‘She looks a delightful young woman,’ he told her.
Jess nodded. ‘She is, but . . .’
‘But what?’
‘Well, she hasn’t been herself for a while and I was hoping that this break might perk her up a bit.’
‘Ah.’ He nodded understandingly. ‘I see it many times, the teenage problems in my job as a teacher, especially with the girls. Teenagers can be very moody, can they not?’
‘That’s putting it mildly.’ Jess could hardly believe that she was sitting here in a bar in the middle of Paris pouring her heart out to a man she had only just met, but Emile, as she was fast discovering, was remarkably easy to talk to.
‘And have her moods affected her schoolwork?’ he asked now.
Jess nodded sadly. ‘Yes, I’m afraid they have. Mel is a very intelligent girl and up until recently her school reports were excellent, but now . . .’
When her voice trailed away he smiled at her sympathetically. ‘Perhaps you should think of getting her some extra home tuition? I do quite a lot of private tuition myself. At the school during the day I teach French, but I also teach maths and English evenings and weekends. It wouldn’t be so far for me to come down the M6.’
Jess chewed on her lip uncertainly. She wasn’t sure what Mel would think of that idea; or Simon for that matter.
‘I’ll think about it,’ she promised as she drained her glass with every intention of returning to her room. But before she could stand Emile had snatched the glass up and was heading for the bar again, and she didn’t wish to appear rude so she sat there studying him. He really was a remarkably good-looking man. Not quite as muscular as Simon but very attractive all the same. He had changed now from his smart suit into more casual attire, and she decided that it suited him. He wore beige trousers and a navy-blue polo-shirt with the top button undone exposing a tantalising glimpse of thick dark hairs on his chest.
Blushing again, she quickly diverted her gaze, wondering once more what the hell she was doing sitting there. She was a happily married woman and this time next week she would be back at home in the daily grind with all this nothing more than a memory. She found everything about Emile attractive, which was surprising as she could never remember feeling vaguely drawn to any man but Simon. But then she had never found herself in Paris without Simon before, sitting in a bar with romantic music playing in the background and an attentive man at her side. She tried to think of other things and suddenly remembered the journal safely tucked away back in the bedside drawer at home. She wished that she had brought it with her now. Perhaps then she would have stayed up in her room reading about Martha’s life and not have been tempted down to the bar. But then, she reasoned, what harm was she doing? She was merely enjoying a conversation and a drink, or a few drinks, with a pleasant acquaintance. They were hardly having a passionate affair, which was more than could be said for Simon, who had clocked up more than a few over the years with different women who had caught his eye. For all she knew, he could be with another woman right at this very minute. What was the saying? While the cat’s away the mice will play? The relaxed mood suddenly fled.
‘Is something wrong, Jessica?’ Emile asked as he returned to the table with the drinks in his hands.
Even the sound of his French accent made her tingle and she shook herself mentally. She was behaving more like a teenager than the one who was tucked up in bed upstairs.
‘No, but I er . . . I think I ought to go up after this one,’ she mumbled. ‘You know – to check on the girls.’ But later, when she glanced at the wall clock behind the bar, she was shocked to see that it was almost one o’clock in the morning. The time had flown by while they had discussed everything from art to politics. At home, she and Simon never seemed to have time to talk about anything other than the more mundane matters such as what job he was working on or the children. The realisation saddened her and she determined to try harder when she got back.
As her eyes fastened on Emile’s hands she couldn’t help but notice the difference between his and Simon’s. Emile’s fingers were long and tapering, almost like a pianist’s fingers, and his hands were smooth and well cared for, whereas Simon’s were always red and chaffed from the outdoor work he did.
‘So where were you thinking of taking the girls tomorrow?’ As his voice sliced into her thoughts, she came back to the present.
‘I – I thought perhaps we might visit the Louvre,’ she stammered. ‘Jo wants to see the Mona Lisa.’
