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Back A French Affair
Chapters (54)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. Epilogue
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. More from Jennifer Bohnet
  53. About the Author
  54. About Boldwood Books

Standing watching Fern drive away, Belinda realised that she’d never got around to asking her what she should do about Chloe moving to the Vendée. Let her go? Or go with her? It would keep until the next time she saw Fern. Sighing inwardly, she went back indoors.

Alain was sitting on the settee, a plate of sandwiches in front of him, a car magazine on his lap. He glanced up as Belinda returned. ‘I ’ope I didn’t drive Fern away?’

‘No of course not. She needed to get back for Anouk,’ Belinda answered and gave him a sharp glance. ‘You’ve got over your bad temper from this morning then?’

‘Oui, it is all sorted now,’ Alain said. ‘You ’ave un problème? You look préoccupée.’

‘I wanted to ask Fern’s advice about something, but we were so busy talking about… about something else, that I didn’t get time.’

‘Want to ask me?’

Honestly, she never knew where she was with this man. One minute he was being obnoxious and the next, well, the next he was being friendly.

Belinda, went to shake her head and say no, but found herself saying instead, ‘It’s my daughter and her husband.’

Alain waited.

‘Max has been promoted at work. They’re moving to the Vendée and want me to go with them.’

‘Do you want to go?’

‘I don’t know,’ Belinda said helplessly. ‘I can’t see the wood for the trees.’

‘Excuse? I do not know that English saying.’ Alain looked at her.

‘It means I can’t see my way to making a decision. There are too many “ifs”.’ She sighed. ‘Anyway, I think I’ll have a shower and then go to bed. See you in the morning.’

30

Over the next few days living in the house together, Belinda and Alain slipped into a comfortable routine without noticing it happen. Alain was always up first to shower and leave the bathroom free for Belinda. By the time she went downstairs, coffee was ready and fresh croissants from the village bakery were on the table. Some mornings, Alain was still around and joined her for breakfast before they left for the short walk across to the office together.

It seemed only fair to Belinda that the afternoons when she was home first she organised supper for them both. Nothing fancy, she knew her limitations. The shop was opening for a couple of hours every day now and Belinda picked up various cold meats, salad stuff and fresh bread on the evenings she did supper for the two of them.