said Gabrielle hastily. ‘No way. I’m sorry, Simone. I’ll meet you up at our picnic spot if you like, but I’ve had enough of Caverness for one day.’ If Gabrielle went back to the chateau right now she’d only start throwing things again. Namely herself. At Luc.
‘It’s just a house,’ said Simone, and, at Gabrielle’s level stare, ‘Okay, a castle. A very big castle.’
‘No.’
‘I’ll smuggle you in and smuggle you out,’ said Simone. ‘Just like the old days. No one will ever know.’
‘Luc would know.’ He’d always known.
‘All right then,’ said Simone. ‘Let’s approach this like rational, sensible, intelligent women. I’ll just borrow your clothes and get changed here.’
‘I like it,’ said Gabrielle. ‘But I’m warning you I shopped for clothes in Singapore on the way over and had to sit on my suitcases to get them to shut. There’s wreckage within those cases that I’m not sure you’re ready for. There’s chaos in there that I’m not sure I’m ready for.’
‘Unleash it,’ said Simone, and released the champagne cork quietly and without spilling a drop of the precious liquid. ‘I live for chaos.’ Setting the magnum on the bedside table, Simone began to rummage through the basket at her feet. ‘I could have sworn I put some champagne flutes in here somewhere. Special picnic ones.’
‘Plastic ones?’ said Gabrielle.
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Simone. ‘Heathen. Where have you been living these past seven years? Ah, here they are.’ She brandished them aloft with a flourish. ‘Not plastic. Polish crystal. Perfectly shaped, beautifully balanced, and as delicately made as petals on a rose. Plastic champagne flutes,’ muttered Simone with a shudder as she filled the two glasses and handed one to Gabrielle. ‘God help us and welcome home.’
They ate atop the highest hill in the area, surrounded by grapevines and with the rooftops of the chateau spread out below them, and, in the distance, the rooftops and church spires of the village.
‘What will you do while you’re here?’ asked Simone after the last crumbs of cheese had been nibbled and the last sliver of pâté had been devoured. ‘Luc said you planned to stay in the area for a few weeks.’
Gabrielle nodded. ‘I came here on business as well as to see Maman. Rafe and I make wine these days.’
‘Oh?’ said Simone, her voice a little too offhand to actually be offhand. ‘What kind of wine?’
‘Cabernet sauvignon, mostly, and some cabernet merlot. For the high end of the market and worth every cent. We’re looking to extend our export opportunities into Europe and set up a distribution arm. It makes sense to look for premises in the place we know best.’
‘Rafael wishes to return?’ said Simone.
‘No. Not Rafe. Just me.’
‘Oh.’
‘Don’t sound so disappointed.’ Gabrielle slid Simone a sideways glance.
‘I’m not disappointed,’ said Simone with a toss of her head. ‘Not at all. I’m just…curious. What kind of operations base are you looking for? Business premises or residential property?’
‘Both.’
‘With or without land attached?’
‘Depends on the land,’ said Gabrielle. ‘Why?’
‘The old Hammerschmidt vineyard is on the market,’ said Simone. ‘The vines are in a dreadful state, the winemaking equipment is fifty years out of date, and the house needs a lot of attention, but the cellars are good and the location is excellent. Luc’s been looking into acquiring it.’
‘Really?’ said Gabrielle dryly. ‘And you’re telling me this why?’
‘Because it would probably suit your purposes.’
‘If it did I’d be in direct competition for the property with Luc.’
‘Really?’ said Simone airily. ‘Could be fun.’
‘For whom?’ said Gabrielle. ‘Seriously, Simone, I appreciate your help but where’s your sense of family duty? Your loyalty to Luc and to your family business? There was a time you put loyalty to family before your own happiness. Where did that Simone go?’
Simone’s expression grew shuttered. ‘That Simone grew up to regret not holding tight to her happiness with both hands. I’m older now. Wiser.’
‘Trickier,’ murmured Gabrielle.
‘That too.’ Simone sipped at her champagne and stared at the valley spread out before her, half of which she owned. ‘So how is he?’ she said tentatively. ‘Rafael.’
‘Driven,’ said Gabrielle with a wry twist of her lips.
‘Is he happy?’
‘I really don’t know.’
‘Is he married?’
‘No.’ Gabrielle took pity on her childhood friend and gave her the information she sought. ‘He’s had a few relationships over the years. Less than he could have had. Nothing he ever put before his work.’ Gabrielle sipped at her champagne. ‘He’s building an empire,’ she said softly. ‘Proving his worth, over and over, to a mother who never loved him, an heiress who wouldn’t believe in him, and a best friend who didn’t support him.’
‘That’s not a fair call, Gabrielle.’ Simone’s voice was low and tight. ‘It wasn’t like that.’
‘I know,’ said Gabrielle. ‘And on an intellectual level, Rafe would agree with you. He knows Luc’s hands were tied when it came to setting up in business with him. He’s quite capable of admitting that you and he were far too young to be thinking about marriage, let alone eloping to Australia. He says he works like a dog because he enjoys it. But if you ask me—and you did— the real reason he works so hard is that the ghosts from his childhood won’t let him stop.’
‘I think I need more wine,’ said Simone.
Gabrielle held out her own champagne flute as Simone reached for the bottle. ‘Hit me.’
‘Don’t tempt me,’ muttered Simone as she refilled Gabrielle’s glass and then her own. ‘We probably shouldn’t talk about brothers, you and me.’
‘No, we probably shouldn’t.’ Gabrielle smiled faintly. ‘By the way, I saw yours again today. I really thought I’d be able to handle it. Handle him. I couldn’t.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ said Simone. ‘I’ve yet to meet a woman who can. A word of advice, Gaby, from my heart to yours. Luc changed after you left. He grew up, grew tough, and got guarded. He’s not an easy man to know. Not an easy man to love. Believe me, plenty have tried.’
‘Is that a warning?’
‘More
