by Karen Abbott
“A many-talented girl!” Dani said with admiration.
Lys laughed. “It’s surprising what you find you can do when you have to!”
She took Dani up to the top floor of the mill, showing her how the miller used to haul up the sacks of grain by winding a handle attached to a rope pulley, and where the grain was poured into a large hopper and then fed into the a hole in the top millstone. And pointed out the stout circle of wood above their heads.
“The whole roof rotates on that!” she said, swinging her hand around above her head. “That’s why everything is made of wood ... to make it light enough. It will be much more impressive when it’s all working, of course … but we’re not quite ready for that yet … and the sails aren’t ready yet, either.”
“How will you manage on days when there’s no wind? I presume the mill has to stand idle then,” Dani mused.
“Aha! That’s one thing we’ve been encouraged to change. Although the wind will power the sails most days, we’re having an electric motor installed so that visitors won’t be disappointed on days when there’s no wind. It will be housed in a wall cupboard, so it won’t look out of place. But we’re having the style of sails from the early nineteenth century when the windmill was first built. Then, they had long strips of cloth about a metre wide made out of the same material as ships’ sails, threaded in and out over wooden spindles and pulled tight. On days when it was too windy, the sail-cloths could be twisted like a loose rope to lessen their resistance. It was quite a feat of engineering, really … and yet so simple.”
Dani was impressed and she could tell that Lys was full of enthusiasm for the renovating scheme.
“And what will you do when it’s all up and running?” she asked. “Will you still live here with your grandfather and help him to run the place?”
“Certainly at first … then I’ll have to see how things go.”
“Like how things progress between you and Xavier?” Dani ventured, her eyes smiling.
Lys met her gaze frankly. “I know we haven’t known each other for very long but we seem to feel the same way about each other. I think we’ll make a go of it.”
Her face glowed as she spoke of Xavier and Dani knew that her friend was very much in love.
“And we have the rest of the summer in front of us before we need to make any permanent decisions” Lys continued. “Xavier wants to make as much use of his time on Ile D’Oleron to fire his imagination through the winter months, when he will probably return to Paris to work … and I want to get this project up and running for Grand-père. After that, it should make enough profit for him to employ a couple of part-time workers. It’s giving him an incentive to get fully strong again, which was missing before … and it’s made me realise that I can get to grips with a project and make it work. I didn’t know where I was going before. What about you? Have you thought about which direction you want to go in?”
Dani shook her head. “Not really. You never know, the island might have something to show me, too.”
They emerged into the brilliant sunshine, just a car drew up on the land that was to become their car park.
“Hmm, who’s this dishy fellow?” Lys wondered aloud, as the driver stepped out of his car.
“Oh!”
Dani blushed.
“It’s Alex. You know, Christian’s father, whom I told you about yesterday. I wonder what he wants?”
“You, by the look of it,” Lys grinned. “Isn’t he married, though?”
“Mmm, it would seem so,” Dani sighed. “Aren’t all the best ones!”
However, she smiled at Alex as he walked towards her.
“Bonjour, Dani!” he greeted her warmly, his glance sweeping on to Lys and including her, as he murmured, “Mademoiselle.”
“This is my friend, Lys,” Dani introduced her, repeating Alex’s name to Lys. “Lys was showing me the work she’s done on the windmill.”
“You’ll have to come when it is finished and bring Christian,” Lys invited, adding with wide-eyed innocence, “and anyone else in your family.”
Alex merely smiled his pleasure. “Thank you, mademoiselle. Christian will enjoy that. In fact I didn’t dare tell him I was coming this way today, as I knew he would pester me to bring him and I didn’t know if it would be convenient.”
He turned to Dani and smiled disarmingly. “I have to go to Le Chateau and wondered if you had made arrangements to collect your luggage from the Syndicat d’Initiative. If not, I will be pleased to offer you a lift … to make up in some measure for my unmerited accusation yesterday.”
