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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

‘Have you come to tell me you’re reporting me to the police?’ she says, like a cat backed into a corner, spitting and hissing. ‘To tell them I’m a thief.’

Her words sting.

‘No,’ I say. ‘I’ve come …’ now I have to find the words ‘… because I cannot believe how wrong I was. I knew you wouldn’t have taken the money.’

‘Oh, really? How did you know? If I had told you I hadn’t done it, would you have believed me?’

‘Yes, of course! It was Cora all along. I should’ve realized it straight away. I’m sorry. She was trying to set you up so that I would think it was you and the riverside clearing would be closed down. She wanted to hurt us. To get us all to leave, and leave her town “picture-perfect”.’

‘Looks like she succeeded.’

‘I couldn’t feel worse about it. I never really thought it was you. Not even for a second. I’m sorry.’

She raises her eyebrows.

‘Not even for a second? Me, the thief! Who could never change her spots!’

She lifts her chin higher just like when I first met her and I wonder if it’s to stop any tears leaking from her eyes.

I shake my head.

‘Not even for a second.’ I need her to believe me. I knew in my heart that she wouldn’t do that to me, no matter how much Cora wanted me to think that.

Stephanie says nothing. Nobody says anything. That’s it. It’s all I can say. I could tell her how much I’ve loved having her and Tomas in my life, JB too, about how wonderful she is with the business. But I just need her to know that I really am sorry. Nothing can repair the damage I’ve done here. I turn to JB’s parents and bid them au revoir. I’m unlikely to see them again. I say the same to JB. I want to hug him and tell him how proud I am of the dad he’s become. There is so much more I want to say to Stephanie, how I wish her all the luck and love in the world, and how proud I am of the person she is and wish I was more like her.

But I can’t say any more. I can’t speak for the lump in my throat. Instead I nod, walk towards the door and open it. JB holds it as I step outside into the wild, windy, warm afternoon. I feel like I’ve been picked up and spun around – I’m not sure which way I’ll end up facing when the mistral leaves again. I hold my arm over my eyes and walk down the path, hoping Fabien hasn’t deserted me altogether for my foolish behaviour.