All That Glitters (4 page)

CHAPTER V
 

It was almost seven o’clock in the evening when Jay woke up. Someone was knocking on their door. Cammie, Jenny, Peter, and Zack stood there, all dressed for the evening.

“Honey,” Jay told Cammie, “we’ll be ready in a few minutes. You go ahead and we’ll join you there.”

Hildy was already in the shower. When she emerged from the bathroom, Jay had already put their suitcases on the bed, ready to unpack.

Hildy took out a lovely, blue cocktail dress with a few sparkly rhinestones sprinkled across the bodice. Silver sandals and a silver evening purse complemented the outfit.

Jay quickly showered and donned navy blue slacks and a white dinner jacket, ready to join the others by seven-fifteen in Francois’ suite.

Francois had made reservations at the restaurant overlooking the Seine—the same restaurant where Peter took Hildy and Jenny on their first night in Paris twenty-one years ago, and they were all looking forward to it.

The others were already in Francois’ suite when Hildy and Jay arrived.

Zack looked quite the man-about-town in his beige slacks and navy jacket, and Peter was handsome in brown slacks and a tan jacket.

Jenny, looking very chic, wore a pale tan chiffon dress with a few scattered sequins, and beige pumps.

Cammie looked like something out of a romantic past in a pale lilac cocktail dress with matching sandals. Her reddish blond hair was swept back from her face, revealing her lovely features.

Francois, dressed in uniform complete with epaulets, and looking every inch a Count, was all charm as he greeted them. “I’ve been waiting till we were all here for a special surprise I’ve prepared for Cammie,” he said, as he ushered them into the suite and over to the hors d’oeuvre table and bar. “Help yourselves. What would you like to drink? We have everything here.”

If it were not for her past experience with Gregory Wilcox, Hildy would have been completely taken in by him, and she could easily understand how Cammie was so mesmerized by his charm. But this is what frightened her. It’s so easy, when you’re Cammie’s age, to be overwhelmed by all this glamour, she thought. Still—maybe the whole thing is completely innocent, and I’m the one who’s being mesmerized because of what happened to me. Just because he looks like Greg doesn’t mean a thing! He seems genuinely loving and attentive. Come on! Be fair!

As soon as they were all settled with their drinks, Francois handed Cammie a large, velvet box. “Open it,” he told her.

With trembling fingers she untied the bright purple ribbon and bow. He held the box as she lifted the cover.

Francois reached in and pulled out a beautiful, jeweled tiara, covered with mostly diamonds and a few scattered sapphires and rubies. “This is what you’ll be wearing when we entertain,” he said, placing it on her head.

Cammie was speechless. Her blue eyes sparkled as brilliantly as the jewels in the tiara. She looked more like a Princess than a future Countess.

Francois smiled smugly—at least it seemed so to Hildy—as he handed Cammie a smaller velvet box. When she opened it, a three-carat diamond solitaire ring lay nestled in the fold. He carefully removed it, and placed it on the third finger of her left hand.

With tears in her eyes, Cammie threw her arms around him. Complete and utter adoration shone on her face as she gazed at him.

“Nothing is too good for my beloved Cammie,” Francois declared.

Hildy felt rooted to the spot! Was history repeating itself? Greg had given her a three-carat diamond ring when he proposed to her, and she had thought he must love her a lot to buy her such an expensive ring. Now Cammie was obviously thinking the same thing about Francois.

But it’s no proof! Hildy wanted to scream. Look what happened! She felt helpless. Evidently telling Cammie about Greg had made no impression at all. She shivered. Francois sounds just like Greg with his false promises—dazzling Cammie with all the jewels that will be hers, and dangling the title of Countess enticingly under her nose. Hildy prayed that Cammie wouldn’t come down to earth with a thud the way she did when she learned the truth about Greg.

In an attempt to hide her emotions, Hildy rose from her chair and walked over to pick up some hors d’oeuvres. Jay joined her.

A concerned Zack followed her to the hors d’oeuvres table. “Are you all right?” he asked in an undertone.

Hildy glanced at Cammie, who was excitedly showing her jewelry to the others. “I don’t know,” she answered. “The question is, is Cammie all right? I don’t like this. It’s too similar—” Her voice trailed off.

