“We were before she married two years ago. She lives in Philadelphia now, so I don’t see her as often as I’d like. Her elderly husband doesn’t care for traveling.”
He searched her face as if seeking the answer to something, and she wondered if he sensed the sorrow she felt watching her sister’s vibrant personality slowly dimmed by marriage to a man thirty years her senior. She took a sip of water from her glass as if it might wash away her sadness. “Tell me about you. What was it like growing up with so many brothers?”
“Fun. Bruising at times because we fought constantly, and there were times when I wanted to bury one or more under this gazebo. But I wouldn’t trade them for all the pearls in the Orient.”
She laughed lightly. “Caro and I had our moments, too. The day she told my parents I’d climbed to the top of the neighbor’s big maple tree, I wanted to bury her somewhere, too.”
“You climbed trees?”
She nodded. “My father was so furious he made me stay inside for a week.”
“He was probably worried you’d fall.”
“He was more worried about me being a rebellious hellion, as he called me. Proper, well-raised girls don’t climb trees, or kneel in the dirt shooting marbles, or play baseball, or all the other things I liked doing.”
He’d stopped with his fork partway to his mouth.
“Yes?” she asked, humor in her voice. “Have I shocked you?”
“I think I’m in love.”
“No, you aren’t. Eat your food.”
“How good are you at marbles?”
“Skilled enough that Cole and the other boys refused to let me play with them after a while.”
“Cole?”
“My intended.”
“Ah.”
Once again, he searched her face as if silently seeking answers. He turned his attention to the bowl of gumbo. “Tell me about him.”
“My father works for his, so we’ve known each other our entire lives. He’s a newspaper editor. He and his business partner, Lenny, are in Paris hoping to get financial support to start their own paper.”
“Is it a love match?”
Val paused. It was now her turn to study him. She replied truthfully, “No, it isn’t. I take it you believe there is such a thing?”
“I do. You?”
“There are no love matches in my family or in the families of my acquaintances, so I err on the side of saying no.”
“Raimond and Sable have one, as did my parents, as did our great-grandparents Dominic and Clare.” He added softly, “Love is real,cheri.”
The passion he put into the words coupled with his accent were such a heady combination, if he professed the moon was made of ice cream she’d ask for a bowl and spoon. She eyed his full lips and remembered the gentleness of his fingers on her scraped cheek. Common sense urged her to get up and run from him like her slips were on fire because Drake LeVeq was dangerous in ways an engaged, untouched woman like herself couldn’t even imagine, but lord help her, she was drawn to him.
“If you aren’t marrying for love, then why are you?”
“To be free to live my life the way I want. Cole will allow me that, and I won’t have to be chained to a man I can’t abide.” Like her sister, she silently noted.
“You don’t believe a man who loves you will offer you that same freedom?”
“If marriage gives me the freedom I desire, why do I need love?”
“For the companionship. Adoration. Bed games.”