Chapter Seventeen
Two days passed, and Louis begin to wonder if Marian would ever return to Cuvier Shipping. Funny how at one time, he would have been overjoyed by her lack of attendance. But now he missed her. Despondent and miserable, he stared across the hall at the empty office, blaming himself. Everything had blown up in his face and it was all his fault.
He walked across the hall and stood staring into her office. Breathing deeply he thought he could smell the scent of her perfume lingering in the air. An ivy plant grew in the windowsill, a small bowl and pitcher of water stood in the corner with a dainty hand towel for washing. The feminine touches and tidiness made the room look more like a powder room than an office, but they were remembrances of Marian. And he feared he would never see her again.
With a fierceness he’d never known, he could feel his heart aching, missing her desperately.
How could he have handled things so badly? How could he have imagined that she would agree to sell Cuvier Shipping? And why hadn’t he been honest with her once he realized he wanted to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her?
Was he so blind that he couldn’t see that he loved her? That he’d probably been in love with her for months now? When had he become the type of man who couldn’t recognize love and was so selfish that he hurt other people just to get what he wanted?
How could being a mill owner be so important to him that he would sell out someone he loved? Guilt at his egotistical actions ate at him like a cancer. He was a fool to give up a woman like Marian for a mill, but the lure of owning his own business had driven rational thought from his head.
With a sigh he started to turn away when Henry came to the door.
“It’s been awfully quiet around here without Mrs. Cuvier,” he said, a sad tone in his voice.
“Yes,” Louis said tiredly.
“Is she coming back?” Henry asked glancing at him uneasily.
“I don’t know.”
“We tried so hard to get rid of her at first and now since she’s gone, we all want her back,” Henry said, with a sigh. “Everyone misses her.”
Something in the way Henry said the words irritated Louis. “Why does everyone think she’s not coming back?”
Henry laughed nervously. “You. Closed doors keep people out, but sometimes voices raised in anger can be heard through doors.”
“Damn!” Louis said running his hand through his hair. “So everyone knows how much of an idiot I am.”
Henry gazed at him, his expression no longer friendly. “You said it, not me. Most of the men are pretty unhappy that you would try to sell us all out without so much as a word.”
“It wasn’t personal,” Louis said.
“Tell that to the man who comes to work here every day to support his wife and kids,” Henry said. “It’s real personal to him, Louis.”
Louis ran his hand through his hair. “I didn’t think of the workers, Henry.”
“That’s obvious. Who were you thinking of besides yourself?”
Louis sighed and hung his head. “I certainly botched things badly. I love Marian and wanted to marry her, but now I don’t think she’ll have anything to do with me. She wouldn’t even listen to my explanations the other day.”
“You might try looking at it from her perspective, Louis. First Jean betrays her by marrying two other women and now you come along and lie to her about the business. I feel sorry for the next man who comes into her life, because she’ll be looking to castrate him.” He shrugged. “And I can’t say that I blame her.”
“I know I did her wrong, but I was going to try to fix everything. If only Mr. Hudson hadn’t come and told her about the sale. I was going to back out, really.”
“You’re not getting the point, Louis. You never should have done this to begin with. You were partners with her and you’ve never acted like a partner in good faith. And I’m ashamed to say I helped you. Makes us both out to be bastards of the worst sort.”
Louis didn’t say anything. He just stood there absorbing Henry’s words. Somehow he knew they were true and they made him feel contrite.
“You’re right, Henry. I haven’t been a good partner to Marian since the day Jean died. I’ve acted way out of line.” He sighed. “I think it’s time I took a little time off to reflect on what I’m going to do with the rest of my life and discover just what kind of man I am.”
Henry raised his brows at him. “And just where are you going to do this?”
“You’re in charge of the business until Marian returns. I’m going home to Belle Fournet. I’m going home to decide my future.”