The French Paradox by Ellen Crosby

Author:Ellen Crosby [Ellen Crosby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2020-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

Though I knew who she was, it was clear Marilyn Gilbert Bernard wanted to know who I was. She raised an eyebrow and gave Willow an expectant glance.

On cue, Willow said, ‘Marilyn, let me introduce you to Lucie Montgomery, the owner of Montgomery Estate Vineyard. Lucie, this is Marilyn Gilbert Bernard, the Chief Curator of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, who I was just telling you about.’

Marilyn held out her hand and I shook it. She had a firm, confident grip. ‘Let me guess,’ she said. ‘She told you about Aphrodite.’

It took a moment before I got it. ‘Your plant?’ I said. ‘What a perfect name.’

‘I thought so, too,’ she said, with the ghost of a smile. Then she turned serious. ‘You’re the one who found Parker.’

‘I am.’

‘I still can’t believe he’s gone.’

‘Neither can I.’

She looked at Willow. ‘You’re going to go ahead with it? The party is still taking place on Friday?’

Willow averted her eyes and I could tell it was a Venus flytrap moment. ‘I … yes. Honestly, there are too many wheels in motion to postpone now.’

‘Of course Harry would want the show to go on,’ Marilyn said in a dry voice, casting a glance around the gallery. ‘How are you going to keep the paintings and the wall text under wraps until the party, since Harry wants the Big Reveal to take place then?’

‘We’re putting a large screen in the window so no one can see inside,’ Willow said. ‘And Mia, Sergio, and I will hang everything Thursday night after we’re closed. Harry’s paying for extra security for the night, just someone sitting here and making sure everything is quiet. We’re more concerned about paparazzi taking photos than someone taking one of the paintings, to be honest.’

Marilyn’s eyes met mine for a fleeting second. She knew very well that this was all being staged for the benefit of Harry’s book.

‘Of course,’ she said.

‘Willow told me that Parker was the one who persuaded Cricket to donate the Vigée Le Brun paintings to your museum,’ I said. ‘And that you and Parker knew each other because he designed the gardens at your home.’

‘That’s right,’ she said, ‘but that’s not the only reason – or even the real reason – Parker spoke to Cricket about donating those paintings.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked.

Marilyn pursed her lips together for a moment as if she were conducting some kind of internal debate about whether to answer my question or not.

‘I suppose it’s OK to tell you,’ she said. ‘I don’t think he’d mind. Not any more.’

Willow’s mobile rang and she took a quick look at the display. ‘Will you two excuse me? I’ve got to take this call in private. I’ll go upstairs for a moment.’

‘Don’t bother,’ Marilyn said. ‘Lucie and I can wait outside. It will give us a chance to chat.’

Marilyn gave me a look that said she had a couple of things on her mind that we needed to talk about. I’d known her for all of about five minutes.

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