A ring on the telephone interrupted them. “Time to leave for the restaurant,” Francois announced as he hung up. “I made an eight o’clock reservation. The limousine is waiting downstairs. We’ll have just time enough if we leave right now.”

Jay placed Hildy’s stole around her shoulders and started to walk with her to the door, when Francois approached them, smiling his most engaging smile, and offered her his arm.

Zack, who had been watching from the other side of the room, came quickly over to them. “You go ahead and take charge of things,” he told Francois. “We’ll take care of Hildy.”

Hildy threw him a grateful look. It wasn’t easy to hide her fears. Her mind was in a turmoil. Why does he look so much like Greg? How can any two people look so much alike, and not be related? But, she reminded herself, lots of people are dead ringers for movie stars that they’re not related to.

Their arrival at the building brought Hildy abruptly back to reality as they left the limousine and approached the elevator that would take them up to the penthouse.

As
they entered the lavish restaurant, Cammie gazed at the twinkling
lights down below, spreading clear across the city of Paris.
“Oh, Mom!” she exclaimed. “It’s everything you said it was!”
She turned to Francois and grabbed his hand. “Oh, Francois,”
she said with stars in her eyes, “it’s so beautiful!
Look! The River Seine looks like a huge smile grinning
up at us!”

Francois stared at her as much as to say, “What a stupid metaphor!” Hildy could see clearly that it wasn’t a look of understanding or indulgence, like someone in love, but an expression of total disdain. They’re not on the same wave length, she realized, and her heart sank.

She didn’t sleep much that night. When she awoke it was with a sensation she hadn’t felt for twenty-one years—that old familiar punch in the stomach that used to attack her every morning when Gregory Wilcox was tracing her every move, ruining her life. But Greg is dead! So why do I feel this way?

Then she remembered, and began to shake as it all came flooding back—Count Francois Dubonnet and his amazing resemblance to Gregory Wilcox! And their daughter was engaged to marry him! She pulled the bed clothes up over her head as if to erase the picture, but the nightmare was still there. She sat up in bed and stared at the walls.

* * *

Jay was awake—had been for hours—thinking about Cammie. He reached up and pulled Hildy down into his arms, as if by so doing he could protect both her and their precious daughter.

A deep sob escaped from
Hildy’s lips. Up to now she had been pretty much
in control, but Jay’s tender gesture broke down the wall
of protection she had built around herself, and she could
no longer cope with it alone.

Jay’s arms tightened around her. Hasn’t she suffered enough because of Greg? He’s been dead for twenty-one years! So why is all this coming back to haunt her now?

He held her, trying to comfort her. “You know, honey, this probably doesn’t mean a thing. So he looks like Greg. Lots of people resemble each other. We can’t fault him for the way he looks.” He bent down and kissed her. “They say everyone has a double somewhere in the world,” he continued. “I’ll bet that’s all this is. Lightning never strikes twice, they say.”

“I hope you’re right,” Hildy replied. “I thought all this was behind us.” She sat up, determination burning in her eyes. “And that’s the way I’m going to treat it. It was a long time ago when all this happened, and it’s ridiculous to think it can repeat itself.” She rose and put on her robe. “I’m going to take a shower. Maybe I can wash away some of this fear,” she said in an attempt at lightheartedness.

Jay stared off into space, thinking. As soon as he heard Hildy turn on the water in the shower, he picked up the phone and called Zack’s room. “Zack,” he asked in a low tone, “how do you feel about Francois?”

“I hesitate to say anything detrimental about him, Jay. I don’t want to alarm anyone, especially Hildy, without knowing the facts. But I feel uneasy. I don’t trust him. I don’t know what it is, but something isn’t right. Something weird is going on. I wish Cammie weren’t so infatuated with him. I’m afraid right now she can’t think straight. I may be one hundred percent wrong about him. Maybe he’s everything Cammie thinks he is, but I wish she wouldn’t rush into anything until we’ve had a chance to do some checking.”

Just then Hildy came out of the bathroom, and Jay said a hurried goodbye.

“Who was that?” Hildy asked him.

“I was just talking to Zack, trying to make plans for the day.”

