As soon as they walked in, they found Millie was back.
Unexpectedly early.
She’d only gone yesterday.
“What happened?” Pierre asked.
“Come in. I have news.”
Everyone was in the kitchen about to have dinner. And it seemed the goddess had granted at least one of her wishes: Lord M was going to be fine.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, no wonder he was in so much pain,” Nurse Ann exclaimed as Millie finished explaining. “A gallbladder inflammation hurts like dogs chewing your liver.”
“That’s what he looked like,” Liam chimed in. “He looked like his insides were being ripped to shreds. I was so afraid it was something more serious.”
“He’s just come out of surgery and George tells me it all went well,” Millie said.
“I’m sorry you missed a lovely dinner last night,” Cook said. “Tonight, we only have a humble cottage pie. We didn’t expect you back so soon.”
“Ididn’t expect me back so soon.” Millie laughed. “But Lord M insisted that he was fine with George and Adam there to keep an eye on him and that I had to come home to” — She mimed quotation marks — “primp and polish myself. God, he can really be stubborn sometimes.”
“Hello?” Liam gave her an incredulous look. “Have you never met the man before? Don’t you remember the whole Joanie fiasco?”
“Joanie?” Pierre asked. She’d heard the name often; Joanie had been the chef here three years ago, and she was still good friends with Millie. In fact, she was going to be her bridesmaid.
“Long story.” Millie laughed. “Remind me to tell you sometime when you have a quiet couple of days.”
Not now. No one had time for anything quiet. And there was no chance of her and Gabriel having any time alone either.
The dinner table was loud and busy, which was very nice, surely; it was wonderful to have the kitchen back to its customary light-hearted banter. They’d all known one another for so long, they were like old friends. Even Laura, a newcomer, had become part of the family.
Gabriel, who sat next to Laura and almost directly opposite Pierre, was hard to ignore. Not least because his eyes kept coming back to her.
Dinner was followed by dessert, followed by more laughter. Conversation went on very late and then it was time for bed.
“Shall we meet tomorrow to go over the pictures you want to use?” Gabriel asked as they walked out of the kitchen.
“Of course,” she said. “I’ll be in the main office from nine.”
______
Pierre’s formal office where she dealt with her duties as assistant to Lord Du Montfort was not in her private suite where she worked on her cards and painting. It was next door to Lord M’s study and was large enough for two desks, a small conference table, and a set of filing cabinets and shelves.
As expected, Gabriel turned up soon after nine the next morning.
Unexpectedly, Liam came too. “Do you mind if I use the computer?” he asked. “With Lord M away in hospital, I’m free and wanted to search up houses to buy on the island.”
Gabriel looked interested. “You’re moving here permanently?”
“Yes, I hope so. I’d like to settle down here. But buying property is a complicated process because of the new leasehold regulations.”
Pierre pushed back from her desk to give him access to the computer.
“Do you need the space?” he asked, eyeing Gabriel’s portable hard drive.
“It’s okay,” Gabriel said, catching her eye. “We can work on the table.”
“Yes. Stay,” she added, not wanting him to feel unwelcome.
