wouldn’t have wanted you to meet her.”
Remi ran his hands through his hair. “Damn it, Paul. I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since our encounter on the street. And now she’s out there somewhere, alone and running scared.”
Paul’s brows rose. “Wait a minute. What do you mean, since you met her on the street?”
Remi explained what had occurred during the parade and afterward.
“Christ, that must have been Jonathan Day. Caterine’s been seeing him for quite a while now.”
“Yeah, well, from the little I overheard, he’s been seeing someone besides Caterine.”
Paul shook his head. “I suppose she gave him an earful?”
Remi grinned. “She seemed to be holding her own when I got there. I still would have loved to knock the asshole on his preppy ass. I just don’t understand. She’s wealthy, beautiful, and sexy as hell. Why was she with that jerk Jonathan?”
Paul shrugged. “I personally never cared for the guy, but what do I know?”
Remi’s eyes narrowed. “I think our midnight encounter was nothing more than a convenient diversion to take her mind off the bastard, and things went further than the lady expected.”
“Perhaps Jonathan had something to do with her behavior, but I’ve been around Caterine long enough to know she wouldn’t have had sex with you if she didn’t have feelings for you.”
“The feelings the lady had for me are called lust.”
Paul sighed. “How’d you two get separated anyway?”
Remi recalled the sudden panic in Caterine’s eyes and shook his head. “It’s as I said, she realized what she’d done and who she’d done it with and ran.”
“I still don’t believe that.” Paul turned into the circular drive of a three-story antebellum mansion. “You know, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it doesn’t turn out to be one of the Doucettes behind Caterine’s attack. Elaine told me Miss Dauphine just turned over ownership of Ma Chérie to Caterine, and both she and Caterine were afraid of their reactions.”
Remi stared in amazement. “Her own family would try and abduct her?”
“Before we go in, I’ll fill you in on one of the wealthiest and most dysfunctional families in Louisiana.”
“What a fucked up sounding bunch,” Remi said when Paul had finished.
Paul laughed. “Except for Miss Dauphine, Caterine, and Bobby, they pretty much are.”
“So Caterine was raised by her grandparents? And other than the Doucettes, she has no one?”
“Some relatives on her mother’s side in Virginia, but she hardly knows them. Other than Elaine and myself, there’s really only a handful of people she’s close to.” Paul stepped onto the drive. “Now prepare to meet one of the most gracious southern ladies I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
The double front doors were answered by a middle-aged black woman who told them Miss Dauphine was expecting them.
A curving staircase led up to a wide hall from which they entered a small sitting room.
“It’s good to see you, Miss Dauphine.” Paul bent to kiss the older woman’s cheek. “And you’re as beautiful as always.”
She smiled. “And you’re still a charmer, Paul LaBeau.”
“Miss Dauphine, I’d like you to meet my friend and partner, Remi Michaud. Remi, this is Madame Dauphine Doucette.”
Remi took her hand. “Ma’am, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, young man.” Miss Dauphine studied Remi’s face before asking, “Mr. Michaud, are you by any chance Annabelle Michaud’s grandson?”
“Why, yes, ma’am.”
She smiled. “Are you aware your grandmother and I are dear friends?”
“No, ma’am.”
“I’ve known Annabelle since we were young girls at school.” She looked from Paul’s serious expression to the grim line of Remi’s mouth, and the smile left her face. “Paul, would you please close the door?”
“Thank you. Now, if you’ll both take a seat.” She indicated two chairs. “I’ll tell you what Caterine told me
Remi ran his hands through his hair. “Damn it, Paul. I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since our encounter on the street. And now she’s out there somewhere, alone and running scared.”
Paul’s brows rose. “Wait a minute. What do you mean, since you met her on the street?”
Remi explained what had occurred during the parade and afterward.
“Christ, that must have been Jonathan Day. Caterine’s been seeing him for quite a while now.”
“Yeah, well, from the little I overheard, he’s been seeing someone besides Caterine.”
Paul shook his head. “I suppose she gave him an earful?”
Remi grinned. “She seemed to be holding her own when I got there. I still would have loved to knock the asshole on his preppy ass. I just don’t understand. She’s wealthy, beautiful, and sexy as hell. Why was she with that jerk Jonathan?”
Paul shrugged. “I personally never cared for the guy, but what do I know?”
Remi’s eyes narrowed. “I think our midnight encounter was nothing more than a convenient diversion to take her mind off the bastard, and things went further than the lady expected.”
“Perhaps Jonathan had something to do with her behavior, but I’ve been around Caterine long enough to know she wouldn’t have had sex with you if she didn’t have feelings for you.”
“The feelings the lady had for me are called lust.”
Paul sighed. “How’d you two get separated anyway?”
Remi recalled the sudden panic in Caterine’s eyes and shook his head. “It’s as I said, she realized what she’d done and who she’d done it with and ran.”
“I still don’t believe that.” Paul turned into the circular drive of a three-story antebellum mansion. “You know, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it doesn’t turn out to be one of the Doucettes behind Caterine’s attack. Elaine told me Miss Dauphine just turned over ownership of Ma Chérie to Caterine, and both she and Caterine were afraid of their reactions.”
Remi stared in amazement. “Her own family would try and abduct her?”
“Before we go in, I’ll fill you in on one of the wealthiest and most dysfunctional families in Louisiana.”
“What a fucked up sounding bunch,” Remi said when Paul had finished.
Paul laughed. “Except for Miss Dauphine, Caterine, and Bobby, they pretty much are.”
“So Caterine was raised by her grandparents? And other than the Doucettes, she has no one?”
“Some relatives on her mother’s side in Virginia, but she hardly knows them. Other than Elaine and myself, there’s really only a handful of people she’s close to.” Paul stepped onto the drive. “Now prepare to meet one of the most gracious southern ladies I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
The double front doors were answered by a middle-aged black woman who told them Miss Dauphine was expecting them.
A curving staircase led up to a wide hall from which they entered a small sitting room.
“It’s good to see you, Miss Dauphine.” Paul bent to kiss the older woman’s cheek. “And you’re as beautiful as always.”
She smiled. “And you’re still a charmer, Paul LaBeau.”
“Miss Dauphine, I’d like you to meet my friend and partner, Remi Michaud. Remi, this is Madame Dauphine Doucette.”
Remi took her hand. “Ma’am, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, young man.” Miss Dauphine studied Remi’s face before asking, “Mr. Michaud, are you by any chance Annabelle Michaud’s grandson?”
“Why, yes, ma’am.”
She smiled. “Are you aware your grandmother and I are dear friends?”
“No, ma’am.”
“I’ve known Annabelle since we were young girls at school.” She looked from Paul’s serious expression to the grim line of Remi’s mouth, and the smile left her face. “Paul, would you please close the door?”
“Thank you. Now, if you’ll both take a seat.” She indicated two chairs. “I’ll tell you what Caterine told me
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