‘That’s an excellent choice.’ He smiled at her approvingly over the rim of his glass as she hastily raised hers and took a final sip. She was feeling more than a little tipsy now and was anxious to return to her room.
‘Well, thank you for a most enjoyable evening,’ she said as she extended her hand and wobbled to her feet.
The corners of his lips twitched with amusement as he solemnly bowed and kissed her hand. ‘The pleasure was all mine, I assure you,’ he told her. ‘Goodnight, Jessica. I am sure we shall meet again.’
She nodded as she carefully turned and began to pick her way amongst the tables to the door. The bar was almost empty now, with only the odd couple here and there still talking animatedly.
After crossing the foyer she entered the lift and in no time at all she was back in their suite of rooms. A quick peek into the girls’ room assured her that they were still fast asleep and she sighed with relief as she pulled the pins out of her hair and let it tumble about her shoulders. She then kicked off her high heels and hurried over to the phone. Suddenly she needed to hear Simon’s voice, and although it was very late she hoped that he wouldn’t mind her disturbing him.
As she dialled her home number she strummed the table impatiently with her free hand as she waited for Simon to lift the phone. But after waiting for five whole minutes she slammed the receiver back into the cradle with a frown on her face. Why hadn’t he answered? There was a phone right at the side of their bed! Then her face softened. She, better than anyone, knew that once Simon was asleep wild horses galloping over him couldn’t waken him, so he had probably slept through it. She crossed to the window to admire the view once more then slowly took herself off to bed where she slept like a baby right through until eight o’clock the next morning.
‘Mum, Mum, wake up!’ Someone bouncing on the bed at the side of her brought her eyes blearily open and she squinted to see Jo grinning down at her. Her mouth felt like the bottom of a birdcage and she had a raging headache, but then as she thought back to how much she had drunk the night before, she had to admit it served her right.
‘Morning, love.’ The words came out as a groan and Jo stared at her in concern.
‘Are you ill, Mum?’
‘No, sweetheart. I just had a couple of drinks last night after you’d gone to bed and I’m paying for it now.’
Jo grinned. She hadn’t seen her mum with a hangover before and found it mildly comical.
‘So what shall we do today?’ she asked now. ‘We need to get down to the dining room for a start-off or they’ll be finished serving.’
‘Where’s Mel?’ Jess croaked as she pulled the duvet back over her head.
‘She’s in the shower. I’ve already had one and I’m all dressed too.’
‘All right then, I can take a hint. Buzz off and I’ll get up.’
A hot shower, three glasses of bottled water and two Paracetamol tablets later, Jess felt almost human again and they were downstairs in the hotel dining room by nine.
Glancing about as a waiter ushered them to a table, Jess wondered if Emile would be there and was relieved when she couldn’t see him. She felt strangely embarrassed about the way she had knocked the drinks back in his company the night before and was sure he must think she always behaved like that.
Jo tucked into her meal as if she hadn’t eaten for a month and even though Mel didn’t eat half as much, Jess was pleased to see that she made an effort at least. She herself stuck to fruit juice and a yogurt, and was relieved when they could
leave the restaurant to return to their rooms.
‘Now wrap up warmly,’ she advised them. ‘It’s cool out there.’
The girls did as they were told then they all trooped down to the foyer armed once again with their cameras.
‘I think we’ll hop on the tour bus,’ Jess told them as they stepped out into the chilly air. ‘That way we can get on and off as we like. Where would you like to go first?’
‘The Eiffel Tower,’ Jo whooped excitedly.
‘Right, according to the concierge I just asked, there’s a stop just up here,’ Jess said, peering at her street map. It was as they rounded the corner that she saw Emile standing at the stop and her heart sank.
‘Good morning, ladies,’ he greeted them jovially as he saw them approaching. ‘It would appear that great minds think alike. You are taking the bus tour, yes?’
Jo nodded. ‘Yes, and we’re going to see the Eiffel Tower first.’
