Ada & The French (The Woodhouse Series #2)

Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

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*Paris*

Dressed, washed and possibly a little hung-over, Colin, Louis and Juliette made their way to the hotel, rehearsing their plan and words after the most restless night of their lives.

"We are all going to be calm..." Juliette assured Louis and Colin.

"This is not a three-person job. This is something I need to do alone so why you two are coming with me, I don't know..." Louis replied as Juliette elbowed him.

"Because Adelaide does not like you. We are the peacemakers..." Juliette replied as Colin nodded.

"Exactly. We're here to make sure no furniture goes flying...even though you probably deserve it..."

Louis rolled his eyes as they entered the hotel foyer, heading straight for the front desk.

"Bonjour monsieur. Nous sommes ici pour voir les Woodhouses..." Juliette spoke and Louis and Colin smiled as the concierge nodded.

"Des noms?" He asked, removing a pen from the inkpot to write into a ledger.

"Juliette Delacroix, Louis Hatton and Colin Boyle..."

"Colin Boyle?" The concierge looked at him as Colin nodded. "You were here last night?"

A death glare came from Louis and Juliette as Colin's cheek flushed red.

"No...I was not..." He replied, clearing his throat.

"The ledger states you were here...and we don't have a sign-out time..."

Colin looked at Louis and Juliette in confusion but they were livid. "I swear if you made a move on her..."

"No...I swear!" Colin protested. "I did not come here last night. I dropped her off and left, I swear!"

"Then why is your name on the ledger?" Louis asked and Colin shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you sure it was me? You must remember."

"I was not here last night..." He replied. "But, it was a man."

A pang of pain hit Louis's chest. "A man..." He said and the concierge nodded, turning to some other guests. "Adelaide has a man with her who did not sign out. I don't blame her after what happened...but she wouldn't..." He shook his head, turning away as Juliette stopped him from leaving.

"No...we're going up!"

"I don't want to see Adelaide in the arms of another man!" Louis protested as Colin shook his head.

"You don't know that. It could be anyone!"

Louis was hesitant to go. "If she is with another man, it is your fault in the first place. You need to suck it up and be a man. She saw you kissing Marguerite - you can handle seeing her in the arms of another man." She called over the concierge. "What did this man look like, do you know?"

"I don't...I wasn't here but Alphonse was..." He whistled a bellboy who came over, greeting them in French.

"Hier soir, un jeune homme est venu voir Mademoiselle Adelaide Woodhouse. Vous rappelez-vous à quoi il ressemblait?"

"Oh oui. Il était grand et avait les cheveux noirs. Il a dit qu'il s'appelait Colin Boyle."

"Dark hair?" Colin repeated as he tried to wrap his mind around it.