The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan Read Free Book Online

critic, charming him effortlessly by insisting on drawing out his latest recipe.
    â€œOh, I think so,” she said. “He studied in Switzerland and Bruges. I think he’s going to be really terribly good.”
    After touring the room and accepting a second glass of the delicious, icy champagne, Claire, back in observational mode, realized he was the focus of attention and laughter in the room. People just seemed to flock to him. As someone who people tended to simply not notice—the curse of being quiet—Claire was transfixed. His big, shaggy bear face was not at all handsome, but it was so cheerful and animated, it was hard not to enjoy looking at it or wish that its sunshiny beam of attention might come near you. She spotted several of the beautiful women, who had been so sulky and superior before, suddenly start laughing and fluttering about in front of him. Claire bit her lip. She would have liked another glass of the amazing, freezing cold champagne—she’d never had it before—but suspected, rightly, that Mme. LeGuarde would disapprove. In fact, even now they looked like they were getting ready to leave. She glanced around for her coat before remembering that it had been taken by a maid at the door.
    â€œYou are not leaving,” came a growly voice. She turned around, her heart suddenly jumping. Thierry was standing there, his face crestfallen. “Where are you going?”
    â€œI have to work tomorrow,” she stuttered. “And Mme. LeGuarde…she is taking me home. I have to go with her.”
    He waggled his eyebrows. “Ah, mam’zelle, I did not realize you were a child.”
    â€œI’m not a child,” she said emphatically, realizing immediately as she did so what a child she sounded.
    â€œ Alors , then I will take you home.”
    â€œYou shall not,” said Mme. LeGuarde, who had suddenly materialized out of nowhere and was giving him a freezing stare.
    â€œ Enchanté ,” said Thierry, not in the least perturbed. He bent and kissed her hand.
    â€œThis is your sister?”
    Mme. LeGuarde rolled her eyes.
    â€œThis is my au pair , and while she is here, my ward,” she said crisply. “Claire, it is time to go.”
    â€œClaire,” said Thierry, rolling the name around his mouth as if he were savoring it. “Of course, you will visit my new shop?”
    Claire realized immediately that was difficult for Madame. Obviously all of Paris would have to try the new shop, otherwise how to admit it at the next soirée? She cut a sideways glimpse at Claire. Claire thought, and always would, that she was trying to think of ways to keep her apart from this fascinating person.
    In fact, she couldn’t have been further from the truth.
    Marie-Noelle LeGuarde was a woman of the world and thought Claire had been ridiculously protected and cosseted at home, completely stifled in the English bourgeois fashion. If she didn’t open her eyes soon, she’d end up buried in some ghastly English tomb like her mother and never have a day’s proper fun and experience in her life. She had just rather hoped it would be one of the charming, well-educated sons of her friends who would take her in hand, let her live a little, and send her home with wonderful memories of Paris and a horizon broader than her local church flower-arranging society. Not this hoofing peasant from Lot-et-Garonne. She sensed a hidden spirit in the young girl and felt it her responsibility, as a woman of the world, to give it wings, both for her and for her wonderful spirited mother, who had married the charismatic up-and-coming young churchman and lived to rue the day. But with someone suitable, and careful. She didn’t want to send her back knocked up by a fat cook.
    â€œ Bien sûr , of course,” she said swiftly to Thierry, simultaneously signaling to the maid to bring their coats. Extinguishing a cigarette, they left into the still-crisp