‘No bookings until Easter, then it’s only one double for three nights. Although I did have a phone call this afternoon from Carhaix tourist office, asking if I had a vacancy for the next few days. But I haven’t heard anything more, so I guess they’ve found somewhere.’ Fern looked at Belinda anxiously. ‘Does this mean you won’t be coming back?’

‘No idea really what’s going to happen,’ Belinda said, surprised at the feeling of sadness that swept through her at the thought of not returning to Brittany and cementing her friendship with Fern.

14

Thursday morning when Belinda left for the campsite Fern decided to visit her mother-in-law, Anouk. Laurent’s father had died some twenty years before and Anouk had lived alone ever since in the Huelgoat house she’d moved into the day of her marriage. Fern had always got on well with Anouk and Laurent’s death had served to bring them closer.

Overlooking the lake at Huelgoat, the house was too big for her now, but Anouk seemed determined to stay in it, saying she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Fern knew that Fabian felt the time was coming when his grandmother would have to accept that the upkeep of the place was beyond her and move into something smaller, more manageable. Ninety next birthday, Anouk might manage a 1K walk every day, but the huge garden was becoming a burden despite Fabian doing the heavy digging and the mowing. Fern understood all too well though how the tug of happy memories kept you connected to the home you’d shared with a loved one.

Before she left home, Fern telephoned Anouk to say that she was planning to visit.

‘I thought as it’s market day we could do a bit of shopping and then have a coffee in the main square.’

To Fern’s surprise, Anouk sounded subdued when she agreed.

‘Are you okay?’ Fern asked, concerned.

‘I’m as fine as I can be at my age,’ Anouk replied. ‘A walk around the market and some company sounds great.’

‘See you in about half an hour then.’ Fern switched off her phone pensively. It was unlike Anouk to mention her age. She hoped Fabian hadn’t been on at her again about moving.

After a stroll around the market, buying a few bits and pieces and stopping to chat with various stallholder friends, they made their way to the café next door to the small supermarché at the end of the square. Fern settled Anouk at one of the pavement tables, leaving her with Lady and the few bags of shopping, while she went in to choose the cakes to go with their coffee. When she returned, Fabian was chatting to his grandmother.