Dani, aware of the rapid beating of her heart and the delicious churning of her stomach as she took the full force of Alex’s devastating smile, wondered if it would be more prudent to say that other arrangements had been made. She reflected wryly that a married man ought show more reserve about where he directed such a heart-disturbing smile.
He hadn’t denied his married state, she had noticed sadly; he had merely ignored Lys’s probe. Before she could speak, however, Lys once more took a hand in the proceedings.
“What a good idea!” she exclaimed brightly. “That means I can get to work as soon as René arrives. We’re hoping to finish painting the mill today and the cottage tomorrow.”
“Is that a ‘yes’?” Alex smiled.
“I guess so,” Dani smiled back, assuring herself that there was no harm in accepting a lift into town with Alex, married or not. “I’ll help you as soon I get back, Lys,” she promised, adding to Alex, “I won’t be a minute. I’ve just to get my purse.”
Seated at Alex’s side, the wind whipping back her long hair, Dani found herself gradually relaxing. Alex drove confidently, casting the occasional smile sideways towards her. His dark eyes seemed full of warmth today and his glance had no trace of apology or guilt for inviting her company.
“Are you married?” Dani heard herself blurt out without having meant to do so. Heavens! How gauche it made her seem! He’d only offered her a lift—not made her an indecent proposal!
Alex smiled.
“Would it make any difference?”
Dani felt her cheeks flood with heat.
“Not for an outing such as this. I just wondered, that’s all. You haven’t mentioned a wife.”
“In spite of your friend’s attempt to entice the information out of me?”
“Did you mind?”
He grinned. “Not at all. That’s what friends are for!”
They were at a crossroad and he turned to face her as he pulled on the handbrake. “The answer is, no, I haven’t a wife. Sadly, she died nearly a year ago. A horse she was riding bolted and threw her. She broke her neck and died instantly.”
His face lost its glow as he spoke and Dani could see traces of the agony he must have suffered.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “You must miss her dreadfully … and Christian, too.”
“Yes, it’s been a hard year. Christian hardly remembers her now, of course. As for me, I feel I’m just emerging from a long dark tunnel. I expect things will be easier when Christian starts school. I had to place him in a nursery school but it’s closed now, until September.”
“Hence Brigitte?”
He laughed ruefully. “As you say, ‘Hence Brigitte’! Not one of my better decisions, it seems!”
“She’ll learn!”
“I’m not so sure! I’ve left Christian with a more elderly neighbour today … a Madame Toussaint.”
“At least she won’t be talking on the phone to her boyfriend!”
Alex laughed. “There is that advantage, I suppose! I’m more worried that she’ll just fall asleep or forget about him!”
It wasn’t easy for him, Dani reflected, wondering how involved she wanted to be with a man who had a four-year old boy to care for. He was attractive and she liked him—but did she want to be a surrogate babyminder? She wasn’t sure she did. Maybe she should pull out before she was drawn in any further? Or was she running ahead of the situation?
After all, he was only trying to make up for causing her embarrassment yesterday, wasn’t he?
“Do you live here?” she asked, breaking a companionable silence.
“Only for the summer. It seemed better to come to a place like this, than to try to keep Christian amused in our home in Paris.”
“You must have an amenable job,” Dani marvelled, “or are you in education … and thus free for the summer?”
“That’s a thought … but, no. I manage an international team of salesmen. I can work just as well on my home computer linked to the Internet as I can at head office. It’s very flexible, so I generally manage quite well. And you? What do you generally do?”
“Oh, nothing much, yet. I’ve just left university and hoped to get a summer job somewhere in Italy with Lys … until her grandfather took ill. I’m going to look for something to do here, if I can, then I can spend some time with Lys. I’m sure I’ll get something.”
They were approaching the town now and Alex drove towards the market square. He glanced at his watch.
“My business should take me until about twelve-thirty. I don’t think there’s a bus back before two o’clock, so if you’d like to spend time looking around, how about us meeting for lunch at the Hotel Paris over there and I’ll then take you home again … unless there’s anything else you’d rather do?”