‘How extraordinary, that is just what I was planning on doing. Would you mind very much if I tagged along with you? It is so much more fun seeing places if you have company.’
Jess’s stomach turned over but she kept her smile fixed firmly in place as they all joined Emile at the bus stop.
In no time at all he and Jo were chattering away as if they had known each other for years, and even Mel was occasionally chipping in with the odd remark. Jess sighed resignedly as they all boarded the bus. She would much have preferred it to be just herself and the girls, but now that Emile had latched on to them she supposed she would just have to make the best of it.
Chapter Seventeen
Despite Jess’s apprehension the day flew by and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They spent the morning in the Eiffel Tower and even Mel got excited about the panoramic views from the top of it. Jo was like a fountain of knowledge and happily spouted all about its history, facts that she had learned at school. Jess wasn’t particularly interested in discovering how many rivets it had taken to erect it, or even about the forty tons of paint it had taken to paint it, but even so she smiled indulgently, pleased to see Jo enjoying herself. Emile and the girls seemed to be getting along famously.
They all had lunch in a little café in one of the many tree-lined boulevards, by which time Jo was already planning what they should do that afternoon. Eventually they boarded the tour bus again and set off to visit the Concorde and Vendome Squares, where Jo snapped away furiously with her camera, determined to take as many photographs as she possibly could. The girls were both keen to see all the sights, and Jess didn’t mind. It was so nice to see Mel smiling again that it was worth having sore feet.
By the time they arrived back at the hotel in the early evening, Jess was tired but Jo and Mel were still raring to go.
‘What shall we do tonight?’ Jo asked expectantly as Jess eased her trainers off. They had walked for miles and she had discovered that she wasn’t as fit as she had thought she was. No doubt she would be as stiff as a board the next morning.
‘Well, before we decide on that, I’m going to have a nice long soak in the bath and see if I can get through to your dad on the phone,’ Jess replied.
At the mention of Simon, Mel frowned and so Jess hurried on, ‘I hope he’s eating properly and not working too hard.’
‘Oh, he’ll be fine,’ Jo chirped airily as she gazed from the window. ‘I’m going for a shower.’ She skipped away, closely followed by Mel who dropped onto one of the beds in their room and flipped the TV on.
Now that she had a moment alone, Jess quickly lifted the phone and dialled home, but once again the call was directed to the answer machine.
‘Damn,’ Jess cursed softly as she then tried Simon’s mobile number, but again she was put through to voicemail. ‘Hello, Simon, it’s me,’ she said, deciding to leave a message. ‘I was just ringing to check you are OK. We’re all having a great time, the girls are loving it. We’ve been to the Eiffel Tower today. Could you ring me on my mobile? Bye for now.’
She placed the phone down and sighed heavily before heading off for the bath.
She came back into the lounge half an hour later rubbing her damp hair on one of the thick fluffy towels, which were all embroidered in one corner with a golden cat, and wearing the soft dressing-gown that the hotel had provided, finding the girls curled up on the settee watching the TV in there. She was feeling refreshed and was just about to ask the girls where they would like to eat, when Mel’s mobile phone rang.
Mel took it out of the pocket of her jeans and flipped it open. ‘Hello?’ Her face set into grim lines as she listened to whoever was on the other end. ‘Yes,’ she muttered tersely in reply to whoever was speaking, and unable to contain her curiosity, Jess mouthed, ‘Who is it?’
‘It’s Dad,’ Mel replied flatly.
‘Oh!’ Jess was mildly surprised that Simon had chosen to ring Mel rather than her, but even so she reached for the phone eagerly. ‘May I have a word with him?’
Mel grunted something inaudible in reply and passed her the phone without argument.
‘Hello, love. How are you?’ she asked.
‘I’m fine,’ Simon assured her. ‘And it sounds like you lot are having a whale of a time if your message is anything to go by.’
‘We are,’ Jess assured him. ‘But I wish you were here too. Is everything all right at home?’
