Abby noticed they were headed back to the estate. “Solange’s father gave off an unsettling aura of hostility too.”
“He’s hoping I’ll propose to her. There’s nothing he’d rather see than a marriage between his domaine and ours. I knew which way the wind was blowing a year ago. That’s why he brought her to the dinner tonight. When you and I sat down at the table, he came close to having a coronary.”
“Good heavens—” she cried. “Does everyone have an agenda?”
“Not my grandparents. After we reach the cottage, I’ll explain my reasons.”
Her breath caught. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
His face closed up. “The entire region is aware that there’s a new woman in my life. An American woman no less, one who knows nothing about vineyards and doesn’t speak French except for a few words like absolument, chasselas and Saint des Saints.”
She lowered her head.
“Now that I’ve gotten my duties out of the way, I’m planning to concentrate on you. You’re the only thing of real importance to me. I don’t want to waste a moment of our precious time together.”
“But to go to your private home—”
“Abby—it must have occurred to you by now that I don’t want you to leave.” He reached for her hand and kissed the palm. The gesture melted her to the core.
“Surely you realize I’m asking you to spend the night with me. I’ve wanted you from the very first moment we met.” I’ve wanted you too, Raoul. “I need to feel you in my arms and hold you. But if you don’t feel that way about me, then I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. All you have to do is tell me.”
Abby was listening. He was the most honorable man she’d ever known. The way his marriage had ended so cruelly had left him grief stricken and she understood his needs.
She had needs too. Abby knew deep in her soul that Raoul would always be the great love of her life. If she gave in to her desires for a night of temporary rapture, it would ruin her for other men. To go back to California and pine for Raoul for the rest of her life was unthinkable. She couldn’t put herself through that kind of hell.
Don’t let it go any further, Abby.
She didn’t dare bring that unending pain on herself. It was going to be like a death to fly to Venice tomorrow, but she knew it was what she had to do for self-preservation.
“I think you’d better drive me to the guest apartment.”
Without his saying a word, he drove her to the petit château. He helped her with her things and walked her to her apartment where he set everything down. His dark eyes narrowed on her mouth. She could almost feel him kissing her.
“Go ahead and make plane arrangements. I’ll call you in the morning. Depending on the time of your flight, I’ll pick you up for breakfast in the morning and drive you to the airport.”
“Wait—” she cried because he’d pivoted too fast and was already walking away.
He looked over his shoulder. “That wouldn’t be a good idea.”
When she couldn’t hear his car, she shut the door, devastated by what had just happened. She waited there for at least five minutes, hoping he’d come back and beg her to reconsider. But it was evident it wasn’t going to happen. If he’d really wanted to be with her tonight, he would have found a way.
She hurried in the bedroom to call the girls. Though it was late, she had to talk to them. She phoned Zoe first and got her voice mail. Too frustrated to leave a message, she called Ginger.
“Abby? Hey—what are you doing phoning this late?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m flying to Venice tomorrow and will try to plan a flight that fits in with yours and Zoe’s schedule.”
“You’re not staying in Burgundy?”
A shuddering sigh escaped. “No.”
“So the ‘come and see my notebook’ thing turned out not to be for real.”
She gripped her phone so tightly, she could have crushed it. “Actually there was a notebook with a poem, but it wasn’t an authentic signature of Byron’s.” In this instance, she had to lie after promising Raoul she’d let the find stay a secret.
“But he really had something to show you?”
“Yes. I met his grandparents and they showed it to me.”
“Then he was on the level.”
“Yes.”
“You sound odd. Are you okay? What’s going on with you two?”
“It’s been a very full day with a funeral and a dinner. He’s a very important man.” But tonight he hadn’t pressured her to stay with him and it hurt like crazy.
“Don’t let me keep you up any longer. Shall I come early or late? You’d better check with Zoe.”
“She’s not here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Zoe decided to fly to Greece early, so I took her to the airport today and now I have the car. Tomorrow is Sunday and I’m going to Burano Island for a couple of days. I’ve already paid for travel and the hotel room for two nights on a special deal. Why don’t you check flights for Tuesday and I’ll meet you whenever you say?”
Another two days with Raoul. Abby could hardly breathe.
“That sounds fine. I’ll call you Tuesday and we’ll plan from there.”
“Perfect.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
AT SIX THIRTY Sunday morning, Raoul’s phone awakened him. He worried it might be Abby and checked the caller ID. One look and he knew his father was summoning him, but he ignored it.
Last night he’d worked for a half hour sending instructions to Félix, then he’d stretched out on the couch in his office. It had taken all the self-control he could muster to leave Abby alone.
The phone rang again. Raoul got to his feet and clicked it on. “Bonjour, Papa. Ça va bien?”
“You and I need to talk.” His father never changed.
“Whatever it is, let’s do it on the phone now. I have other business
