Follow a Stranger

of the house in which his office lay. They walked out, in

quiet conversation. Jean-Paul returned alone. He spoke

softly to Kate, his face grave. “I have done it. I told Marc

I had changed my mind.”

“What did he say?” she asked involuntarily.

He shrugged. “He said very little—I was rather

surprised. But he seemed displeased. Of course, there

had been no official announcement. It was just an

understanding between us, so there can be no gossip.”

“Did he ask you why?” she queried, wondering what

Marc had thought of Jean-Paul’s unexpected change of

heart. She could imagine him being very angry,

particularly after the savage way he had looked at her

while she was dancing with Jean-Paul.

“No, he seemed very thoughtful. Perhaps he has some

business worry on his mind. Marc and I are old friends,

but I felt a certain ... how shall I put it? ... distance,

between us. I did not explain my motives to him, since I

know he would try to persuade me to change my mind.”

Jean-Paul grinned at her. “He is an autocrat, as you

must have realised. The Lillitos family obey him without

question. And his business interests are so vast ...” he

lifted his shoulders in a Gallic gesture, “it is not

surprising he is so dictatorial at times.”

“It is irritating, though,” she said, “and I don’t think

one should pander to his god complex. He isn’t a tinpot

little divinity, whatever he thinks.”

Jean-Paul looked both astounded and deeply amused.

“A tinpot little divinity? Is that how you see him?” He

stared into her blue eyes, smiling. “As I said before, you