BooksBarbecue
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

Once in the car, after Fern had given him the scenic-route directions and they were driving homewards, Scott glanced at her and started to hum the tune. Within minutes they were both laughing as Scott sang an American parody of the song, while Fern tried to stick to the words she knew.

Half an hour later, after creeping into the house so as not to disturb Anouk, they were sitting on the auberge terrace, glasses of champagne on the table, two spoons and a dish of tiramisu between them. As she shared the dessert with Scott, Fern knew that the sense of connection between the two of them had deepened. It was a connection that she was beginning to want more from. Having agreed to wait for him she could only hope that Scott would fulfil his promise to return when he had sorted things in America.

33

Anouk was in the conservatory as Fern had said she would be. Belinda, about to call out ‘Hello’, stopped. The old lady was sat there, her eyes closed and her breathing slow, facing out over the garden. Belinda hesitated for a moment. As much as she longed to hear the truth about her parents, she didn’t want to upset Anouk by asking her to drag up memories from the past. She would have been newly married in the late fifties, talking about those times would surely remind her of her husband and her life then. Belinda could only pray that Anouk’s personal memories would be good ones because now she knew Anouk could tell her things about her parents, there was no way she couldn’t ask the questions that she desperately needed the answers to.

‘Anouk, I’m here,’ Belinda said softly, walking into the conservatory. ‘How are you this evening?’

‘Bonsoir,’ Anouk said, opening her eyes and smiling at Belinda. ‘Come and sit down. Fern has left us some nibbles and some wine in the kitchen. Do you want to fetch it or save it for later?’

‘Later,’ Belinda said. ‘I might need a drink after you’ve told me the truth about what you called the Belrose scandal.’

‘I will tell you what I know but you must remember times were different back then.’

Anouk regarded her shrewdly. ‘Do you really know rien – nothing – about your parents’ break-up?’