Deceive Not My Heart Read Free Page B

wasted little time in brooding over the past and what he should have done, or would do if he had a chance to live it all again. Instead he turned his mind to the selection of a suitable husband for Leonie. None of the sons of their immediate neighbors would do. Not that he wouldn't have welcomed such a match, but everyone knew that the Saint-Andres were ruined. No, it would have to be a stranger, a wealthy stranger—and yet one with a sense of honor who would not mistreat or abuse Leonie once he discovered the true state of affairs concerning her wealth, or rather lack of wealth.
    Claude didn't mean to cheat a prospective husband. As a matter of fact, without Leonie's knowledge, he had managed to retain a very large sum in Spanish gold which had always been intended to be part of her dowry. He had hoped it would be larger and that a profitable, productive Chateau Saint-Andre would go with it, but that had not occurred and he accepted the blame. Yet, on that hot morning in June, he decided the money could be used as bait. Once the marriage had taken place... well, Leonie should be able to convince the bridegroom that it wasn't such a bad bargain.
    It might work, he mused slowly, as he set down his cup and saucer and picked up a warm, flaky croissant. Leonie was sixteen and it was time she married. She came of good blood and did not require a great deal. For a moment a frown crossed the dissipated dark face and a look of sadness entered the brown eyes—ah, if only he had done things differently. But then he shrugged his slight shoulders for there was no undoing the past, and Claude wasn't so certain he would live his life in a different manner if he had it to do over again.
    In his fashion Claude loved Leonie and in his way he was planning to do the only thing he could to insure her some sort of security once he had left this earth. He rather conveniently pushed aside the disagreeable thought that if he had taken more of an interest in her life sooner, he might not find himself in his current state of affairs.
    Marriage, of course, was the answer, but it would be difficult to find the right man. Five thousand Spanish doubloons would attract many men, but Claude's Gallic pride balked at buying just any husband. One must remember that noble blood ran in their veins. Claude's father, who had emigrated to New Orleans when it had been a swampy huddle of huts on the banks of the Mississippi River, had been the youngest son of the Comte Saint-Andre. Even more to the point, after the revolution had swept France and the Comte Saint-Andre met his death on the guillotine, Claude became the Comte Saint-Andre. He was now the only living male member of a once proud and illustrious family.
    There was no question of his returning to France, where that upstart Corsican General Napoleon ruled the army and might soon rule France herself; he was too old and too tired. But if Leonie had been a boy...
    The object of his thoughts walked into the room and Claude smiled to himself. Leonie might be a mere girl, but in just about any contest of wills, he would put his money on his young lioness of a granddaughter.
    They greeted each other warily, Claude conscious of the money he had wasted at cards at Governor Gayoso's and Leonie suspicious of her grandfather's reasons for wanting to see her. Neither one spoke of the lost money; they never did. Instead they acted out a pitiful and familiar charade. With no hint of recrimination in her voice Leonie asked politely, "Did you enjoy yourself, grand-pere? You were not gone as long this time."
    He nodded, making some light reply, and watched with mixed emotions as she sat at the foot of his bed like an Indian with her legs folded underneath her. It was on the tip of his tongue to mention the bare feet and to inquire acidly if she ever intended to control that mane of tawny hair, but he held back the criticism. If she didn't mention the money, he wouldn't comment on her deplorable dress....
    For a few moments