“Great.” Beverly sighed. “Then I take it she’s feeling better?”
“That she is.” Did Beverly know about the baby? Camille wasn’t sure and decided discretion was the best course of action.
“I’m so glad to hear that. So many people got sick. Several ended up in the hospital. It was a nasty mess. I know Tasha was one of the first to pick up the bug, so I just had to call to find out if she’s okay.”
“She’s fine.” A bug? Obviously, Beverly wasn’t talking about a pregnancy.
“Good. Good.” Beverly sighed again. “I don’t think any of you are in danger. The doctor here says that the contagious period is the first few days, and Tasha was sick for several days before she quit the restaurant.”
Contagious? Camille hadn’t thought of that. “What exactly was it, Beverly? A virus?”
“Some weird stomach flu. I forget what it’s called. But really, you should be okay.”
“All right. Thanks for calling. I’ll let Tasha know you called when she gets back. I’ll make sure she gets in touch.”
Camille heard the girl say, “Thanks,” as she hung up the phone.
A bug? A stomach virus that landed some people in the hospital? This wasn’t good. “What about Tasha’s baby?” she said, barely above a whisper. What about my baby?
Maybe Camille should give Dr. Goldman a call. With any luck at all, Beverly was right and Tasha was no longer carrying the bug by the time she’d arrived in France.
Again, what about Tasha? zipped through Camille’s mind. She’d better call Tasha. She should see a doctor as soon as she and Andre arrived in St. Tropez. Perhaps Dr. Goldman could recommend someone.
That settled it. Camille would call Dr. Goldman first.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A SINGLE WORD—PREGNANT—prattled through Cecily Garceau Mason’s mind. Not only was Andre de Laurent newly married, but his bride was also with child.
“Well that settles it.” Conrad crossed the living room and sat down in her husband Daniel’s favorite chair. “The de Laurents win. Again.”
Cecily’s brother had always been the easily swayed type. She’d always known it wouldn’t take much to convince him to concede. And once he’d given up, she’d be all alone in the fight. But that didn’t deter her. Billions might not be enough to tempt Conrad, but it was all she thought about.
“Oh, it’s not over until the twelfth month has ended.” She shook her head and went to the window overlooking the gloomy, run-down courtyard of the apartment complex she and Daniel had lived in for the past ten years. Neither the owners nor the manager cared that the terrace or the apartments were in disrepair. The tenants weren’t important enough for them to care about improving the property. Not exactly a slum, but far from the affluent neighborhoods that Cecily coveted. To live amongst the privileged; that’s what she wanted. It’s what she’d always wanted. And now that the first bonafide opportunity had come to her, she wasn’t about to let it slip through her fingers. Cecily was willing to do just about anything to get that inheritance, and she didn’t care who she stepped on in the process. That’s what rich people did anyway. They stepped on people to get where they were. She’d accepted that and was fully prepared to climb her way to the top. “The very last second must tick by before I will acknowledge that Andre will inherit instead of us.”
Conrad laughed. “You say his name like you know him.”
“I know his kind.” She shot her brother an over-the-shoulder glare. “I know that he and his newly-made family is the only thing standing between us and luxurious wealth.” What Cecily really meant was me. But she stood a better chance of dethroning Andre if her brother was standing with her.
“Cecily,” Conrad complained, shaking his head. “It was one thing when we thought we were going to expose a fraudulent marriage. But it’s obvious that isn’t the case. The girl is pregnant.”
“Yes. But is the child Andre’s?” Cecily turned away from the window and perched her hands on her hips.
“He married her, it must be.”
Sometimes, Cecily wondered if Conrad was adopted. This was one of those times. “She wouldn’t be the first opportunist persuaded by the promise of a hefty payoff.”
“Then how do you propose we proceed?” Conrad said in a defeated voice. At least he gave up as quick as he gave in.
“Well…” She went silent while various scenarios flittered through her mind. Finally one stuck, and she smiled. “I suppose people like the de Laurents will be looking to hire a nanny. God knows, they don’t take care of their kids themselves.”
“A nanny.” He paused while it sank in. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Of course, he hadn’t. “I’m sure they’ll want to hire one soon,” she said. “So they can get to know her before the baby arrives.”
As a nurse, Cecily had the credentials. And the sooner she could position herself between Andre and his new wife—the better.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE HOUSE IN ST. TROPEZ, set high on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean, reminded Tasha of the house Lecie was to inherit in California—only this one was larger.
The master suite had tall windows that looked like garage doors, but with glass panels, framing the walls at the southeastern corner. The windows opened to a wrap around balcony that Tasha thought would be like sleeping outdoors. And since the bedroom was on the second floor, there wasn’t much worry of anyone wandering in. Considering the estate’s significant security and nine-foot barricading walls, intrusion could hardly be an issue.
Tasha had taken Camille’s call out on the terrace that was shaded by the master suite’s balcony above. A gentle breeze blew past as she listened to Camille relay the conversation she’d had with Beverly.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Camille said. “But Dr. Goldman thought it might be a good idea if you see Dr. Ainsworth there in St. Tropez.”
Tasha placed her hand on her belly and tried to swallow the lump clogging her throat. “I’ll be sure to do that.”
“Dr. Goldman telephoned the office up there. As soon as you call, the doctor will see you.”
Tasha tried to laugh. “I guess it pays to have friends in high places.”
“You’re the one in the high place, Tash. You’ve got de Laurent money backing you now. Remember that.”