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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

I put Tomas down and he runs around chasing bees and butterflies in the unrelenting July sunshine, while Rhi and Lou head for the shade of a big tree. I can just see Stephanie from where I am. She’s standing on a doorstep talking to someone. She isn’t invited in, and I’m indignant on her behalf. I can just see the person pulling the door closed behind them and joining her on the front doorstep. It must be JB. My heart lifts for her and Tomas. They’re talking. That’s good, I think. I watch intently, hoping that, any minute now, they’ll walk this way together for Tomas to meet his father. I check his face and give it a quick polish with a wet wipe, then turn back. They’re not standing on the doorstep any longer. The front door is shut and I have butterflies. Then I see Stephanie appearing from behind a large yellow flowering bush. I can’t see JB. Is he following her? Or is she walking back to us on her own?

TWENTY-SIX

Her head is held high. She says nothing. Scoops Tomas up and holds him close to her, despite his protests. She looks at me with angry tears in her eyes, and I feel their fury burrowing into mine. She turns and walks, without a word, towards the bus stop. We follow her silently, and return to Ville de Violet and Le Petit Mas. None of us speaks because there is nothing you can say when the father of your child has just refused to see him or have anything to do with you. I feel wretched, and angry, and I want to go back and tell JB what a mistake he’s making, what a wonderful mum Stephanie is, what a precious little boy Tomas is. I want to tell Stephanie how brave she is. But, right now, I think she blames me for the pain she’s feeling.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Next morning, after a sombre night, I walk downstairs, wondering how to make things right with Stephanie. I need to tell her how brave she is, and what a great job she’s doing with Tomas. As I come downstairs, I hear the front door click shut. Strange. Stephanie must still be avoiding me. Or maybe it’s the wind whipping up outside again. The mistral is back. The shutters are rattling on their hinges. I walk into the kitchen. Tomas is sitting at the table, Ralph at his feet.

‘Stephanie,’ I call. Maybe she’s nipped back to the caravan, knowing I was here to keep an eye on Tomas when she heard me coming downstairs.