by Karen Aldous
Her heartbeat quickened and her sudden fast breath emphasised the low cut of her tight fitting dress. A taupe and turquoise vintage dress she’d chosen for its sophistication. What was he playing at she wondered, confused.
‘That’s very kind of you, Charles,’ she answered as the waiter arrived with a cooled bottle of champagne. ‘Oooh, are we celebrating?’
‘That depends on you, if you’ll take me back Sophie?’
‘What, but…’
‘You really didn’t need qualifications to be a doctor you know. You’re a natural healer.’
Sophie’s eyes glistened whilst her heart jumped up and down and her stomach churned. ‘Are you sure? You want us to get back together? What, you’re suddenly over it?’
‘Do you know, I’ve done no work since yesterday, I’ve sat solidly and considered what you said and I’ve asked myself so many questions and, you’re right, there is nothing I can do about it. So I’ve decided I like being happy and I could wait my whole life before I found another you. Yes, I found the guts to say goodbye to Kate and now the guts to…to ask you to warm my cold feet. Will you?’
‘Oh Charles, yes of course,’ Sophie said, scooting round to his side of the table and slipping into his lap, finding his lips. Then she pulled back. ‘As long as you wash them first!’
Chapter 43
The next few weeks were nerve wracking for Lizzie but on the morning of the court hearing, she actually felt quite calm. Then she saw Anton being wheeled in a wheel chair. Her whole body clenched at the sight of him and she stood motionless like a scared rabbit. She could almost taste the vomit in her throat. She watched his lawyers shake his left hand. He seemed unresponsive. Then his black eyes glared right at her, his face drooping and distorted. She deliberately stared, unafraid to challenge him but she wasn’t sure if it made any difference. Stay strong, stay strong the words echoed in her head. Standing up, Anton’s lawyers made their case, then Charles stood to make his. The judge made a few nods and noises in between. Lizzie tried to read his poker face, his bagged eyes weighed down with daily cases about people’s conflicts. Would he have taken a bribe she wondered. Would he invite them all to fight it all out in public? That was now the big question.
***
It had been a beautiful afternoon and the salon had gone quiet. Lizzie was almost up to date with everything and her meeting with Josephine and the accountant was now over. As they left him at reception and returned to her office, Lizzie turned to her manager. ‘Well it’s good to know we should break even in eighteen months, our finances are in better shape than I thought after the expense of the move and launch. Sophie will be pleased too.’ Lizzie glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘I know it’s a little early to be leaving but I’m going to pay Madame Joubert a visit, it’s her birthday today and my visit is long overdue. I’ll get her some flowers from us all and a card. I haven’t seen her for a while so hopefully her ankle has improved. I’ll let you know.’
‘That’ll be nice,’ Josephine said, gathering her pad and files together. ‘Send her our best wishes.’
‘Of course, I’ll take along a gift voucher, she can choose some treatments herself when she’s fit enough,’ Lizzie said, collecting a voucher from a locked box on her desk.
‘I’m sure she’d love it. By the way, let Sophie know that Charles called in earlier looking for her.’
Lizzie grinned. ‘That man has no common sense. Surely he must know by now what days she’s here and what days she’s at the university.’
‘Yes, crazy.’ Josephine nodded, laughing.
***
Before setting off Lizzie rang Marie-Claire to let her know she would be late so that Thierry had his tea on time. She then tidied her hair and freshened up her make-up. She grabbed a linen jacket from the hook in her office and set off to get some flowers and a card, which she wrote out in the shop. She decided to get on the train to Villefranche so that she could have a much-needed stroll in the autumn sunshine. Her phone rang and Charles’ name appeared. She let it ring. ‘Oh, fuck, what now?’ she mouthed.
‘Charles, hi.’ She squeezed her face awaiting more gloom as he spoke. ‘No. No. My God. Wow! Right, right, ok. Thank you,’ she switched her phone to the other ear as Charles continued. ‘Has she. I can’t wait. I’ll call her soon. I’m almost at Madame Joubert’s but tell her I’ll be about an hour. Bye.’
