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Back Escape to the French Farmhouse Save as PDF
Chapters (79)
  1. COVER
  2. About the Author
  3. Also by Jo Thomas
  4. DEDICATION
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. RECIPES
  70. Lavender shortbread
  71. Apricot jam sponge cake
  72. Lavender lamb
  73. READ MORE
  74. Prologue
  75. ONE
  76. TWO
  77. THREE
  78. FOUR
  79. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘Well, a leopard can’t change its spots, dear. Once a thief, always a thief. Whatever you might think. Whatever your good intentions …’

I am now fully fuelled on rage. ‘Stephanie is not a user or a thief. She’s a hard worker and a great mother.’

‘Really?’ says Cora. ‘Then where is she now and why are you out looking for her? What kind of a mother leaves their little boy? I’m just looking out for you, Del. We have to stick together out here.’

I won’t listen to this woman. Stephanie is a good mother. It’s me that’s in the wrong. ‘I am sticking together, Cora, with my community. We’re all living in the same town. We’re all residents here.’

‘Of course, of course. Stay, have a drink with us,’ she says, pulling out a chair. ‘I can see you’re upset.’

I shake my head. ‘Sorry, I have to go. Sorry to have interrupted your coffee.’

‘Call me if you want a get-together,’ she calls after me, and I find myself rolling my eyes.

We pass the clearing where the few people there raise a hand and wish me a good day.

‘How come they all know you?’ Rhi asks.

‘Um, I’m not really sure,’ I say. ‘I did leave them a plate of biscuits once … Come, let’s go home. We’ll wait for Maman there,’ I say to Tomas.

‘Maman?’ he says. His mouth turns down and tears fall. I hope Henri is right and she comes home soon.

THIRTY-ONE

That night, I lie awake, Ralph at my feet, listening to Tomas sleeping and calling for Maman. I have no idea what to do when he wakes, other than sing him the song my mum used to sing to me. I’m just winging it, like the rest of my life right now. And when I’m not soothing Tomas or worrying about where Stephanie might be and how she must be missing her little one, my thoughts flick to Fabien. I remember how he looked at me when I was hugging Henri. What was the expression in his eyes? I felt as if he was on one side of the river and I was on the other, and although he was trying to tell me something, I couldn’t hear him because of the distance between us. Was it just a silly kiss? I don’t want to be his fling with an older woman …