‘Desolé. I didn’t realise,’ Hervé apologised. ‘It’s about the vide-grenier we’ve held here in the past in aid of a few of the local charities. Hoping that we can have one again this year now that Alain is back… now that the place is up and running again,’ he amended hastily.

Belinda, having been to many a vide-grenier in the past, knew that they were France’s equivalent of a car boot sale.

‘We?’ she queried.

‘Yann’s Gang. The bar in the village?’ Hervé added by way of explanation. ‘A few of us help him organise a couple of things throughout the year – a village run, lotto night, music evenings, the vide-grenier, that kind of thing, all in aid of charity.’

Belinda opened the computer diary. ‘I’m sure we can help, but I’m going to need more information. Presumably people pay you for a pitch? Do you pay us for the use of the site? Or is it regarded as a charitable contribution from us? How many stallholders usually? That sort of thing.’ She paused. ‘Do you have a date in mind?’

‘First Sunday in May. Ten o’clock until six.’

‘How many people usually come? And, this is a crucial question, how disruptive is it likely to be to holidaymakers staying on site? I’ll provisionally pencil the date in, but I need you to come back with answers to my questions – and anything else you think we need to be aware of – before we agree. It’s early in the season and I have to warn you that there may well be renovation work still going on around the place.’ Belinda glanced across at Hervé and was surprised to find him staring at her, a look of amazement on his face. ‘What? Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘Are you always like this? Efficiently bossy?’ The words were accompanied by a smile that somehow took any suggestion of criticism away. Despite herself, Belinda smiled back at him.

‘In a word, yes, I’m afraid I am. I try to anticipate problems and prevent them happening.’

‘Will you please come and work for me?’

Belinda laughed. ‘No. Once this place is up and running, I shall happily return to my normal job in the UK.’

Hervé looked disappointed for a second. ‘Mais, you are here for a few weeks yet? Peut-être you and I—’