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

‘Ah, he’s tired,’ says Rhi, and Stephanie stares at her. ‘Sorry, sorry,’ says Rhi. ‘I have to remember I’m not a mum any more. Well, not one that’s needed. At least the salon still needs me. Must check the iPad!’

‘But you’re a good friend,’ I say, stopping her getting it out again, as she’s been doing at every opportunity. ‘And I’m so glad you came.’

‘And tomorrow we’ll find Tomas’s father,’ she says.

‘Hmm, but now we have to make up your beds,’ I say, and can see that my two wobbly friends are going to be of no use whatsoever. I look at all the lavender plants I have to deal with. There’s a lot to do. I just hope I’m doing the right thing in helping Stephanie find Tomas’s father. But I know we have to try. I’ve never felt such responsibility for someone else’s happiness before, and it’s terrifying.

TWENTY-FIVE

‘How was Henri?’ I ask Stephanie, when she returns from delivering the desserts the next day.

‘A little tired. I told him he should rest but he said he’s fine. He has too much to do to put his feet up. Too many people relying on him.’

‘Surely he could close the bistro for a week or two. Go on holiday.’

‘Henri would never close.’ She puts the money on the table, with the shopping, then hands me the receipt.

The swallows circle high in the clear blue sky, and the crickets chirp among the grassy clumps in the big empty field under the hot July sun.

‘I should plough this if I’m going to put in these plants, or weed it at least,’ I say, looking out through the French windows at the field, then across the valley to the purple patchwork quilt of Serge’s land. I look at all the lavender plants I watered early that morning in the sunlight as it reached through the tall oak trees, hanging with balls of mistletoe, like great Christmas baubles. The air was full of the smell of pine, rosemary and lavender, and I want to start digging over the soil for the new plants. But we have other things to do today, ghosts to lay to rest. I take a deep, reviving breath, feeling the calm and strength the air here gives me. I must get them planted soon and send a gift to Serge to thank him. I’ll take him some biscuits on market day, I think.

‘So, are we going? Did you mean it?’ Stephanie asks nervously, having helped me put away the shopping. The kitchen has become much more like home than the empty shell it was the day Ollie left.