Free Precious Gifts by Danielle Steel Page A

about them, and Véronique was curious, too—how long the affair had gone on, and how they’d met. It still shocked her that she’d never learned about it or even suspected it. She hadn’t heard a word about Elisabeth Marnier and their child. And it was hard to accept even now. “I’ll make some calls when I go back.”
    Once that was settled, they continued talking about their father’s will, and the unusual gifts he had left them. They were grateful for the opportunities he was giving them, but with the discovery of their unknown half-sister, they had mixed feelings, and it was all very bittersweet.
    “It’s kind of a crazy will,” Joy commented, but he had tailored what he left each of them to their specific needs, which showed a rare insight for him.
    “Bertie certainly thought so,” Timmie said with a grin, and they all laughed, even their mother, as they discussed what an ugly scene it had been in Arnold’s office, only moments after they had been told about Sophie.
    “I think I went into shock,” Juliette admitted, more relaxed after the wine and a good dinner.
    “Yeah, me, too,” Joy seconded.
    Véronique sighed. She had certainly been shocked, and deeply hurt when she heard how old his hidden daughter was, and when she’d been born. “Maybe she’s a nice girl,” she said, trying to be generous, but unconvinced.
    “Not likely, knowing the kind of women he went out with,” Timmie said, which they all knew was true. He hadn’t had a serious or worthwhile relationship with a decent woman since Véronique. It was all about his ego and their looks. He had been sixty when they divorced, and Timmie said he would have married again if he had found a woman with enough money, but his reputation preceded him by then. No one had wanted to marry him after Véronique, which she knew was true. And he was having too much fun, and living too well on her settlement to care.
    They ended the meal with vague plans to meet in France in August, depending on what their mother was able to find out about the Marniers. But they agreed that they needed to see the château, to make a good decision about it, except for Timmie, who staunchly said she wanted out no matter what, even if it turned out to look like Versailles.
    Juliette still wanted to see it, and Joy said she’d come along for the ride, if she wasn’t working, but agreed with Timmie. She didn’t want the responsibility or expense of a château in France. It sounded like a nightmare to her.
    “When are you going back, Mom?” Timmie asked her as they left the restaurant.
    “I don’t know yet. In a few days, I guess.” She had taken all her things from the house in St. Tropez when she left, so she didn’t need to go back for the rest of the rental, but she had nothing to do in New York, and she realized that she wanted to go back to Europe for the rest of the summer. She had no firm plans, but maybe Paris in July and August wouldn’t be so bad, even if it was quiet. She wasn’t in a festive mood now anyway. And Paris seemed better than New York, which was stifling.
    “What about the painting Dad left you?” Juliette asked her. They had spent the entire dinner talking about Bertie, Sophie, and the château. “Is it real?”
    “I never thought so,” Véronique said quietly. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell with Renaissance paintings like that. It could have been painted by one of his students, several of them in the school, the master himself, or a clever forger. I always meant to research it, but I never did. And your father took it when he left. It’s a very handsome painting even if it’s a fake.” Véronique looked wistful as she said it. After the reading of the will, the memories it evoked were too poignant now.
    “You should check it out,” Joy said gently, feeling more tender toward her mother after that morning. Her mother hadn’t made a single unpleasant comment about her father helping her with her career. She respected his decisions