BooksBarbecue
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

‘What’s gone?’ It takes me a few seconds to catch up with what’s gone on, as I try to focus my eyes. I’m just pleased no one is hurt, in particular that Tomas is safe, if tired and grumpy in his dad’s arms, clutching Monsieur Lapin.

‘The honesty box! It’s gone!’ Stephanie points again.

‘Are you sure?’ If I hadn’t been with my one-night lover, trying to explain why I’m far too old for him, I would have been here, not leaving everything to Stephanie to sort out. I seem to be doing that too much. Now Henri is coming home, it’s time I got more involved with the bakes again. Maybe I’ll think of some new lines, move into other towns and markets. Contact some other mayors and ask if I can set up a stall in those places. But that’s for tomorrow. Right now, I need to find out where the money box has gone.

We ask around. Has anyone seen it? No one has.

‘I can’t believe anyone here would just take it,’ I say, having looked in and around the hut. But it’s nowhere to be seen. Neither, I notice, is Cora’s placard, which I dumped in the river earlier and meant to retrieve. I hope it hasn’t floated too far away. We all look at each other, more disappointed than angry that anyone would do this to us. It was an honesty box, based on trust. I thought the people here were grateful, not wanting to rip us off as soon as our backs were turned. I shake my head, exhausted.

Fabien is saying goodnight to the people still here.

‘C’est dommage,’ they say. It’s a shame. A real shame. They’ve not just taken the money, but the trust and the spirit of the project. Then I have to remind myself that it was just one person who took it. We can’t let this spoil things for everyone. Tomorrow is another day, I tell myself, and turn to see Fabien walking down the path, back towards town and his house behind the brocante.

‘Fabien, wait!’ I call. I haven’t told him all the things I needed to explain, how I don’t want to hurt him. I want him to be happy. He doesn’t turn back, just holds a hand up in the air.

‘Wait!’

‘It’s okay, I understand. You don’t want to be with me!’ He keeps walking determinedly. And I feel absolutely wretched. How could I have messed that up so badly? How can I ever tell him now that I love him and that’s why I had to finish it? It’s over.

FIFTY