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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

‘I’ll let the others know. Merci, from the bottom of my heart,’ he says, and I see tears in his eyes too. For whatever reason he is here, he clearly didn’t intend to be.

The wind rustles through the trees, the mistral letting us know that change could be on the way for everyone once again.

‘I wish there was more I could do to say thank you to Alain,’ I say, over wine at the table at Le Petit Mas that evening. We’re all there, Rhi, Lou, Stephanie, JB and Tomas, who is sleepy now, curled up in his mother’s lap, hugging Monsieur Lapin and sucking his thumb. There are empty bowls with spoons in them, from the last of the cawl, some goat’s cheese from Henri’s fridge and the end-of-the-day bread, which won’t keep, crumbs spread over the table. Only Fabien isn’t here. He went home after he’d delivered the news about Henri, despite Rhi’s protestations that he should join us for leftovers supper and wine at Le Petit Mas. But he said he knew I’d want to hear about Henri, then made his excuses and wished us all a good evening. But not before telling me what a brilliant job I’d done tonight.

‘Really, he would be so proud of you,’ he says. And then adds, ‘I know I am.’ He’ll be in touch about visiting Henri in the morning. I wanted to call him back, ask if he meant it. But everyone wanted to thank me for the meal and he disappeared into the night, his words still in my head. I feel a warm glow and manage to smile.

‘I think I may have an idea,’ says Rhi, as she pours more wine.

‘For what?’ I ask, bringing myself back to the here and now.

‘A way to thank Alain.’ She picks up her glass. I hesitate, remembering the last time we sat here and Rhi came up with an idea. She had suggested we go and find JB, I seem to remember, and look how badly that went. But then I look at him now, his arm around Stephanie, with Tomas on her lap. Well, maybe it worked out for the best.

‘Really?’ I say to Rhi, raising my eyebrows.

‘Yup! I think I might have just the thing. Lou, you can help me.’ She sips her wine, putting her feet on an upturned plant pot, as we watch the sun set over the lavender field.

FORTY

The following morning, I’m awake before the cockerel starts to crow. It’s Monday, market day. There is so much to do. I rush down the stairs to the kitchen and wonder how I’m going to get everything done.