Shortly afterwards when Fern started to clear the table, Anouk stood up ready to help.

‘I think I’ll go for my afternoon nap after this,’ she said, taking her stick in one hand and an empty plate in the other.

Scott gently took the plate from her. ‘Why don’t you go now and I’ll help Fern?’

‘Maybe I will,’ and Anouk let Scott take the plate out of her hand before walking into the house.

Fern watched her go anxiously before turning to Scott. ‘You really don’t have to help clear things. It won’t take me ten minutes.’

Scott ignored her words and started to clear up. ‘Take the two of us five minutes then. Do you have plans for the rest of the afternoon?’

‘Walking Lady and, later, cooking dinner,’ Fern answered, following him into the kitchen with empty plates.

‘May I join you and Lady?’ Scott asked.

‘Of course,’ Fern answered. ‘Give me ten minutes to change and to tell Anouk and I’ll give you a walking tour of the immediate area.’

21

Anouk was asleep when Fern went to tell her she was walking Lady with Scott, so she quickly scribbled a note and left it on the bedside table where Anouk would see it when she awoke.

Clipping Lady’s lead on, Fern joined Scott, who was waiting outside for her, and they started to walk in the direction of the church and the village. Only the first day of the weekend and already it was turning out to be so different to how she’d imagined it would be when she’d invited Anouk. Scott turning up had been a surprise, changing the whole ethos of the day and probably the whole weekend.

‘Have you been doing the touristy thing of going here, there and everywhere since the day we met in Gourin? Or have you been concentrating on family history?’ Fern asked, glancing across at him as he strolled at her side.

‘A bit of both,’ Scott said. ‘Gourin is where the family is from, so I’ve tended to stay around that area, but I’ve been further afield too. North coast, west coast and south coast. Brittany has so much coastline, it should be an island!’

Fern laughed. ‘All three coasts are so different too. Do you want to look inside the church? I can wait outside with Lady if you do,’ Fern said as they drew level with the entrance to the church.

‘Not this afternoon,’ Scott replied. ‘I’ll wander up another time.’

They both paused to look at the Easter arrangement of fluffy yellow chicks, eggs, artisan chocolates and daffodils in the window of the village shop. ‘I love Easter time,’ Fern said. ‘To me, it signals that winter is nearly over and spring is finally on its way back.’

When they reached the crossroads, they turned left onto the road leading to the campsite.