“No, that will do fine,” Dani assured him.
She decided to check that it was all right to leave her bag a while longer at the Syndidcat D’Initiative and then approach various hotels and bars to see if there was any chance of temporary work. This she did and, to her disappointment, nothing suitable was offered to her. With the season already underway, places were taken and only the more menial sort of jobs needed replacements.
From a map of the island, she could see that Le Chateau was the nearest town to Le Deu, with possibly only Dolus being also within easy cycling distance. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all. She could hardly stay with Lys for the summer without being able to contribute to her expenses. As it was, they were managing the restoration of the windmill within a strict budget.
Keeping an eye on the time, she sauntered round the citadel, admiring the strength of its thick stone walls. There were a number of large engraved plaques situated in various places - some recounting the history of the island from the time of the English king, Henri II and his French wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine; others about the citadel and island during the Second World War when German soldiers had occupied Ile d’Oleron and had held captured members of the local Resistance prisoner there. Dani thought of the island’s liberation in May 1945, wondering what stories those stones walls would tell, if only they could speak.
Just before half past twelve, as she was crossing the market square, Dani heard her name called. Turning round, she was pleased to see Xavier Monsigny hailing her with a radiant smile. Son of a Count or not, he looked the typical artisan with his dark brown hair fastened in dreadlocks and held back from his head with a braided band. His bronzed skin and his tall, lanky body showed the simple style of life he preferred to live. He was pleasant to talk to and Dani repeated her request for a sketched portrait at some time.
“But, of course,” he promised. “I can do it now, if you would like.”
Dani glanced at her watch.
“I’m sorry,” she said regretfully. “I have a luncheon date at half-past. I’m almost late, as it is.”
“Then, some other time. You know where my studio is … or I can do it the next time I come to the windmill.”
He smiled again and Dani could see why Lys was so captivated by him. He had the ability to make each person feel they were the whole centre of his attention. His artistic eye, no doubt.
With a few more pleasantries, they said goodbye and Dani hurried in the direction of the hotel that Alex had pointed out to her. Ah, there he was, waiting for her by the far entrance. She waved and he returned the salute. He was a good-looking man. No wonder her heart was racing! His dark wavy hair fell in an endearing way to the right side of his forehead and she noticed him pushing it back as he waited for her to join him. Maybe he was nervous too … though she doubted it very much. A man like him could have his pick of the girls, and probably had done so until his marriage. His wife must have been someone very special.
“Well met!” she smiled, aware that her legs were trembling. “I was a bit unsure about going in on my own.”
Of course, that was why she was feeling nervous! She had never liked going into a bar or restaurant on her own.
“Then I am here just in time,” he smiled back. He glanced back across the square. “Do you know that young man you were talking to?”
“Who? Oh, Xavier? Yes, he’s Lys’s boyfriend … you know, the artist I told you about. Why? Do you know him?”
There was a fractional hesitation before Alex shook his head.
“I don’t think so. He just reminded me of someone. No matter! Come! Let’s go to lunch.”
He was the perfect host, suggesting choices from the excellent menu and choosing the best wine to accompany their choice.
Dani could feel herself relaxing and enjoying the attention he was giving to her. All her boyfriends to date had been young men of her own age … either openly honest about their lack of expertise … or inclined to pretend they were more used to social graces than they really were and thus tending to be a bit loud-mouthed and supercilious to the waiters, a trait she deplored. Alex was neither. He was friendly, smooth and courteous.
“You’ve been here before,” she challenged with a smile, after noticing the ease of familiarity from the waiter towards Alex.
Alex nodded. “I always find it preferable to remain loyal to a select number of restaurants, especially when I have a guest with me. There’s nothing worse than finding a place isn’t up to standard.”
“You needn’t worry with me,” she laughed. “Cheap pavement cafés were our idea of a good meal out when we were students! I bet your eating places in Paris differ from mine!”