The walk along the quayside was refreshing even though the air was still warm. She climbed the many steps up to the village and followed the path through until she reached Madame Joubert’s villa. Bright red Bougainvillea projected a luminosity against the deep mauve and white lobelia in the numerous pots parading in front of the dwelling. The soft breeze caught those in the window boxes and Lizzie gasped at the beauty of it. It would be a dream to own such a spectacular villa she thought, so pretty, so homely. She knocked on the door and within seconds Madame Joubert opened it.
‘Lizzie, how lovely to see you, please come in. I have to go out in an hour but it’s so good of you to come.’
‘No worries, I won’t keep you. Happy Birthday Madame Joubert. These are for you.’ Lizzie handed her a bunch of sumptuous white roses wrapped in moss green raffia. ‘And this.’ She handed her the card.
‘I have told you before Lizzie, call me by my first name, Rose. Oh, they are beautiful, thank you very much. Come through.’ She kissed Lizzie on both sides of her face and Lizzie followed her through as she had before, to the living area where sunshine lived. It bounced from the terrace and across the marble floor almost blinding her.
‘I hope you don’t mind, my son’s here, he took me out to a lovely lunch’ said Madam Joubert leading her out on the terrace. ‘Of course you will join us, my son and I were just having a glass of champagne on the terrace, come.’
Lizzie followed behind. ‘I don’t wish to intrude, really.’
‘Nonsense, as I said it’s wonderful to see you. A lovely surprise.’
‘It’s a beautiful evening isn’t it?’ Lizzie began, stepping out onto the terrace to witness the breathtaking vista of Villefranche bay and the sun sinking steadily into the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean ‘and that sunset will be…’
‘Amazing, yes Lizzie.’ A familiar voice said. ‘Just like you.’
‘Oh, have you two met?’ The silence stole through the air as if a single bullet had just fired from Madame Joubert’s lips. Then she raised her eyebrows and continued. ‘Well, this is my son Calvin, Lizzie. Calvin, this is the lady that brought me back when I sprained my ankle.’
Lizzie’s lips let out a yelp of disbelief as her eyes captured the figure in the sun chair to her left. Cal. Her heart raced. He then stood up and strode towards her. At that moment her emotions seized along with her entire body and barely a breath would come out of her. It all seemed so surreal, like the most disturbing but perfect dream. The setting, the sun, the man all here in front of her eyes. Even his voice was warmer, softer than their last encounter. Her heart still pumped madly.
‘Let me get you a glass. Please, sit down,’ Cal commanded, watching the shock drain her face.
‘I’ll get the glass darling. You get another chair.’ Madame Joubert marched off to the kitchen. Lizzie almost followed her but her feet failed her. Cal opened a cupboard on the terrace and pulled out an identical chair to his.
‘You’re as surprised as me Lizzie,’ Cal was nearly laughing. ‘Mum told me she’d sprained her ankle in town and that she was brought home by a lady but I never for a minute…’
‘She told me she had two sons. I didn’t really remember the names she told me, so you’re obviously Calvin and can’t remember the other one. Was it Mark?’ she asked.
‘Martin. Martin’s my brother. He lives in…’
‘Canada. Lizzie finished. And you then have the son who lives in the States, ah right.’
Cal’s head fell to one side. ‘That’s right.’
‘Of course. I never made the…, well I never for once imagined, that you... You never told
me your mother lived in France and, so near!
‘No, I don’t think we ever got to talk about my family…well you had more than enough of your own issues to worry about.’
‘I just don’t believe this. It’s just so bizarre I just….’ she whispered lowering herself slowly into the chair. Madame Joubert stepped out to the terrace purposefully, smiling, with a fresh glass of champagne. Lizzie brought her head back to the moment, accepting the cool glass.
‘Congratulations on your birthday,’ Lizzie said raising her flute. ‘And good to see you looking so sprightly and back on your feet.’
‘Thank you my dear, yes, my friends here know how to look after me, making sure I exercise as well as rest. They have been dragging me out on mini walks, making them longer by the day but they seem to have done the trick.’ Madame Joubert scrunched her nose and sat back in the late sunshine. ‘So, come, do tell you two, how do you know each other? Cal never tells me much you know.’
‘The vineyard I lease belongs to Lizzie’s family in Kent. That’s where we met and,’ Cal gave Lizzie a coy smile, ‘we got to know each other a little but...’
