Just breathe… Lecie coached herself. And remember, this is your house. If she could keep that thought in her head she’d be okay. She was the boss here. Not Gerard. And not Camille or Tasha. Although, neither of her sisters-in-law had ever tried to boss her around. Lecie hoped today was not the day they started.
Gerard looked a little like Soren. Same light-brown hair. Same pale blue eyes. Same stature. Similar facial features. The big difference was that Gerard was a little taller than Soren.
“Gerard…” Lecie offered her hand. He shook it. “It’s been a long time. Do you remember me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded subserviently. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance again, ma’am.”
She clasped her own hands together at her midriff and gave him a hard stare. “Rule number one. We have to dispense with the formalities,” she said with a hint of shaky laughter.
“Ma’am?” Gerard grimaced.
“For starters,” she said, “just call me Lecie.”
“Good luck with that.” Tasha chuckled. She’d been trying for two years to get her staff to call her Tasha. The best she’d ever gotten for her efforts was Miss Tasha.
“If you say so, ma’am.” Gerard nodded and backed up a step or two.
“Come on, Gerard…” Deidra waved after him. “I’ll show you where your room is.”
Gerard glanced around at the other women, and when none of them objected he followed Deidra out of the living room.
Lecie looked at Camille and Tasha. “Shall we sit?” She motioned toward the couch and chairs. Her sisters-in-law nodded and moved to the couch. Lecie chose the chair to their right. “I’m thrilled to see both of you.” She offered up what she hoped was a friendly smile and peered down at her niece and nephew who were hanging on to their mother’s legs, looking up at Lecie shyly. She gave them a big smile and stretched out her arms, saying, “Juliana. James. Come give Aunt Lecie a hug.”
Both children giggled and ran to Lecie, climbing onto her lap. After a moment or two, Camille looked at the nanny, saying, “Velma, would you take the kids outside?”
With an obedient smile, Velma headed for the sliding glass door, coaxing the children to follow. Within seconds, all three were outside, and out of earshot.
Camille looked at Lecie with a quick, pressing nod. Looked like she was here on a mission, probably Julian’s mission, and she’d brought Tasha along for support.
They all, the entire family, thought Lecie was too naïve, and maybe that was true. But she had news for them. She was far from stupid. “So what is it that my brothers have sent you here to tell me?”
Camille and Tasha glanced at each other knowingly, then smiled an appreciative sort of smile that you see on mothers when their child takes their first step or says their first word. That was one of the reasons Lecie liked them both so much. They’d always treated her as an adult. Something her parents and brothers were reluctant to do.
Camille snickered and lowered her head. “You are much quicker than your father or your brothers give you credit for being.”
“Mama, too,” Lecie wouldn’t let them forget. “She still thinks I’m a child.”
“She does give you far more leeway than the men do,” Tasha put in.
“And you two are exceptionally gifted in the art of diversion.” Lecie deliberately raised her eyebrows and took extra care to keep her face stoic, serious. “But that doesn’t change anything. I still want to know why my brothers sent you.”
Camille spoke up, “Well, not just your brothers. Claudette too.” She drew a breath and ease it out in a long sigh. “I’ll just cut to the chase and tell you that Maurice is up to his old tricks.”
One thing Lecie knew, Camille was well-versed in Papa’s “old tricks”. He’d done his best to see that she didn’t stay married to Julian. Fat lot of good it’d done him. Same with Tasha and Andre, except Papa hadn’t been against their marriage, but he had in fact orchestrated it. He’d been so fixated on making sure Andre married Tasha that he hadn’t realized he’d given Lecie pure freedom in the process—until it was too late.
Lecie was glad her father had been devious enough to know that if she were included in Edouard Renault’s will, Andre would never risk losing the inheritance. He would do whatever it took to make sure Lecie got it, and he had. Papa just hadn’t thought far enough ahead to see that her independence would also come hand-in-hand with that inheritance.
It was a tough lesson, and everybody knew that Papa probably had coming. But if Lecie knew her brothers, they envied her for being the teacher.
Lecie couldn’t help laughing out loud.
“Lecie,” Tasha said, “this is not at all funny. Your father wants you to come home. And we all know…Maurice gets what he wants.”
“What’s he going to do?” she asked, enjoying this a little too much. But they just sat there with these flat expressions. Lecie added with a shrug, “Cut me off?”
“You underestimate your father.” Camille’s tone was loaded with warning. And she meant well, but Lecie was going to show them all that she could get down in the dirt and scrap with the best of them. Just as soon as she figured out how.
“And he underestimates me.” Lecie pumped her words with confidence.
“Yes, yes he does,” Camille said. “And your mother sees that. She’s very afraid that he’s going to push you into doing something reckless.” Truth be told, Camille looked a little worried about that too. “And we’re here to implore you not to lose your cool and do something you’ll regret.”
“Trust me…” Lecie leaned in closer. “Whatever I choose to do to fight Papa…I won’t be the one with regrets.”
“We hope, for your sake, that is the case,” Tasha said.
“You should be prepared though.” Camille’s steady nod supported her words. “Maurice intends to have you deported. Claudette has bought you a little time by sending Gerard over, but it’s only a matter of time. Sooner, rather than later, I suspect you will be forced to leave the United States.”
“But I own property here.”
“You wouldn’t be the first property owner to get kicked out of this country,” Tasha said.
“Or the last.” Lecie laughed nervously. “Don’t worry. I’ll think of something to avoid it.”