25
The week after the Easter holiday was quiet in the hotel, with everyone back to work and the children at school, Belinda used her time to make sure everything was up to date. She rang Nigel and told him she wanted to talk to him about the campsite renovations. To her disappointment, he said she’d have to wait until the following week.
‘Molly has a temperature, she thinks I’m fussing but I want to keep her quiet. If you come over, I know she’ll want to see you, so can we leave it please?’
‘Of course,’ Belinda agreed. ‘Do you want me to take over Torquay’s books again while you’re looking after Molly?’
‘No thanks. I keep on top of them while Molly sleeps.’
‘Okay. Give my love to Molly and tell her I’ll see her soon.’ Belinda ended the call, wondering what she was going to do to fill her days before she could talk to Nigel. With one hotel sold and Nigel looking after another, she was beginning to feel more than a little redundant. And unsettled, if she were honest. Was this what her job was going to be like in the future?
When Chloe rang to invite her to dinner, she accepted immediately. ‘I’d love to come over. Can I bring anything?’
‘No, just yourself. Do you want to come early and bathe the twins?’
‘I’ll be there at six,’ Belinda promised. She’d missed helping with the twins’ bath and bedtime routine, and then snuggling up together while she read them a story or two. Family time was just what she needed today. It would help smooth away her current frustrations about not being able to deal with certain issues both here and in Brittany.
There was a palpable air of excitement radiating off Chloe when Belinda arrived at their cottage close to the marina.
‘Has something happened? You have that look you used to get as a little girl when you couldn’t contain your excitement over something.’
Chloe shot a look at the twins. ‘We’ll talk later, after these two are in bed. Max has had some exciting news.’
It was almost eight o’clock before the twins were settled and asleep and Chloe began placing dinner on the table. Max opened a bottle of Prosecco and carefully poured three glasses. A knot in Belinda’s stomach made its presence known. She had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like what she was about to learn.
‘Come on, you two. Put me out of my suspense. What are we celebrating?’ She forced herself to sound bright and cheerful as she looked at them.
‘I’ve been promoted at work,’ Max said. ‘The company have just taken on a new marina and have big expansion plans they want me to oversee.’
‘It’s in the Vendée,’ Chloe interrupted him. ‘We’re going to live in France, can you believe? And we want you to come with us.’
‘Congratulations, Max. You’ve worked so hard, you deserve the promotion.’ A stunned Belinda raised her glass to him, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach that was growing by the second. ‘I’m really pleased for you. Even I know how important that area of France is in the boating world.’
‘You will come with us, won’t you?’ Chloe asked. ‘It will be a new beginning for you and us, together. I can’t bear the thought of us living in different countries.’
‘Darling, I’m not sure I can,’ Belinda said. ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity for Max and it will be a great experience for you as a family.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I’ll think about it, I promise. I’ll be a very frequent visitor even if I don’t move over with you.’ Was moving to France with Chloe really an option for her? She couldn’t wish for a better son-in-law but would Max truly welcome his mother-in-law tagging along on his family’s big adventure? And, importantly, did she deep down want to go and live in the Vendée?
‘Mum,’ Chloe pleaded, her eyes glistening with tears. It was Max who interrupted her this time.
‘Darling, give your mum some space. It’s a lot to take in and your mum does have her own life. She’s promised to think about it.’
Belinda looked at Max gratefully. ‘Tell me more about your actual promotion.’
Listening to Max explaining about what he would be doing, Belinda tried hard to concentrate. Difficult when all she could think of was ‘this time next year they’ll have left’. Apparently, Max would be going over on his own for a few weeks, coming back at weekends to help Chloe pack the house up. Their actual move to France would happen in the autumn. Max brought up the website on his laptop and showed her pictures of the marina and the big yachts that were based there already. One photo showed the large hotel that was part of the complex. If she went perhaps she’d be able to get a job there. Mentally she dismissed the thought as soon as it arrived. With Max overseeing things at the marina she wouldn’t want the question of nepotism being raised.
As she left, Chloe gave her a tight hug. ‘Please come with us, Mum.’
Belinda hugged her back but didn’t answer her daughter.
On the way home, her thoughts went round and round in circles. Why was she surprised at this turn of events? Max was ambitious and determined to give his family a good life. She should have anticipated the possibility of Max and Chloe moving away. She’d missed the twins so much the last few weeks while she’d been in France – how was she going to cope with longer separations? Missing milestones in their lives. Not birthdays and Christmas because she’d definitely join them for those important dates. No, it was things like their first day at nursery, visits from the tooth fairy, learning to ride a bike, teaching them to bake biscuits. Everyday things she would still be part of if she went with them. She wanted to be a part of their young lives like Mami had been in hers and her own mum had been with Chloe.
Belinda brushed the tears away as she climbed the stairs to her flat. Talk about being at a major crossroads in her life with NO idea which way to turn. Embrace yet another new beginning like Chloe wanted and go with them? Or stay put and… and what?
