Revelations Of A Secret Princess. Annie West

to back down. This was too important. This meant everything.

      ‘I had in mind to invite you to stay overnight. To give you a trial period with my niece.’

      Caro felt the air whoosh from her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath. Only years of training at projecting the right image kept her on her feet, for her knees trembled like leaves in a gale. Her heart jammed up in her throat and there was a roaring in her ears, blocking out the rest of his words. She saw him speak, tried to focus and heard something about this not being a promise of employment.

      ‘Well, Ms Rivage? You haven’t said anything. Does that mean you’re not prepared to stay?’

      Caro shook her head, buying time while she found her voice. ‘No, Mr Maynard, it doesn’t mean that at all. I’ll happily stay tonight and get to know Ariane.’

      ‘Good.’ He nodded but didn’t smile. In fact he didn’t look happy at all, though he was getting his own way.

      Perhaps he was so used to everyone jumping to do his bidding he didn’t consider how inconvenient it might be for a job applicant to make an unscheduled overnight stay. Fortunately Caro had the suitcase she’d brought to Switzerland in the car downstairs.

      ‘Very well. I’ll have my secretary draw up a simple agreement to cover us both in the event of any accident or liability during your stay.’

      He really was a businessman through and through. Caro wouldn’t have thought of that. But then she was in such a whirl she was barely capable of digesting what he’d said.

      She watched him walk out of the door, heard the murmur of male voices in the outer room and reached out a hand to anchor herself. Her fingers clutched fabric and she blinked. She was grabbing the thick curtain as if it were all that kept her upright.

      Caro sank onto the window seat, reeling. She felt hot and cold, anxious yet ecstatic.

      She had a chance.

      A chance to be with Ariane.

      Her long-lost daughter.