyed teasing her.
Liam walked downstairs, leaving her by the table.
“Pierre?” Gabriel came to stand closer. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