26
Tuesday afternoon and Anouk’s move to the auberge was underway. After a week of toing and froing, her possessions were installed in the large downstairs bedroom at the back overlooking the countryside that she’d chosen, rather than an upstairs room. Fern had done her best to make it more than just a bedroom. She wanted Anouk to feel it was her own space with some of her own things around her. The cane chair, the three-drawer modern chest, the bedside tables and the small dressing table had all been removed. Fern knew she was indebted to Scott for his help in carrying them out into the garage for storage. Not an ideal place, but it would do for now until she could find somewhere else.
Anouk had been of the opinion that Fabian could jolly well help as he was benefiting from the arrangement. When she’d told him that she was moving to the auberge and that he could move into the Huelgoat house, she’d insisted that he would be her removal man. Accordingly, he’d hired a small van, coerced a friend into helping him and loaded the few things Anouk had decided she wanted and driven them over to the auberge.
A chintz-covered armchair by the window replaced the cane one, a bedside table and lamp was placed on one side of the bed, a small bookcase on the other. An antique dressing table with several drawers went against a side wall and a cream deep-pile rug was placed on the floor. Once the pieces of furniture were in place, Fabian brought in a couple of boxes containing Anouk’s personal bits and pieces and the two suitcases with her clothes.
‘Shall I give you a hand hanging everything in the wardrobe?’ Fern asked.
Anouk shook her head. ‘Non merci. I’ll do some this evening before bed and finish it tomorrow.’
Together they unpacked the box of books and photographs, placing the books on the small bookcase and standing the photos on various surfaces. The silver framed formal black-and-white photo of Anouk and Jean-Marc on their long ago wedding day went on the bedside table along with the well-worn black leather bible. Taking a framed colour photo of herself and Laurent out of the box, Fern smiled remembering the day it had been taken.
‘I’d forgotten we gave you a copy of this,’ she said. ‘Our last hol
iday.’ They’d taken the train from Antibes along the coast to Monaco and spent a day indulging themselves with impossible daydreams: which super yacht moored in the harbour they’d buy; which prestigious apartment block contained ‘their’ home; which luxury car parked outside the Casino belonged to them. The photo, taken outside the Monaco Yacht Club by a passing stranger who’d stopped and asked if they’d like him to take a photo of them, had been an unexpected bonus. ‘We were so happy that day,’ Fern murmured, standing the photo on the small table before turning to face Anouk. Thankfully they’d had no suspicion of how any future happiness would shortly be so brutally shattered.
‘If there’s anything you’ve forgotten, we can fetch it next week. I hope you’re happy with the room once you’ve settled in,’ Fern said, glancing around the room. Somehow, now that the room contained Anouk’s things, including mementoes of Laurent, she felt reassured that inviting her mother-in-law to live at the auberge had been the right thing to do. Not only for the two of them but she knew Laurent would have approved of the arrangement too.
‘It’s going to be good having you here. I’m going to go and give Fabian and his friend a cup of tea and a slice of cake before they leave. Would you like one too?’
‘Please,’ Anouk answered. ‘I’ll come with you,’ and the two of them made their way to the kitchen together.
‘Where’s Scott today?’ Anouk asked.
‘Taken himself off to Roscoff for an hour or two of sea air. He didn’t want to get in the way. Promised he’d be back in time for your welcome dinner though,’ Fern said.
Fabian was placing a large flower arrangement on the kitchen table, alongside a box of chocolates and a bottle of champagne when they walked in.
‘Carole sent these for you both. She is so grateful to the two of you. As I am of course, Mami,’ and he gave Anouk a hug before turning to Fern and hugging her too. ‘I have to return the van this evening. If there is nothing else for me to carry, I will go.’
Anouk beckoned him to her, and gave him a long hug. ‘I hope you and Carole are as happy in the house as your grand-père and I were.’
Fabian returned the hug. ‘I ’ope so too. I already have the ’appy memories of the two of you living there.’
As Fabian left, Anouk looked at Fern. ‘He’s a good lad. More like Laurent than he realises sometimes.’
27
In Devon, Belinda was beginning to feel as though her life had been put on hold. Routine hotel work was not enough to keep her mind wandering back and forth over her problems. It was another three days before Nigel phoned and said Molly was much better and they would both love to see her. And she was to stay for lunch this time, Nigel insisted. At least she’d had time to think things through and make a sort of plan to put to them.
They both greeted Belinda warmly when she arrived and she sat chatting to Molly while Nigel made coffee.
‘Good to see you looking better, Molly,’ Belinda said. ‘You had me worried for a while.’
‘Happy to say I’m feeling a lot more like my old self,’ Molly answered. ‘How’s Chloe and the family? I expect the twins are growing.’
‘Yes they are,’ Belinda said. She opened her phone and showed Molly the photos she’d taken over Easter.
‘Oh, doesn’t Aimee take after you and your mum,’ Molly exclaimed. ‘So pretty. You are lucky to have little ones in your life.’
‘Would you like me to bring them to see you when you’re better?’ Belinda offered, knowing how much Molly loved children.
‘Would you?’
Belinda nodded. ‘Of course.’ She hesitated. ‘Max has been given a promotion at work. A marina in the Vendée. They’re going over there to live in a few months.’ She hoped Molly didn’t hear the catch in her voice. ‘They’ve asked me to go with them, but…’ She shrugged.
