‘After you showed me your designs the other night, it made me think that you’d be the ideal intern to work with me at Céline Toussaint. I know you’re very experienced in your current position, but I don’t think it would take long for you to progress into a much bigger role. I feel like this would be a good starting point for you within the industry and, as we discussed, sometimes it’s a matter of seizing the opportunity when it comes along.’
‘As a fashion intern?’ She asked.Céline’s personal intern?
‘You’ve told me how much you love fashion, and I think you have the talent I’m looking for.’ Céline laughed. ‘And maybe it makes sense to hire the great-granddaughter of a famous French fashion designer. Those types of talents usually run in the family.’
‘I don’t know what to say,’ Blake said, catching her bottom lip beneath her teeth as she tried not to grin. ‘Other than thank you, of course. I’m flattered you even thought to consider me.’
Henri stood abruptly, running his hand through his hair. She’d never seen him appear so agitated.
‘Maman, we need a moment in private,’ he said. ‘Blake, would you please excuse us?’
‘Henri, this is not something I need your permission for,’ Céline said, waving her hand in the air as if to dismiss him, and certainly not making a move to join him. ‘If I want to offer Blake the job, I will. You don’t get to choose who my right hand is.’
Henri gave Blake a look that she wasn’t sure how to interpret, but it was clear he wasn’t happy as he stormed away from them and back into the house. She wasn’t sure why, but she had the sense to tread carefully. Very, very carefully.
‘Thank you, Céline, I’m truly honoured, I am,’ Blake said. ‘But may I have the day to think about it? I know that I’d love the work, but there are so many things I’d have to consider before taking a job in Paris. My family, for one, and of course my current job in London.’
Céline leaned forward and patted her knee. ‘You can take all the time you need. But don’t let my son influence your decision.’ She lowered her voice. ‘He just doesn’t like it when I make decisions without him. I find that men often like to think they run the show, but I can assure you, they don’t.’
Blake thanked her again and looked back down at the dress, running her fingers across the impossibly soft fabric. It truly was a miracle, and if nothing else, she would always have this dress as a way to honour the past, and that meant the world to her.
‘Blake, you will think about it, won’t you?’ Céline asked.
‘I promise, I will.’
She carefully packed the dress back into the box and stood, thanking Céline again and giving her a quick hug, before going off in search of Henri. She stopped on the way to put the box in her room, and to her surprise found Henri sitting on her bed, her design notebook in his hands.
‘All this time, you’ve been sketching designs to show my mother? Just waiting for the right moment to impress her?’
Blake blinked at him, seeing how angry he was from the vein pulsing on his forehead. ‘I’m not sure what you’re insinuating, Henri, but what you have in your hands is a sketchbook that I’ve had since my childhood. I brought it with me because I wanted to remember that part of myself, to try to find that creative part of me that’s been missing all these years, and for the first time since I was a teenager, I’ve begun drawing again.’ She exhaled, as if she’d been holding her breath for too long. ‘You can say whatever you like, but I finally feel like myself again, and I’m not going to apologise for that. I’ve done nothing wrong.’
‘You make it sound as if you didn’t plan this.’
She set down the box and folded her arms across her chest. ‘Plan what, exactly?’
‘Tell me the truth, Blake. Did you come to Paris with the hope of meeting my mother? Is that why you sought me out, just to get to her? Was it all an act when you seemed so surprised to meet her when we arrived?’
‘Did I, I’m sorry,what?’ Blake laughed. She actually laughed because the entire conversation was so ridiculous, yet it was blatantly obvious from the look on Henri’s face that he wasn’t finding it amusing at all.
When she saw that he was waiting for her to answer, she went to him and sat down on the bed beside him. She had no idea where all this anger and distrust had come from—it certainly wasn’t reflective of the man she’d spent the past week with.
‘No, Henri, I did not come to France to meet your mother. I came here to meetyou,’ she said, gently, before taking the book from his hands. ‘I came to meet you, to discover who my great-grandmother was, end of. I had no idea who your mother even was, and I’m sorry I didn’t mention that I used to fancy myself as a designer. Being in Paris, learning about Evelina, it’s made me dream all over again, that’s all.’
‘Then why did you show her this? I find it hard to believe that she just happened to see it. It’s too much of a coincidence.’ He ran his fingers through his hair, just as he had earlier when they’d been with Céline.
‘Henri, you’re overthinking this,’ she said, placing a hand on his leg. ‘Your mother came past my room the night before we went to Provins. You were sitting outside having a drink with Benoit, and she asked to see what I was working on. There is nothing more to it than that.’
‘I’ve been fooled once, Blake,’ he said, standing and beginning to pace the room. ‘I am not going to be made a fool of again.’
‘This is all because your mother offered me a job?’ she asked. ‘You think I somehow orchestrated that? That I’ve been playing a game with you to get to her?’
‘I think that you knew exactly who I was when we met, and you waited until just the right moment to let my mother know that you wanted to work with her.’
‘Okay, Henri, now you’re being ridiculous,’ she said. ‘If you truly feel that way, then there’s no point in even having this conversation. I’m here because I like you, Henri, and it just so happens that I like your family, too. I can’t help it if your mother enjoyed my company, and I won’t apologise for making a connection with her. In fact, I thought you’d be thrilled that I got on so well with her and Benoit, but it seems I’ve misread the situation.’
‘I think it would be best if you made plans to leave,’ he said abruptly. ‘I’m heading back to the city the day after tomorrow, and?—’
‘It’s fine, I’ll arrange my own transport,’ Blake said, fighting tears. Where had her chivalrous, easy-going lover gone? She barely recognised the man standing in front of her. ‘I certainlyhave no intention of overstaying my welcome, if that’s what you’re worried about.’
