Heinrich and Sabina had grown up as normal children. It was just her eldest who was devoid of any true emotion. She wanted to shake some sense into him before it was too late. But she was not yet ready to break the news she was divorcing his father. That would be done very soon.
“Now before you have any more weird and wonderful ideas, I really must be on my way.” He gave her a big hug.
“Drive safely.” Her gaze rested on the flowers he had brought her. “Thank you again for the roses. Was Miss Carrington the inspiration behind them?”
Judging by the frown he gave her, she knew she had hit home. “Goodbye, Mother,” was his curt response.
Sabina trotted into the kitchen a short while later in her pyjamas. “Has Steffen done a runner already?”
“I’m sorry to say he has,” her mother sighed twirling the empty coffee cup in her hand. “And before we could tell him about your moving to Lausanne.”
“Let me guess, are we going to surprise him?”
“I think so,” Bettina grinned.
“At the same time you tell him you’re divorcing Father?”
Bettina looked up at her daughter in surprise. “How do you know about that?”
“I’m not altogether stupid. You’ve always been aloof with each other, but lately that has changed. There’s anger now too. It doesn’t take a genius to realise you’ve filed for divorce.”
“I thought I’d wait until Heinrich was off on his travels, then tell you and Steffen together. I’m moving to Lucerne and you will both be safe in Lausanne.”
“And whilst in Lausanne I could do what is needed to get Steffen more emotionally involved with the Carrington woman he so obviously likes.”
“We make a good team,” Bettina embraced her daughter.
“I know you’ve always been there for me, mama. But if you need a shoulder, don’t hesitate.”
Bettina shook her head. “I’m a Grundberg, child. I don’t show emotion.”
“You’re a Laroque,” Sabina reminded her. “And we do.”
Hubert was annoyed to find Steffen had already left; he’d planned to have strong words with his son for his rudeness at dinner. He was head of the family and deserved damned more respect than he got.
Bettina and Sabina glared at him as he walked into the kitchen. It irritated him further that they were openly hostile towards him. It was not surprising that Bettina had persuaded his useless daughter to side with her.
“I’m heading back to Bern shortly,” he grunted at his wife before heading out into the hallway.
“Do say hello to Josephine,” Bettina smiled brightly, following him into the hall. “Before you go, I’ll give you a copy of the papers Michael is filing tomorrow.”
“Can we not drop this ridiculous charade?” Hubert sighed in frustration. “We both know you’re not going to see this through.”
“On the contrary, Senator, nothing will give me more pleasure than taking you to the cleaners for your gross infidelity. But look on the bright side, you’ll be free to fuck whoever you want.”
“Grundbergs don’t divorce.”
“This generation does.”
Hubert watched her stalk back into the kitchen to talk to Sabina. He was starting to really hate the shrew. Deep down he still did not think she had the nerve to divorce him. But she was right about one thing, he no longer needed to be quite so discreet over his affair with Jacqueline. And he was planning on having a surfeit of great sex that evening whilst his wife remained alone and unfulfilled.
CHAPTER 10
Maisie was feeling decidedly nervous. Steffen was due to pick her up shortly for their dinner and she had no idea what to wear. She hadn’t a clue what he had planned, just that it wasn’t formal. She suspected the Chief of Police didn’t wear jeans. Finally she selected a simple light blue shift dress, that was
“Now before you have any more weird and wonderful ideas, I really must be on my way.” He gave her a big hug.
“Drive safely.” Her gaze rested on the flowers he had brought her. “Thank you again for the roses. Was Miss Carrington the inspiration behind them?”
Judging by the frown he gave her, she knew she had hit home. “Goodbye, Mother,” was his curt response.
Sabina trotted into the kitchen a short while later in her pyjamas. “Has Steffen done a runner already?”
“I’m sorry to say he has,” her mother sighed twirling the empty coffee cup in her hand. “And before we could tell him about your moving to Lausanne.”
“Let me guess, are we going to surprise him?”
“I think so,” Bettina grinned.
“At the same time you tell him you’re divorcing Father?”
Bettina looked up at her daughter in surprise. “How do you know about that?”
“I’m not altogether stupid. You’ve always been aloof with each other, but lately that has changed. There’s anger now too. It doesn’t take a genius to realise you’ve filed for divorce.”
“I thought I’d wait until Heinrich was off on his travels, then tell you and Steffen together. I’m moving to Lucerne and you will both be safe in Lausanne.”
“And whilst in Lausanne I could do what is needed to get Steffen more emotionally involved with the Carrington woman he so obviously likes.”
“We make a good team,” Bettina embraced her daughter.
“I know you’ve always been there for me, mama. But if you need a shoulder, don’t hesitate.”
Bettina shook her head. “I’m a Grundberg, child. I don’t show emotion.”
“You’re a Laroque,” Sabina reminded her. “And we do.”
Hubert was annoyed to find Steffen had already left; he’d planned to have strong words with his son for his rudeness at dinner. He was head of the family and deserved damned more respect than he got.
Bettina and Sabina glared at him as he walked into the kitchen. It irritated him further that they were openly hostile towards him. It was not surprising that Bettina had persuaded his useless daughter to side with her.
“I’m heading back to Bern shortly,” he grunted at his wife before heading out into the hallway.
“Do say hello to Josephine,” Bettina smiled brightly, following him into the hall. “Before you go, I’ll give you a copy of the papers Michael is filing tomorrow.”
“Can we not drop this ridiculous charade?” Hubert sighed in frustration. “We both know you’re not going to see this through.”
“On the contrary, Senator, nothing will give me more pleasure than taking you to the cleaners for your gross infidelity. But look on the bright side, you’ll be free to fuck whoever you want.”
“Grundbergs don’t divorce.”
“This generation does.”
Hubert watched her stalk back into the kitchen to talk to Sabina. He was starting to really hate the shrew. Deep down he still did not think she had the nerve to divorce him. But she was right about one thing, he no longer needed to be quite so discreet over his affair with Jacqueline. And he was planning on having a surfeit of great sex that evening whilst his wife remained alone and unfulfilled.
CHAPTER 10
Maisie was feeling decidedly nervous. Steffen was due to pick her up shortly for their dinner and she had no idea what to wear. She hadn’t a clue what he had planned, just that it wasn’t formal. She suspected the Chief of Police didn’t wear jeans. Finally she selected a simple light blue shift dress, that was
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