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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

Outside the mistral is blowing up bigger than usual, as it did on the day I decided to stay. The dust is whipping up as I watch Stephanie, JB and Tomas walk down the drive, with their blue bags. JB is carrying Tomas. He told me Tomas and Stephanie would be fine. They’d stay with his parents until they could get something else sorted, he said, and thanked me for all I’d done. But I don’t want anything else sorted. I want them to stay here, for it to be as it has been. My own little family. Every part of me wants to shout, ‘Stop! Come back!’ But Stephanie is clearly in no mood to discuss the matter. I watch their backs as they walk to the end of the drive, a little family facing an unknown future, and my heart breaks. The wind whips up and slams the front door shut in my face.

FIFTY-FOUR

Later that morning, Rhi appears, dressed up to meet Henri and travel home with him from hospital. Lou and Alain come in from the barn and I gather them around the table and explain about Stephanie.

‘I found it in her bag. She assumed I thought she’d taken it, and said she couldn’t stay if I thought that.’

Each of them looks as heartbroken as I feel.

I manage lunchtime at the bistro on my own, the hole that Stephanie filled feeling like a great crater, with all the customers asking after Henri and Tomas.

Afterwards, my eyes stinging, I finish the washing-up. The door opens and my heart lurches. I’m hoping to see Stephanie there. I wish I could go to Fabien and tell him what’s happened. But I can’t let him think I’m using him as a shoulder to cry on when I need it. I created this situation. I have to take responsibility for it. At the door, it’s not Stephanie, but a very welcome sight that brings a smile to my face.

‘Henri!’ I say, and rush forward to hug him hard.

‘Whoa!’ He laughs. ‘You’ll have my heart giving out all over again!’

‘Sorry, it’s just so good to see you.’ I sniff, tears of happiness and sadness mixed together. He looks like himself, despite having lost lots of weight and shaving off his little goatee beard. ‘You look so well.’

‘I feel like death! But you look … upset,’ he says. ‘Sit down. Do as I say!’

‘Aren’t I supposed to be saying that to you?’ I laugh and sniff again and Rhi pulls out a chair.

‘I’ve learned not to argue,’ she says. ‘And to stop checking on the business every five minutes and let them get on with it.’ She smiles, holding the chair for me to sit in.