‘Not enough,’ Lizzie finished.
Cal gave a sideways nod tilting his head.
‘Well, how delightful, Lizzie’s a lovely girl and you two definitely have something in common.’ They both gave her a quizzical look. ‘Awful ex-partners. Lizzie mentioned her son’s father was not a nice person.’
‘That’s so true,’ Lizzie nodded, and gave a smirk at Rose’s polite term, ‘but hopefully my ex won’t be bothering me anymore.’
Lizzie fell back in her chair feeling the champagne bubbles popping their magic and floating through her. The load on her shoulders slid down her arms and crashed to the floor. In fact for the first time in four days, no four months, she felt relaxed. ‘Well, I think the judge saw straight through his and his lawyer’s bullshit. He was sentenced for attempted child abduction for three years and his family have a restraining order on them and custody would have been reviewed after the three years.’ She gave a huge sigh and stood, facing them, with the sun behind her. ‘But, more importantly, I’ve just heard from Charles that, because of the extent of his injuries, neither he nor his family will be pursuing any further claim.’ She jumped up clenching then releasing her whole body as if just hearing it herself. ‘Result!’ her voice reverberated round the terrace like a surround-sound cinema ‘He’s out of mine and Thierry’s life.’ She squealed dancing on the spot.
Cal gazed longingly at her, cheered to see her so happy and then he stood and swept her into his arms.
‘Lizzie, I’m so pleased,’ he said, squeezing her and embracing her happily. His mother stood now and hovered awkwardly until Lizzie turned and hugged her too.
‘Well, that’s jolly good news. You deserve to be rid of him. You’ve managed perfectly well without him.’ Rose gave Lizzie’s shoulders an affectionate hug. ‘What a relief sweetheart. So Cal, one more glass of this lovely champagne to celebrate and then I must get ready to go out.’
Both watched as Cal topped up their champagne flutes.
‘Congratulations to you and Thierry.’ Madame Joubert clicked Lizzie’s glass.
‘Yes, congratulations Lizzie. Amazing result.’ Cal then clinked his too.
‘Well, I think I’ll always be looking over my shoulder, it’s become a habit now, but hopefully in time, I can move on.’ Lizzie thought of Charles and how much time events take to get over. No one’s died.’ She added.
As the three of them relaxed looking out over the beautiful vista and the descending sun, they fell into light conversation about Madame Joubert’s day with her son; their lunch and her present. She showed off a beautiful gold vintage bangle he’d given her, clasped on her delicate wrist. Lizzie was touched as she relayed stories of Cal bringing her grandchild to her when he could and taking her to visit him in the States. Lizzie discovered more about Cal in twenty minutes than in all the time she’d known him. Cal as a boy, his boy-scout days, his career in the navy, even his darker days and being arrested. Nothing was veiled as Cal blazed a heady crimson. She found herself warming more and more to him as his mother revealed his thoughtful, gentle nature which made her wonder how she had reached such a distorted conclusion about him.
Rose then revealed another detail she didn’t know about, the .com internet business he and his father had developed and now recently sold, was going to pay him very handsomely.
‘So that’s how you’ve financed the new vineyard?’ Lizzie asked as the conversation was heading too close to her next question. She halted there for Madame Joubert did not need to hear the rest. ‘How has the harvest turned out?’
‘Pretty good, it’s not quite the standard I would have hoped but, considering this was the first year I’ve produced it myself as well, I suppose I’m happy and in a few weeks, after fermentation, we’ll find out.’
‘You’ve done extremely well, darling,’ his mother added. ‘Heavens, look at the time, I shall leave you two to catch up, I’m off to freshen up. You two stay put. There’s plenty more bottles in the wine chiller or rack. Help yourself.’ And she sidled off to her bedroom.
Cal took the nearly empty champagne bottle from the bucket and went to top her up.
‘No, I’m fine,’ she told him ‘You finish it. I meant to thank you for getting Mum and Michael back safely. Is your car ok now?’
‘Yes,’ he said emptying the bottle into his glass. ‘I had to wait until the following day for the part but it was all ok. Your mother said they enjoyed the train journey and that they had a really good time in Cannes.’
‘Good, yes, they did.’ She paused. ‘They’re thinking of buying a place to spend some of the year here.’
