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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

She’s giving me her blessing to get together with Fabien. Could there possibly be a chance for him and me? Would he even want it? After all, we both said it was ‘just a silly kiss’. Is it too late? Has our moment passed? But what if … what if it wasn’t just a silly kiss? What if it meant much more than we were prepared to admit? I shut my eyes for a second, remembering his lips barely touching mine before they whisked away. And then, buoyed up by the memory, I clap my hands together. ‘We must get to work. We have so much to do.’ I take a huge breath and force a smile.

‘Del,’ she puts her hands on mine, ‘go to the bistro. I can manage here.’

‘Oh, no, it’s fine …’ I wave away the suggestion.

‘Really,’ she says. ‘I can handle the market. I know what I’m doing. Remember? Everyone deserves a second chance? I promise I won’t let you down. And I’ll bring the money box straight to you.’

‘I know that!’ I say, shocked that she thinks I might not trust her.

‘I can cook up our usual bakes. Just like you taught me. You can go to the bistro and get ready there, opening for lunch, and we’ll take the food to the riverside together later.’

This young woman has blossomed and grown up in front of my eyes.

‘I can cope, really,’ she reassures me.

And this time my smile spreads of its own accord. ‘Of course you can.’ I feel a surge of pride. I need to let her do this. ‘That makes perfect sense,’ I say, trying not to ask if she has everything she needs. ‘I’ll be at Henri’s if you want me. And I’ll let you know if there’s any news of him.’

‘Okay, go, go!’ She laughs. ‘JB will help me set up the stall in a bit. I’ll tell him to bring back some clothes. Maybe he could look for a job in town.’

‘Maybe Fabien could do with some help,’ I suggest. Fabien again. Never far from my thoughts. ‘Or Carine may know of something,’ I add quickly. ‘Okay,’ I say, picking up my bag and Ralph’s lead as he bounces around happily. ‘I’ll see you at the bistro.’ And then, I can’t help myself. ‘You’ll be okay?’

‘I’ll be fine, Del.’ She smiles. ‘It’ll all be fine!’

And I hope she’s right as I pat Ralph’s head and step out into the early-morning lavender light to the cockerel announcing a new day, pick a bunch of lavender and carry it to the bistro.

FORTY-ONE