“Did you go there a lot?”
“Several times a year. To be honest, we traveled a lot. He had many business dealings around the world, and we went with him, along with our tutor.”
“So you never attended a normal school?”
“Not until Canton House.”
I shiver at the memories that name drags up, and Julius says softly, “Tell me about that.”
I shiver as the hard lesson of discovering that not everyone is nice comes racing back.
“We were outcasts, I told you that. The other girls liked to have a target to deflect the heat away from them, and we were easy ones. We attempted to stay out of trouble, though, because the idea of going back home to that woman made enduring the bullying the easier option.”
“Tell me about your stepmother.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not.”
I turn away and stare out of the window and take a deep breath because I will not visit the place in my mind where Morgan Sorcusi lives.
Julius falls silent, and I regret the mention of her name because our easy conversation has stilted.
Instead, I focus on the glory of nature as we travel through unfamiliar territory toward an uncertain future.
13
JULIUS
We reach Toulouse late in the afternoon, and as we park up, I stare with interest at the bustling town. It’s important to blend in, and as we step out onto the streets, I take Rose’s hand and wink.
“Come on, Mrs. Sullivan. Let’s get you a wedding band.”
Her eyes widen. “Okay.”
If anything, her easy acceptance surprises me, and she grins, melting a little piece of my rotten heart.
She jerks her head toward a fine jewelers nearby.
“What about in there?”
I nod, tugging her toward the door, and as we step inside, the noise is left behind as the door closes on a place steeped in luxury.
“Bonjour.”
The lady who greets us is effortlessly chic, and I’m surprised when Rose addresses her in fluent French. I stand beside her in shock as they chatter and laugh in a language I don’t understand a word of.
When they finish, the woman heads to a counter, andRose whispers, “I explained that we want a simple wedding band because I lost mine on our journey. We merely require a cheap replacement until we head home and replace the original with a duplicate one where we bought it.”
“Cheap?” I raise my eyes. “Tell her we require the most expensive ring she has.”
“No, Julius.” Rose shakes her head. “We must not draw attention to ourselves, and a cheap ring is the start of that.”
The woman returns with a tray, and as Rose selects a simple band, they chatter away in the strange language.
She tries several on and then turns to me, her eyes flashing with excitement.
“What do you think of this one, honey?”
The amusement sparkling in her eyes does little to deter my heart from leaping at her endearment, and I’m surprised how much I like it.
