A waitress knocked on the door and entered, bearing a tray of sweet rolls and fruit. She poured hot chocolate from a kettle and turned to leave. “Green tea, please,” Lemaire said as the woman skittered away.
“So how’s being prime treating you, Lila girl?” he asked, and bit into a roll. His eyes flicked to her gray coat.
Unable to resist the hot chocolate, Lila sipped at her mug. “I imagine the same as the life of a councilman.”
“You’ve cleaned up this mess as well as can be expected. I suppose I shouldn’t complain.”
“No, you shouldn’t.”
The waitress returned bearing a kettle of tea and placed it on the table. Then she scooted away, closing the door behind her.
The pair sat together, a bit awkwardly, staring out into the morning. Crowds walked by the hotel, many pointing at the beautiful windows or the gargoyles, taking pictures.
That could be a problem. It was only a matter of time before someone spied her and revealed her location to her mother.
If the chairwoman didn’t know already where Lila had gone.
She’d have to move soon.
“How have you been handling the rest of your life, Lila?” her father asked, sensing her thoughts. “Madame Sauveterre walked you inside. That means you’ve checked in. Why would you stay here rather than your own home?”
“Because I don’t live there anymore. Don’t get involved.”
“Why? Because it’s women’s business? Don’t take that attitude with me. I taught you better than that.”
“No, because you can’t unhear the truth.”
“Too late, your mother’s already involved me,” he said, popping a grape into his mouth. “Woke me up in a huff because you wouldn’t come down to breakfast. I’m to do my fatherly duty and convince you to resume yours.”
“You’ll accept her command?”
“If I agree with it. Why did you leave, Lila?”
She tore off a little piece of a sweet roll and considered the question. Why had she left? It wasn’t as though her mother’s morals had been a new discovery. It wasn’t as if she’d ever believed Jewel to be anything more than what she’d proven herself to be.
“I left because I need time to figure things out.”
“You’re twenty-eight years old. At your age, your mother—”
“Was already someone I could never respect.”
“So don’t be her.”
Lila sipped at her hot chocolate. “At what point is forgiveness agreement?”
“I suspect your mother did not tell me the entire story.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Perhaps you’d like to share your side of things?”
“It’s confidential even if it’s—”
“It’s your mother and you. It’s always confidential.”
“And Jewel. And Senator Dubois. And Ms. Wilson.”
He quirked his eyebrows at the mention of Alex, especially when Lila referred to her so formally. “Somehow I feel like I’m going to regret getting in the middle of four women.”
“I warned you. Turn back n
ow.”