“Who takes care of his son?”
So his mother did know about Alain. “His nanny, Delphine LaVaux.”
“Is she here?”
“Yes.”
“I would like to meet her.”
“Excuse me. I’ll go upstairs and tell her.”
Cami hurried up to the next floor and found Delphine playing blocks with Alain in his bedroom. He called out her name when she walked in.
&
nbsp; “Bonsoir, Alain.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and looked at Delphine. “Excuse me, but Raoul’s mother is here and wants to talk to you. She’s in the sitting room, waiting.”
The two women eyed each other before Delphine got up from the rocking chair and lifted Alain in her arms. “Come on, mon petit. Let’s go see your gran’mere. It will be a first for both of us.”
By that remark Cami deduced that Raoul had explained his family dynamics enough to Delphine that she understood certain facts. Cami could only admire her calm and maturity. She decided Raoul had hired an exceptional woman.
Delphine carried Alain downstairs. Cami followed. They found Raoul’s mother on the phone. The minute they entered the sitting room, she put her cell phone in her purse and stood up.
Cami heard her sharp intake of breath as her brown eyes filled with tears the second they fastened on Alain. The likeness of him to her son had to have shocked the daylights out of her.
“Madame Fontesquieu, this is Delphine LaVaux.”
“How do you do,” Delphine spoke right up. “It’s lovely to meet you, madame. You have a wonderful grandson. Come on, Alain.” She tried to turn him so he’d look at Raoul’s mother, but he fought her and kept his arms around her neck. “Say bonsoir to your gran’mere.”
Alain started crying and wasn’t having any of it.
“Let me take him in the kitchen for a snack,” Delphine offered. “It will calm him down. We’ll be right back.”
Again Cami marveled over Delphine’s handling of a very difficult situation. Her composure was worth its weight in gold and Raoul needed to know.
His mother reached for the package she’d put on an end table with the coffee cup and handed it to Cami. “Since you don’t know how long he’ll be gone, I’ve decided to leave. Please will you see that Raoul gets this?”
“Très bien, madame.”
Cami followed her to the door and opened it for her. “He’ll be sorry he missed you.”
Her expression appeared haunted before she walked out on the porch and disappeared down the steps.
After closing it, she carried the package to the kitchen. Delphine had put Alain in the high chair and was feeding him some strawberries.
“She’s gone, Delphine.”
“Raoul warned me his mother might come by one day. Can you imagine seeing your own grandchild for the first time? I think it went well enough. Who couldn’t love this little angel?”
“Especially his gran’mere. He’s absolutely angelic. Since it’s getting late, I’m not sure when Raoul will be back. He had to leave on an emergency. I’ll stay awhile longer, but then I must go. Please see that Raoul gets this package she brought him.”
“Bien sûr.”
“I’ll go get the coffee cup left in the sitting room.” Cami started through the house and walked right into Raoul’s arms. He’d just come in and gripped her arms so she wouldn’t fall.
“I’m so sorry,” she blurted. “I didn’t see you and now you’ve saved me from another fall.”
“Where do you think you’re going so fast?”