‘Of course it is. You’re only gone for five days, you know,’ Simon replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. ‘Alfie is pining a bit, and I think Beth is missing you all too. She’s been moping about here like a bitch that’s lost its puppy. I don’t think she understands the concept of time, so although I’ve told her you won’t be gone for long she’s still missing you all.’
‘I miss her too . . . and you.’ Jess was desperately aware of the girls listening in and flushed with embarrassment as Jo giggled behind her hand.
‘Right, well, I won’t keep you. This call is costing a fortune,’ Simon said, practical as ever. ‘Be careful what you get up to and have a great time and I’ll see you on Friday.’ The phone went dead in her hand and Jess handed it back to Mel feeling vaguely irritated with herself. She had forgotten to ask him why he had rung Mel and not her. But then she supposed with how bad things were between the two of them he had probably just been trying to soften Mel up, which was no bad thing.
Jo was like a cat on hot bricks again now, keen to go out and enjoy herself.
‘Is Emile coming out to dinner with us this evening?’ she asked as Jess headed back to her room to get changed.
‘No, why should he be? It was only a coincidence that we happened to bump into him today.’
‘Aw, that’s a shame then. I like Emile,’ Jo told her. ‘He seems to know all the best places to go and see.’
‘He would do, wouldn’t he, if he used to live here?’ Jess pointed out. ‘But I’m sure we shall manage perfectly well by ourselves.’
She glanced at Mel who had changed into baggy jeans and a T-shirt that looked at least two sizes too big for her. She had a lovely selection of new clothes that Jess had bought her for her birthday but always seemed to favour things that swamped her slight frame.
‘So, do you want to eat in the restaurant here again or go out?’ she asked the girls twenty minutes later when she had dried her hair and changed into trousers and a smart new red jumper.
‘I think I’d like to eat here again,’ Jo told her promptly.
Normally, Jess would have cringed as the hotel restaurant was quite expensive. But what the hell, she thought. We’re only here for another three nights so we may as well spoil ourselves.
After dinner, which was just as delicious as it had been the evening before, they wrapped up warmly and went for a walk along the banks of the River Seine. The golden leaves that had fallen from the trees crunched beneath their feet as they passed couples holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes. Jess could well understand why Paris had been nicknamed the City of Lovers. With the myriad lights sparkling off the wate
r it was very romantic and she once more thought of Simon all alone at home. If he is alone, a little voice inside her head whispered, but she pushed the thought away.
Tuesday passed in a blur. They visited the Louvre and saw Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, and the Ancient Greek sculpture of Venus de Milo. They also went to see the Winged Victory, which had been painstakingly put back together after being found in 118 pieces on a hillside on a small island called Samothrace in the Aegean Sea. They then went to view the transparent pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre before wandering in the Tuileries Gardens. Jo was beside herself with excitement at finally seeing all the works of art that they had been talking about at school and took so many photographs that she made Jess feel dizzy.
They got back to the hotel slightly earlier that afternoon and as they were walking through the foyer they saw Emile studying a brochure on one of the smart leather settees that were dotted here and there.
‘Emile,’ Jo called as she hurried across to him. ‘We’ve had the most wonderful day.’ She immediately launched into an account of all they had done as Emile smiled at her. ‘And what are you looking at there?’ she finished breathlessly as Jess stared at her in exasperation.
He glanced at Jess with a hint of amusement in his eyes before telling her, ‘I am looking at the Night Illumination Tour. I thought I might go on it this evening. Sadly, I have to return to England on Thursday, so like you I am trying to fit in as many sights as I can.’
‘Wow! Can we go on it too, Mum? Please!’ Jo breathed.
‘I er . . . I’m sure Mr Lefavre wouldn’t want us trailing along,’ Jess said quietly, feeling desperately embarrassed.
‘Nonsense. On the contrary – I would enjoy your company,’ he told her. ‘It is so much more fun to see places of interest if you have someone to share it with.’
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