“Oh,” Hildy said, apparently satisfied with his explanation. “So what did you decide?”

“Huh?” Jay was still thinking about what Zack had said, and at first what she asked him didn’t register.

“I asked what you decided we should do today,” she repeated.

“Oh—I guess we’ll spend the day in the city. Is that okay with you?” He headed for the bathroom, hoping to ward off any further questions.

“Fine,” she answered. “Did you ask Zack how he felt about Francois?”

For a moment Jay was stymied. This was what he had hoped to avoid. “Oh—yes,” he replied. “He said he’d like to get more facts before coming to any conclusions.”

He went into the bathroom and shut the
door in an attempt to avoid further questions. He had
wanted to ask Zack to do some detective work today
to find out more about Francois, but when Hildy came
back into the room, he figured he’d better keep quiet
as Zack had suggested. Wait until we find out something
more concrete. She’s upset enough as it is, and if
we turn out to be wrong we will have spared
her any unnecessary worry.

When he finished his shower, Hildy was already dressed in her jeans and running shoes, perfect for touring Paris. Jay followed suit. They decided dressing comfortably would be the order of the day, regardless of the fact that they’d be traveling with a Count, who might expect more formal attire.

They needn’t have been concerned. Francois was dressed the same way when they all met in the lobby fifteen minutes later.

The limousine was waiting as soon as they finished breakfast, ready to take them anywhere they wanted to go. But the happy anticipation they had felt about seeing Paris again was marred by the deep feeling of apprehension that kept gnawing at them. If anything, Francois looked more like Greg this morning than he did yesterday. The same voice, the same walk—even the same mannerisms!

* * *

Like an agoraphobic, Hildy
felt trapped and exposed. She wanted to hide in some
secluded haven where no one could hurt her or her
family. Her eyes were screaming “Help!” as she looked with
pleading at Jay.

Why is Francois rushing Cammie? Why is he in such a hurry to marry her? She hated to be so suspicious, but she couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that there was something behind all this that Francois wanted to keep secret.

A feeling that bordered on terror gripped her as they walked through the lobby toward the limousine that waited for them just outside the front door of the hotel.

Her heart raced with fear. Stop this! she chided herself. Your imagination is running at full speed! You’ve got to keep a cool head for Cammie’s sake.

CHAPTER VI
 

As the group walked through the lobby, Zack studied Francois closely. I have to find out more about him, he decided. “If you don’t mind,” he said to Jay, “I’d like to use this time to look up an old friend. I’ll see you at dinner. Do you plan to eat here?”

Jay threw him a grateful, knowing look. “Yes,” he answered for the rest of them, “we’ll eat here and get to bed early. See you around seven-thirty in the lobby.”

As soon as Zack was sure they were out of sight, he walked over to the Concierge. “Is there a special organization that has records on lineage—genealogy—marriages—that sort of thing?” he asked him.

“Oui, Monsieur,” replied the Concierge. “The library two blocks from here has that information. Any cab driver will know where it is.”

“Merci,” Zack answered.

Traffic was light, and it didn’t take long to get there. He made his way to the computers and brought up the information on family histories. When he found the section that listed dates of marriages, he pressed the down key until he came to the name of Count Francois Dubonnet I, and Countess Lilli Claude Dubonnet, the father and mother of Francois II, Cammie’s fiancé. Francois I married Lilli Claude twenty-one years ago.

“Oh—oh! Wait a minute!” he exclaimed under his breath. Francois, Cammie’s fiancé, was born five years before the marriage took place! On looking further, he found a record of a previous marriage of Francois’ father twenty-seven years ago, to a Countess Vivienne Poitiers. The marriage lasted only six years, having ended when Vivienne was thrown from her horse and killed. On a hunch, he searched for reports from a newspaper printed at the time of Francois I’s second marriage—this time to Countess Lilli Claude. Another surprise! Francois I married Lilli Claude only one month after he lost Vivienne, his first wife!

Zack’s intuition kicked in. I’ve got to find out more about this before Cammie’s wedding! he muttered. But looking at dates further back, he found no record of a previous marriage for Lilli. Had the Count and Lilli been having an affair while he was still married to Vivienne? Puzzled, he turned off the computer and left the library.