‘In my experience, things always work out for the best,’ Molly said and patted her arm. ‘This will too. Ah, here’s Nigel with the coffee.’
Belinda was grateful that Molly didn’t pursue the subject in Nigel’s hearing.
Nigel put the coffee on the table next to a pile of files, including one Belinda couldn’t help notice labelled Camping dans La Fôret. He turned to give Belinda a cup of coffee.
‘Everything all right the other side of the river?’
Belinda gave him a brief nod as she took her drink. ‘Yes, the madness of Easter has died back. Everything is ticking over. In fact, now that you’ve sold Moorside and you’re spending more time here, I haven’t really got a lot to do.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I think I’d earn my keep more back in Brittany at the moment.’ She felt bad about not telling them that returning to Brittany had been at the foremost of her mind for days, ever since she’d looked through the box of her mum’s belongings. Now it wasn’t just about getting the campsite fully functional, although that was important too of course.
Nigel regarded her thoughtfully before picking up the campsite file. ‘I think I overreacted asking you to come back and stay. I didn’t think Molly was going to be such a model patient. I was actually going to suggest today over lunch that you returned to Brittany. We’ll take a look through the file and decide which jobs can go on hold and which should be marked urgent.’
Molly stood up. ‘I’m going to leave you two to sort out the details. I’ll be in the conservatory if you need me, with my book.’
‘Alain tells me the campers that have turned up were happy to stay despite the lack of facilities,’ Belinda said, trying not to show her relief that Nigel was all for her returning to Brittany early.
‘He told us that too when he rang yesterday but said there were a couple of things that needed sorting.’
Belinda bit back on a retort about Alain not talking to her, saying instead, ‘Off the top of my head, that would be the old café-cum-restaurant, the cabins still haven’t been refurbished completely, the drive potholes need filling in, the communal washing-up area and the loos need updating. And then there is the question of deciding where to put the glamping pods and sourcing them.’
‘We’ve decided not to go for pods this year,’ Nigel said. ‘Maybe next year, but Alain has suggested a couple of tree houses would be more in keeping.’
Belinda stared at him. ‘I thought the whole idea was to go upmarket. Appeal to modern-day families.’
Nigel shrugged. ‘They’re only on hold, not cancelled. As for the other things, let’s work through them, decide what needs to be done and reset the budget.’
For the next hour, the two of them went back and forth over things until they were both happy with the plan going forward.
‘That’s sorted,’ Nigel said. ‘Are you happy to go back and work with Alain again?’
‘Of course,’ Belinda answered. ‘I want to finish the job.’
‘From what he tells me, you’ve both sorted out your initial antagonism towards each other. He reckons you’re okay.’ Alain looked at her. ‘You think the same about him?’
Did she think he was okay? Yes, she supposed she did really. He couldn’t help his annoying French attitude that hid his good traits, from her especially.
Belinda sighed. ‘Let’s say we muddle along together now. There is one thing we haven’t discussed – Bernie living in one of the cabins. Does he stay or do you want him to leave?’
‘He stays. Alain says he’s not a problem, just somebody who hasn’t had the best deal in life. He’s going to help around the site.’
‘Have you two finished yet?’ Molly called out. ‘It’s almost lunchtime and I’m hungry.’
‘Two minutes,’ Nigel answered. ‘Just need to sort out a ferry ticket for Belinda.’
Two hours later, after an enjoyable lunch, Belinda left to drive home, her mind buzzing with plans for the campsite. The feeling, though, that her input hadn’t been strictly necessary because certain things seemed to have been already decided between Nigel and Alain niggled away at her. She wished Alain had seen fit to discuss the tree house plan with her rather than have her
find out from Nigel. Bespoke tree houses would certainly offer campers something different and would fit in with the ethical side of the campsite that Alain seemed to be pushing. But was her determination to make it a profitable business for Nigel going to cause more problems between her and Alain?
The fact that she was able to return to Brittany so soon filled her with mixed emotions too. Nigel and Molly thought she was going back just to help finish the campsite improvements for them. They had no idea of her secret agenda to dig around in the past and try to uncover the bitter truth behind her parents’ break-up all those years ago.
That evening, as Belinda took BB along the river for his last walk before bedtime, she phoned Chloe to tell her she was returning to France the next day.
‘That quickly? I thought Nigel needed you here?’ Chloe said.
‘The campsite needs me more if it’s to be ready for the summer season,’ Belinda explained. ‘Now that Nigel’s sold one hotel and manages the other one himself, that doesn’t leave me a lot to do at Riverside for the time being, so it makes more sense for me to be over there.’
‘I suppose so,’ Chloe agreed. ‘I was just hoping to see more of you over the next couple of weeks. Have you thought any more about the Vendée?’
Belinda hesitated. How could she explain to her daughter that since the night she’d opened the box and made her discovery, she’d pushed everything else outside of work to the back of her mind. ‘Still weighing it all up, darling. There’s months before you go yet.’
‘I’m going to be so busy, it will fly by,’ Chloe said. ‘Especially with Max away so much. I was hoping you’d be around to help with… with things.’ Belinda heard her daughter sigh down the phone.
A French Affair Page 14