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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

‘Delicious,’ I say, not knowing whether to reply in English or French, my tongue tying itself in knots. I wonder if he’s annoyed that I turned down lunch with him and now am here, clearly having had lunch with Henri. Would he care?

Before I can explain what’s happened, Henri replies, ‘Great dessert,’ and pats me on the back. I accept his compliment gratefully as it hides my blushes.

‘I will take the table and chair back,’ says Fabien.

‘You can always leave them here, in the restaurant, if need be,’ says Henri to me.

Ralph barks from under the table but doesn’t move.

‘It looks as if you had a good day,’ Fabien says.

‘Not bad. But Henri here has just made my day better,’ I say.

‘I’m glad to hear it,’ he says softly and, once again, I feel I should explain it’s not the kind of offer his tone implied.

‘She is going to make my desserts daily.’ Henri cuts across me as I gather my thoughts. I nod. ‘We’re in business!’

Now Fabien smiles too. ‘Perfect! Looks like your business is up and running!’

My heart tap, tap, taps and my stomach fizzes. I’m in business!

‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Looks like I’m here to stay.’

Fabien holds my gaze for a second and my stomach fizzes again. ‘I’ll get the table,’ he says, breaking away, and I wonder if Henri noticed.

‘There was a problem with one of the legs. Let me help you,’ I say.

‘No problem, I’ll fix it before next week and bring it back to Henri’s. Stay. Enjoy your coffee,’ he says. ‘Enjoy the sunshine … and your new life.’

‘Are you sure you won’t join us, Fabien? A beer, perhaps?’ asks Henri, but Fabien declines, picking up the table.

‘À bientôt,’ he calls over his shoulder, and waves.

‘À bientôt,’ I reply, watching him walk away and wishing he’d stayed. But now, I have something else to worry about.

‘Henri?’

‘Oui?’ he says, standing and clearing away his coffee cup. ‘More coffee?’

‘Non, merci. Henri, you said you knew the young person who took the biscuits.’

He nods.

‘I think I should pay him a visit, return something he dropped.’

Henri looks at me and then puts down the coffee cup. ‘Okay, I’ll write down the address for you, but, Del …’

I take the piece of paper from his order pad on which he has noted the address.

‘Not all parts are as … relaxed as this bit of the town,’ he says. ‘Just be aware. On the outskirts, sometimes, it’s not always picture-perfect, even in France.’