BooksBarbecue
Back Escape to the French Farmhouse
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

The following day, Stephanie, Tomas and I slip quickly into our routine. He pulls over his chair, then she holds him on it and reads out the recipe. I get out the ingredients and Stephanie insists that I attempt to read the recipe aloud in French while she weighs everything. We give Tomas a little bowl of flour to play with. After making much-improved macarons – bite-size swirls of soft-centred crunchy white meringue, with the floral hit of lavender – we deliver them to Henri for lunchtime. I watch his delight at hearing Stephanie explain how we made them and seeing Tomas choose a lolly from the freezer. I may not be used to children, but I do remember the joy of ice lollies when I was a child. And I promise to attempt homemade sorbet and ice cream for Henri soon.

We return home, along the river path, Tomas’s ice lolly dripping on to his hands, him licking the dribbles. A truck is waiting on the drive. My stomach flips and I feel flustered.

‘Bonjour,’ he says, as he climbs out of the cab. Mimi peers out of the window at Ralph. He kisses Stephanie and Tomas first. I watch, nerves jangling. Then he kisses my cheeks, taking his time, just as he did with Stephanie. The soft bristles of his stubble touch me, sending shock waves through my body. I can feel his breath on my face and smell his aftershave, spicy and woody. With the morning greetings over, I step back and let myself settle. Stephanie is so pretty when she smiles.

‘I have something for you,’ he says.

‘Oh?’ I reply, wishing it hadn’t come out as high-pitched as it has.

‘An invitation to visit my friend Serge.’ He points to the other side of the valley. ‘He invites you to visit his lavender farm, see how it is grown.’

‘Great!’ I say. It really is. I’d love to know more about the plant. ‘When?’

‘Now, if you are available?’

‘Available?’

‘He means if you are free.’ Stephanie laughs.

‘Free, yes.’ Fabien nods earnestly. ‘Sorry for my English.’

‘No, no, not at all,’ I stutter.

‘No, you’re not free?’

‘Yes, I mean no.’ I stop. Grow up, Del! I tell myself. ‘I meant your English is fine. And, um …’

‘Yes, she is free,’ says Stephanie.