Thank you, Antoine!The reason I feel so grateful for his support has absolutely, totally nothing to do with Henri as a person, but with fairness as a principle. I always support what’s fair.
“Now that you mention it…” The countess smooths her hair back. “I must’ve mixed it up with his previous business, whatever that was.”
Henri addresses me again, “So, Your Highness? Do we have a deal?”
Why is he so keen on me going to that retreat?What’s his hidden agenda here? It isn’t about the money as the countess insinuated, but I’m sure Henri has one.
“If the search team comes up empty-handed,” Henri argues, “you can keep looking for the key during the retreat.”
I scoff. “And what are the chances that I’ll succeed if the trained experts failed?”
Adam rubs his cheek. “Actually… The more I think of it, the more I like Henri’s idea, Your Highness,” he says, surprising me.“It’s good to have a plan B when the stakes are so high. The timing of that retreat is too perfect to pass up.”
“And what about Kurt?” I ask him.
“If he finds out you’re attending a travel bloggers’ retreat, I don’t see why that would raise his suspicions,” he replies. “Kurt knows that you blog and publish around luxury travel.”
Henri adds, “The retreat includes a visit to the Rocamadour Castle. It’s a jewel you haven’t covered yet in any of your books or blog articles.”
How does he know that? Has he been reading them? Should I be flattered or suspicious?
The latter if I have any sense. Henri’s insistence reeks of ulterior motive. What I don’t understand is why Adam now thinks it’s a good plan.
“To ensure Her Highness’s safety,” our top spy says to Henri, “her bodyguard Audrey Zanata will stay on as well. In addition, I’ll have an intervention squad on standby in the area.”
“Works for me,” Henri says.
Everybody stares at me expectantly.
“Fine,” I concede, “I’ll do it for the country.”
Henri signs the contract.
Why do I have a feeling I just agreed to more than I’d bargained for?
CHAPTER EIGHT
The cab’s wheels crunch on the gravel as we drive through the gates of Henri’s estate. The chateau, draped in vine-covered walls, sits against the backdrop of May’s lush greenery. Neither imposing nor grandiose, the best way to describe it is charming in an old-world, slightly dilapidated kind of way.
As the cabbie pulls up, Henri comes down the steps to greet us, all smiley and loose-limbed.
I can’t help but do a double take. Gone is the slick, polished look from Pombrio. Instead, his thick brown hair is tousled, giving him a carefree vibe. His beard, a bit less neat than last week, adds to this new casual and rugged aura. He’s dressed simply in jeans and a T-shirt. The way both the white jersey and the blue denim hug his athletic frame muddles my thoughts for a moment. But I quickly collect myself.
A picture of a gracious host, he helps me and Audrey from the cab. “I hope the ride comfortable?”
“Yes, thank you,” I say. “Longer than I expected, though—almost an hour.”
“There are several lovely hotels and B and Bs closer by,” he remarks as the cab drives off. “I was surprised to hear you were staying in Cahors.”
I breathe in the fragrant air. “MESS had its reasons for putting us there, I’m sure.”
“It was the best hotel in the area from safety perspective,” Audrey says as she scans the surroundings like she’s expecting Kurt’s men to drop from the trees.
I sweep a hand toward the vine-laced façade. “Your château is lovely, and I’m not just being polite.”
“Thank you.”
The warmth in Henri’s eyes acts like a time machine. It propels me ten years back, which makes me realize there was no warmth in his gaze at any point last week.
