While Aiden felt he’d held me back in some ways, I, too, had held him back with my phobias. The mere thought of being on a plane and the door closing, incarcerating me for even the shortest of flights, makes me feel faint. I did brave a ferry once and had a full-blown panic attack. It was the same feeling of being trapped and helpless. Aiden admitted it was a frightening experience for us both as he’d never seen me like that before. He’s never blamed me for limiting our travel horizon and, in fairness, I can’t begrudge him the chance to grab this opportunity. Maybe the lottery win wasn’t a mere fluke but fate intervening.

So, here I am. On the last leg towards my own little adventure. However, as I pull into the vast forecourt in front of Le Château de Vernon, there is nothing at all little about this retreat and my stomach begins to flutter, nervously. Looking at it on Google Maps, it was hard to imagine the scale and I’d expected a cosy little cluster of barns and outbuildings around the main house. This is more like a little village.

I park up alongside an old Citroën and even before I’ve had a chance to swing the car door shut and stretch my arms, a voice calls out in English.

‘Just in time for dinner!’ An older woman, elegantly dressed in several layers of very colourful clothing, walks towards me, smiling. ‘Welcome, Fern, I’ve been keeping an eye out for you. Everyone calls me Dee-Dee.’ She grins at me and positive energy seems to flow from her.

The accent is subtle, and I can’t place it. Her English is perfect, though. She envelops me in her arms as if we’re old friends.

‘How was your journey?’

‘Very pleasant, thank you,’ I reply, good-naturedly.

‘There’s no greater indulgence than the luxury of some time alone to think, is there? A car journey can be quite cathartic, I’ve always found.’

I nod, grateful for her warm welcome. It helps to calm my nerves and I’m delighted that the first person I meet is someone in whose company I instantly feel relaxed.

‘We holidayed in and around the region of Provence several times when I was young. I have some great memories of those days and it’s good to be back here.’

Good, the word seems to echo around inside my head, but not the same.

‘Wonderful. And your arrival is so timely. The next batch of visitors arrive tomorrow, so it’s a low-key dinner this evening. We can sort your bags later. It’s this way.’

I turn to lock the car and she calls out over her shoulder.