“Not until college.”
“Where did you go?”
“I went to the Institute of Vine and Wine Science in Bordeaux.”
“Bordeaux? So you really got away from here. How did you manage that?”
He smiled. “Jerome’s wife, Danie, was born in Bordeaux. Decades ago Jerome went to a wine conference there and happened to visit her family’s vineyard. The two met and married. In time she inherited a small château. They visited it once in a while.
“When I turned eighteen, they prevailed on my grandfather and father to let me go live with them while I studied at the institute. It was understood we’d all be back to live at the château and I would work for the family. Living with them during that time was one of the happier periods of my life.”
“So the Degardelle name comes from her side of the family.”
“Your mind doesn’t forget a thing, does it? Yes, that was one of her family names that goes way back. I’d love to tell you more, but Alain is starting to fuss and it’s time to go in. We’ve been out here long enough and he’s hungry. I think we all are. I’ll meet you in the kitchen and feed him before putting him down.”
He watched her hurry out of the pool and wrap a towel around her beautiful body before she disappeared.
“Alain must have gone down easily,” Cami said as Raoul came in the kitchen soon after.
“Yes. He ate fast and all the exercise wore him out.” A minute later he’d put salad and sandwiches on the table and joined her.
“He’s wonderful, Raoul, and so well behaved I’m impressed.” Cami started eating.
“That’s Arlette’s and Minerve’s doing.”
“If you can’t find the right nanny, would this Minerve agree to go on doing it?”
“No. She lives with her family in La Gaude. I’m in the process of looking for one who lives in Vence.”
She sat back in the chair. “Since she’s been with Alain from the beginning, that’s not going to be easy.”
Raoul shook his head. “I’ve already interviewed five candidates, but no one seems right yet. Especially not the last one.” They both smiled in understanding. He finished one sandwich and started a second one.
“It must be difficult to trust another person to take care of your son. I don’t envy you.”
He focused his attention on her. “I haven’t thanked you for the Porsche you gave Alain. As you noticed, he loved it.”
“He was so cute. What I could see was the bond you two have. I’m happy for you. It won’t be long before he’s swimming circles around you. Now I have to leave.”
“I know you have work tomorrow. Cami? Do you ever want to do anything else that isn’t so physically demanding all the time?”
“Why do you ask?”
Raoul thought she’d paled a little and noticed the troubled look that crossed over her features. “I’m sorry if I offended you, Cami. It’s just that you work so hard every day, it seems like you rarely get a break. But I didn’t mean to impl—”
“You didn’t offend me,” she broke in. “You would never do that. It’s just that your question surprised me because I’ll actually be starting a new job after the holidays.”
“What do you mean new? Is it with a different cleaning company?”
“No. I’ll be working in the finance department at La Maison d
e Chocolat Gaillard.”
Gaillard? It was probably the biggest historic candy company in Southern France with headquarters in Nice. One of their branches was here in Vence. Fabrice Gaillard, the CEO, was a friend of Raoul’s father. They were the same kind of formidable men who belonged to the same exclusive bridge club only a few elites were permitted to join.
He sat forward. “Now you’ve got me mystified.”
A smile broke out on her lovely face. “Let me start at the beginning so you can understand how I got into cleaning. After my pathetic ten-month marriage, I divorced my husband.”