“I don’t think the great Katherine would approve, do you?” He was surprised that he felt bold enough to tease her about what she was leaving behind, but on the other hand, sod it; Hugh was comfortable with Sophie, and he needed to see if she felt the same way.

“No. Well—sod her,” Sophie said with vigour.

Hugh laughed. “Is this the same Sophie Massot I left in St.-Aude?”

Sophie shrugged. “I thought about things, that night. Before I called you back.”

“Tell me.”

“And I decided that I have to get on with my own life. And let Tom get on with his. Not abandon him, you understand. But let him make his own mistakes, let him go. Perhaps that’s the best thing I can do for him right now.”

Hugh paused. “I’m impressed.”

“Why?”

“You’ve spent your entire adult life pleasing other people. It takes guts to decide to please yourself.”

Sophie smiled. “Thank you, Hugh.”

“Especially, I would imagine, when you love your child.”

The waiter came over with their food; Sophie took a forkful of shepherd’s pie.

“Delicious.”

“Nothing fancy, after French cooking.”

“So much the better,” she said. “You know—it’s amazing. I just lost my house and almost everything I own, my son’s estranged from me, and I got thrown out of the only career I’ve ever had.” She laughed. “And I actually feel—just tremendously happy.”

“I’m glad.”

“I feel so free. Like I got out of jail. Not having to deal with the press—or think about Katherine, that evil old witch. And I know that I’ll eventually reconcile with Tom.”

“You’ve left, now. Often that’s what it takes to truly miss someone.” Hugh took a long pull at his cider. “I confess, I thought you’d be a pool of tears.”

She thought about it.

“Somewhere along the way, I became confident. I think it was running House Massot. After I fired Gregoire Lazard. I had been settling into my old ways . . . being a little woman, relying on the big strong man. When I found out he was cheating on me—tricking me—I had no more excuses.”

Hugh nodded.

“It was all down to me. And the strange thing was, not only could I handle it, I was bloody good at it.”

“You certainly were,” he said, admiringly.

“If it hadn’t been for Katherine poisoning my son, right now his inheritance would be secure.”

They ate for a minute or so in companionable silence.

“I know that Tom will come back to me. When he understands things a bit better than he does now. He’s been pampered and babied all his life. In fact, if I’m honest, much of it was my own fault.”

“You can’t blame yourself.”