“Judy, Mme Massot is to set up an office here while she goes over our reports and financials.”

“How nice,” Judy said, since she couldn’t think of anything else to say. The widow was beaming at her. She struggled to contain her annoyance. Go over the financials, huh? How great, for the mousy hausfrau to take an interest. Judy sure felt honoured.

“Yes, we are fortunate to have her with us.”

Judy looked sympathetically at Gregoire. No doubt he wanted her help in getting this well-dressed monkey off their backs. I’ll come up with something, she thought.

“I was thinking perhaps you and I could work together,” Sophie said.

“What?” Judy replied sharply. Then she flushed. The comment had taken her completely by surprise. Hastily, she moved to cover. “I mean—wow. I wasn’t expecting that . . . I mean . . . you being the owner, and everything,” she blurted.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” Sophie replied, smiling.

Condescending bitch.

“That’s good to know, Mrs. Massot,” Judy said, easily. She had recovered herself now and felt utterly alert. Her palms were damp from the adrenaline.

“But you must call me Sophie, please. And I’ll use Judy, if that’s okay.”

“It’s absolutely fine.”

“It will be nice to work with another woman.”

“Certainly,” Judy said heartily. Does she know, she thought. She must, she must know! Why would she be doing this? The tiny hairs on the backs of her arms and neck were rising. She wondered if Sophie was looking for an excuse to sack her; Judy would hand her no such victory.

“And I believe you are the only native English speaker in the company.”

“That’s true, although everybody here is fluent. We take language skills very seriously at House Massot.” Judy couldn’t resist.

“I can see that,” Sophie said. The younger woman looked brittle and tense, somehow. Was Sophie being fenced with? But why? No, it must be nerves. “Well, I’m sure we’ll get on famously.”

“No doubt. I look forward to it—Sophie.”

“Excellent,” Gregoire Lazard said. He looked from one of them to the other with satisfaction. “I am preparing the rooms opposite mine for Sophie, Judy, and there is another vacant office right next to hers.”

Judy knew it. It was a small, windowless cubicle, half the size of her present office.

“Perfect,” she said furiously.

“If you could ask maintenance to start moving your equipment and files today, you can start in there tomorrow.”

“Of course. And since they will be moving everything, perhaps I should work from home this afternoon.”

Gregoire inclined his head.

“Where do you live, Judy?” Sophie Massot asked.

“On rue des Cloches,” Judy said. She would have given six months’ pay to be able to add “in the apartment Pierre bought me, where we made love every day.” Instead she had to content herself with “I have lived there for seven years now.”