If he thought it a strange request, he didn’t say so. For several hours they both poked around the huge store that sold new and used books.
Nic was big into linguistics and heraldry.
During their walks she’d discovered he was an expert on bloodlines and primogeniture. In fact he was writing a book on it in his spare time.
While he found himself some fascinating reading material, she asked the man waiting on her to look up the latest novel about robots. She risked buying Luc something he’d already read, but maybe she’d get lucky.
In the end she bought five books. The most recent one dealt with a robot named Cog. Two other books dealing with artificial intelligence had been published in the last couple of years.
The last two were some of the first books about robots ever published. They dated back to the late eighteen hundreds.
If nothing else, Luc might find them amusing to read again, if he’d read them, which he probably had. In that case he could have fun picking their research apart.
When Nic joined her at the checkout counter with three books he wanted, she insisted on paying for everything as her way of saying thank you for all his help.
Nic accepted with his usual good grace. At four-thirty they headed back to the Gabbiano. Once on board she called down the stairs.
“Yoohoo, Luc. We’re back!”
She was excited to see his face when she gave him her gift, but there was no answer. She went below. Maybe he’d fallen asleep.
To her surprise he wasn’t in bed. If he’d been swimming around the boat, she would have noticed. A little perplexed, she left the cabin and discovered Nic in the kitchen. He held a piece of paper in his hand.
Beyond his shoulder she noticed Luc’s cane lying across the drop table. Olivia’s eyes flew to Nic’s. Their gazes met.
“He left you a note.” The nuance in his tone alarmed her.
Olivia’s mouth suddenly went dry. She knew she wasn’t going to like what she heard. “W-what does it say?” she stammered.
“I’ll let you read it.”
CHAPTER NINE
NIC left the kitchen so she could have her privacy.
She put the bag of books on the table. Her hand trembled as she picked up the paper.
My dear Duchess cousin, never let it be said that the Varano cousins didn’t honor their obligations to their long lost relations from that upstart nation across the Atlantic.
You’re in the best of hands with Nic. He’ll make certain the rest of your ten day trip to the French and Spanish portions of the Rivier
a is fulfilled and memorable.
For Max and Greer’s sake, let’s agree to go our separate ways without bitterness. I don’t want my first day of freedom from prison to be marked by rancor.
Knowing you as I do, you’ll probably have success with your new Internet business. After all, you’re one of the very unexpected and astounding Duchesses of Kingston.
Luc
She stood there for a long time staring into space. Unexpected and astounding were code words for “freak of nature.”
This was the end of the road. She’d gone too far. She’d stepped over an invisible line Luc had drawn 155 long before he’d ever met her. Everyone had tried to warn her, but she hadn’t played it like a Duchess.
Scalding tears ran down her cheeks.
“Olivia?” Nic whispered directly behind her.
She wiped at the tears with the back of her hand. “Did you know he was going to leave?”