‘Sounds like a plan,’ Belinda said, grateful that Alain had taken charge. She suddenly felt tired and incapable of making any rational decisions. Coffee and food were definitely needed.

Alain looked at Chloe. ‘I think today is not a day for lingering at lunch. I order frites and chicken goujons for us all? With salad for three and half a carafe of wine for you two, d’accord?’

Chloe smiled at him. ‘You’re right. The twins will want to be off playing as soon they’ve eaten. Thanks. Chicken goujons will be great.’

Sitting there in the sunshine watching the activity on the lake as she drank her coffee, Belinda tried to address the emotional feelings that had been threatening to swamp her since leaving the hospice. Feelings of guilt for not returning immediately to Brittany like her mother had urged were mixed in with anger at the way in which her relationship with her father had been torn apart.

The sane part of her brain wanted to believe nothing that had happened in the past was her fault, that she couldn’t be blamed for the actions of her parents. But another part screamed ‘you’re feeble and pathetic’ into her conscience for not facing up to things years ago when it would have been possible for her, if not her mum, to heal the rift with her dad. It added up to one indisputable thing. She could have had a relationship with her father if she’d been brave enough. There was no hope of rekindling her relationship with him now, as much as she would have liked to – a fact which made her feel bereft. Belinda smothered a sigh. Somehow she was going to have to learn to live with the knowledge that she’d simply given up on him all those years ago. And that realisation hurt. She’d failed someone who had once been the world to her.

Their food arrived at that moment, along with the half carafe of wine and while Alain tucked in and Chloe made sure the twins could manage before starting her own meal, Belinda quickly poured Chloe and herself a glass. ‘Santé,’ she said, raising her glass before taking a mouthful. When she did pick up her cutlery, she discovered the frites and goujons of chicken were delicious and that she was in fact hungry.

Charlie and Aimee ate all their chips and most of the chicken pieces before starting to fidget while the grown-ups finished their meals. While Alain went to the bar to pay, Chloe took the twins to the toilet and Belinda wandered down onto the path to wait for everyone. When Alain joined her, she smiled at him.

‘Thank you. I’ll settle up with you later for the meals.’

‘Non. My treat. Are you okay? The visit today, it upset you?’

Belinda nodded. ‘But I’m better now. Here come Chloe and the twins.’