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

Belinda stared after him. What the hell? He couldn’t just walk away with no explanation, even if it was a personal matter. Maybe she could have helped, if only he’d told her. Belinda took a deep breath. Over the past week or two she’d realised that Alain Salvin didn’t confide in people or ask for help. But it was that ‘perhaps’ at the end of his last sentence that stayed in her mind and worried her.

Back at the auberge that evening while they ate dinner, Belinda told Fern she’d be moving out – probably at the end of the next week.

‘The cleaners have worked really hard on the manager’s house and I always intended to live on site as soon as possible. Just waiting for the bedding and other stuff from Nigel to arrive.’

Fern’s face fell. ‘I’m going to miss you.’

‘Not half as much as I’m going to miss you and your delicious food,’ Belinda said. ‘I’m only up the road, a nice afternoon walk for Lady. Once I’m settled in, I’ll make you cheese on toast one evening.’ She finished the last mouthful of rich chocolate mousse that Fern had made and replaced her spoon. ‘That was delicious.’ She glanced at Fern, who was still looking downcast. ‘Cheer up. The tourists will be arriving soon and you’ll be buzzing. I’ve got Sunday off and thought we could go out for lunch? My treat. You’ll know the best place to go. Book a table and we’ll be ladies who lunch, okay?’ Belinda smiled when Fern nodded her agreement. If only there was something tangible she could do to help ease the lingering grief in her friend’s life.

11

Belinda and Fern loaded the two dogs into Fern’s car mid-morning on Sunday in preparation for a walk alongside the river that was close to the restaurant where Fern had booked a table. Fern had insisted on driving, saying it was easier as she knew the roads.

‘My car has got satnav, you know,’ Belinda teased her.

It was when they’d been driving away from the village for ten minutes that a sense of déjà vu flooded Belinda’s body and she shivered with the intensity of it. She recognised the direction they were travelling in. A direction she’d deliberately avoided ever since she’d arrived. Why oh why hadn’t she asked Fern where they were going so that she could have mentally prepared herself for the journey. Although, even if she had known, she wouldn’t have anticipated the route.