“Then, you must introduce me to them some time,” he smiled.
Dani wondered how definitely he meant that but decided not to make an issue of it, still unsure about getting any closer to him. As they chatted, she carefully masked her disappointment about the lack of available work and enjoyed a pleasant lunch with him.
His hands were tanned and carefully manicured. She felt the oddest desire to reach out and touch him … a thought that led her to wonder how it would feel if his hands were touching her. Her skin tingled at the mere thought and she hastily looked down at her food, hoping her thoughts weren’t reflected in her face. How embarrassing that would be!
As they walked back to Alex’s car, Dani wondered if Alex would try to make arrangements to see each other again … but he didn’t. Whether she was sorry or relieved, she wasn’t quite sure. How typical, she thought, not to be given the chance to exercise her better judgement and refuse to get further involved!
It was just after two o’clock when he dropped her off outside the mill and, with a cheery wave of his hand, drove away.
Lys was eager to learn how she had fared in her job-hunting and, surprisingly, wasn’t as disappointed as she was.
“In fact, it’s quite convenient, really,” Lys commented after listening to Dani’s woeful tale of failure to obtain some form of work.
“What d’you mean?” Dani asked curiously.
“I was talking things over with Grand-père this morning, after you had gone and he suggested that you help us out here,” Lys told her. “The sooner we are up and running the better … and we have all the publicity to get ready. I don’t really want to leave it all to outsiders and I know you have a leaning towards that sort of thing. Xavier has drawn some sketches that I want to use and, between us, I’m sure we can come up with the proper wording. What do you think?”
“I think it’s wonderful!” Dani exclaimed. “When shall I begin?”
“Right now, if you want to!” L
ys replied with a laugh. “René said he’ll do the preparation on the outside of the cottage, if we will finish painting the windmill. So, come on! There’s a pair of overalls over there and a spare paintbrush. Let’s show that boyfriend of mine that others besides himself are good at painting!”
Chapter 4
In the next two days, Dani and Lys made great progress painting the remainder of the exterior of the windmill and the cottage, making sure they were at the shaded side during the extremely hot afternoons. It was easy work, done side-by-side as they caught up with what they had each been doing during the past two months since leaving university.
“Even the cottage could be a tourist attraction,” Dani remarked, as they stepped back to admire their work. “It wouldn’t take much time or money to put it back as it was a hundred years ago.”
“Is that the polite way of saying we’re living in a hovel?” Lys asked in mock severity.
Dani grinned. “No … but your grandfather hasn’t exactly moved with the times, has he?”
“You can say that again! It’s not so bad in the summer but I’m sure it must get pretty cold in the winter and there’s only the stove to keep the place warm. They had a terrible storm around here a few years ago. It uprooted thousands of trees and many businesses nearly went bankrupt when paying for the repairs. About twenty trees used to border the land here … but there’re none left. Fortunately none hit the windmill when they fell … and they fed the fire for the next few winters. The rest are stored over there in the woodshed.”
“Your grandfather could lock his bedroom door and put the rest of the cottage on show … a bit like the nobility opening up their châteaux …” Dani continued, enthusiastically warming to her scheme. “… and Madame Giraud could have bread or something baking in the oven. Then, everyone would want to buy some and forget all about the supermarket bread, no matter how much cheaper it is to buy!”
“I have thought of it … at least, I have thought about having a small café and a craft shop,” Lys assured her, “but I’ve been too busy to do anything more about it. Maybe that’s something else you could take in hand? There are plenty of local craftsmen and women who might be glad of another outlet for their goods … once we have somewhere to house them. In fact, that will be our next job … clearing out those old store sheds over there. Pierre Auden, a local builder, has given a reasonable estimate to upgrade the largest one for the craft shop and all we need to start off the café will be some tables and chairs under a gazebo and the use of the kitchen for making drinks and selling snacks ... nothing too fancy at first.”