Chloe’s lips parted silently in shock, anger surging within her at the cruelty Damien had displayed in bringing up Gilles’s humble origins as a stable master. She could imagine the look on Gilles’s face even without looking at him. Only Stella and Richard failed to notice the thorns in Damien’s words.
“Yes, a robust young man like Mr. Watteau is precisely what Genevoire needs!” Stella exclaimed, passing glasses of cool lemonade to her husband and Damien.
“What took you so long, Stella? Did you pick the lemons fresh from the orchard?” Richard asked.
“Yes, it is a shame I missed you being soundly beaten by our guest.”
“Far from it,” Damien interjected. “If anything, I learned a few new moves.”
Richard puffed out his chest proudly in response to Damien’s tactful remark, eliciting a mischievous grin from Stella.
“Then why not give us a demonstration?” she said. “You have quite the audience now.”
“Well, why not? I feel nice and warmed up.”
