Meredith decided to take advantage of catching her hosts alone. ‘The reason I went into town was because I wanted to drop in at the restaurant on the riverbank.’

‘To make a booking?’ Steph asked, puzzled. ‘I’m sure we have their number.’

‘No, to sound out that young chef, Jean-Christophe. Do you remember we heard him say he was looking for a job nearby?’

‘Did we?’ Steph’s puzzlement was growing deeper. ‘Oh, I see,’ she finally decided, her brow clearing. ‘You wanted to sound him out for the château! But you know, you may need catering companies rather than a single chef.’

‘No, not the château. To see if he could come and make dinner here, say, three times a week.’

‘But, Meredith,’ Steph protested, ‘there’s no way we could afford it! We only survive by using our own labour. Marcelline’s an exception because she’s just a student, but even then we can’t afford her as often as we’d like.’

David turned away, feeling sick. Steph didn’t know the beginning of it where the money issues were concerned. He was going to have to stop running away from the truth and face it himself soon.

‘It would be my gift,’ Meredith said simply.

‘Oh, Merry!’ Steph threw herself into her friend’s arms, hardly able to stop herself crying. ‘You can’t!’

‘Of course I can. I can easily afford it. If I’m going to move halfway across the world, I don’t want to have to see you two killing yourselves with exhaustion before I do! More importantly, do you think it would help? I mean, then you could actually get out and leave the place and have some freedom. Maybe Marcelline could come more often, too?’

David felt a wild impulse to admit then and there that the B&B had far more serious problems than their need for a bit of freedom; that he had an unpaid bill from Steve the builder they couldn’t possibly meet, and another and bigger one for some tax he hadn’t even known existed.

But Steph seemed wildly happy and was dancing round the room with glee. How could he spoil that?

Walking round the gardens, Jo suddenly felt herself stuck for something to say. OK, it was rare she ever found herself alone with an attractive man, especially one that had shown interest in her – but this was ridiculous.

‘So, you’re a winegrower in France but you’re not French,’ Jo found herself commenting at last.

Liam smiled, bringing an unexpected softness to his lean, tanned features. ‘So it would seem,’ he agreed. ‘I’m from New Zealand. The North Island, if that makes any sense to you. A place called Palmerston North.’

‘Called after Lord Palmerston, the prime minister?’ she offered desperately.