‘Lizzie, I was going to come and see you. I’m here for a couple of days. I think we…’
‘Cal,’ she interrupted getting to her feet ‘Tell me what you’re playing at. Have you bought land here, in France and,’ her eyes scowled as she glared down at him ‘what the hell is going to happen to the vineyard in England – what’s Mum supposed to do with it?’
‘Right,’ Cal held his palm out in self-defence. ‘This is another reason why I wanted to come and see you. I wanted to explain. Yes. I started looking last year knowing it can take years to find what I was searching for. It’s taken months of negotiations but finally, I’ve found a vineyard, somewhere to call my own and…’
‘You’re just going to abandon your commitments at Lambertfields,’ she said as a statement rather than a question.
‘No. I promised Caroline I would restore the farm to its former state and dismantle the winery but she and Michael have asked to continue it.’
‘What? How? Mum can’t take all that work on,’ Lizzie demanded, her hands on her hips.
‘She and Michael are really keen and quite determined. Caroline says they need something to do. Michael says it’s like a dream come true for him, he’s been working with me these last few weeks and he is over the moon. Lizzie, you have your inheritance back and that was important to me. What your mother wants to do with it right now is up to her.’
‘What do you mean, you did it to get away from us?’
‘That’s not what I said. I…,’ Cal lifted himself from the chair and walked to the front of the terrace. He stood beside her at the railing. ‘I thought it would be best to…’
‘Right, darlings, I’m off,’ Madame Joubert sang out as she entered the terrace in a navy cocktail dress lightly dashed with sequins, followed by a mist of perfume.
Lizzie smiled. ‘You look lovely, Rose,’ she said and kissed her freshly blushed cheeks. ‘Goodbye.’
‘Thank you for stopping by Lizzie and, for the voucher. I shall see you soon. Calvin, I’ll be back around eleven I should think.’ She kissed Cal. ‘Bye.’
‘Have a good time,’ they chorused.
As his mother dashed out of the front door Lizzie remained with Cal on the terrace keeping enough distance between them so as to be in control.
<
br /> ‘Ok,’ he said, ‘I told you how I felt about you and I wanted to be with you but I’d no idea if the situation was going to improve with all that was going on with Anton, and then you weren’t sure whether our relationship had a future. I thought it best to detach myself from you and Thierry, and it made sense for everybody’s sake, mine included, to get out of your lives. There wasn’t a problem with Anton until I turned up so rather than him getting more destructive, he now won’t have any excuse to keep persecuting you and Thierry. Plus, the farm is back where it belongs, with your family.’
‘You’ve done all that, given up what you’ve spent the last three or four years building up?’
‘Lizzie, I’ve learnt so much from the process and it’s pushed me into getting my own vineyard sooner rather than waiting a further five years for the lease to expire. Much of the Provence vineyard is already established but there’s more scope and it also has an old villa which needs a lot of work, but that’s perfect. And outbuildings which could be converted for the winery. You had your dream, you wanted to build your equestrian centre, so now…’
‘That’s not my dream anymore. In fact, my reaction was more about my mother’s betrayal not just to me but to my grandfather.’
‘Well it might be your dream again in a few years. You’re only what, twenty six? It’s quite possible to change your mind.’
‘No, I’m staying in France. This is where I belong. This is where Thierry belongs. And…and, now that this business with Anton is over, for now anyway, and Mum’s healthy and happy.’ Lizzie shook her head and scoffed. ‘I can’t believe Mum and Michael are going to be wine growers – but, I want my life back. I have my business, my best friend and…’ She looked at the reaction in his eyes, and she wondered if it was hope.
‘What about love?’ he said sliding closer, so close that Lizzie gulped in his heavenly scent, immediately trembling with pleasure. His magnetism still blazed through her. She peered out at a sun inching slowly down below the horizon. Keep calm. His eyes turned to follow hers. ‘If you want your life back, we could watch many more sunsets together Lizzie, and sunrises. I shall be just a few miles away. I expect you will need to feel Thierry is safe but give us a chance, time to get to know each other and time to learn to trust me. I’m really not trying to use Thierry or sew up any holes in my own life. It’s you I love, Lizzie and…’