Chloe looked back and forth between Stella and Richard, who stood before her. The moment she had been dreading had finally arrived.
“I am sorry, Claire,” Stella said, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Her husband’s stern presence by her side seemed to add weight to her plea.
Chloe responded in a quiet but firm voice, “I don’t quite understand why I must accompany you to Richard’s vineyard, Stella.”
Laurent Taylor, the businessman hailing from Swanton, planned to spend a week sightseeing in Genevoire, and today marked his third day. Chloe’s concerns had been groundless so far, as the days had passed without incident. However, his true intentions had become evident on the third day.
“He requested your presence, not so much for guidance but for companionship,” Stella explained. “He seems to enjoy conversing with you, and I saw no reason to deny him.”
