got you and Max something too, but if you don’t want them?’
‘Oh, you know I do,’ Chloe said, accepting the bags Belinda held out. ‘Thank you.’
‘I know you’ll like your pressies, but Max’s is a bit boring, I’m afraid, his favourite aftershave. Men are notoriously difficult to buy for, aren’t they?’
‘Oh it’s good to have you back, Mum,’ Chloe said as she carefully unwrapped the first of her presents, a cream silk scarf printed with French scenes. ‘This is beautiful. Thank you again,’ and she tied the scarf around her neck straight away. The second present, a traditional nautical Breton top with red stripes, was also greeted with delight.
‘I bought myself one of those too,’ Belinda said. ‘One with blue stripes. I practically lived in similar ones a long time ago and they’re still incredibly popular.’
‘Thanks, Mum. So how long are you here for?’
Belinda shrugged. ‘I’m not sure if I’m going back to the campsite at all, from the way Nigel was talking. Says he needs me while Molly recuperates. Did you know he’s sold Moorside? I’m just hoping he and Molly don’t decide to get out of the hotel business completely and my job disappears.’ She didn’t add, my home would be gone too if that happens.
‘If they do, you’ll find another job, Mum,’ Chloe said. ‘Another top hotel group would snap you up. What about our camping holiday though? I was looking forward to it. And to you showing me places you knew growing up,’ she added. ‘Like where you went to school. You lived over there for a long time, but you’ve never really talked about it to me.’ She glanced at Belinda. ‘How was it really being back over there, Mum? Is the campsite close to where you lived? Did you meet anyone from those days?’
Belinda hesitated and then Chloe’s words ‘you’ve never really talked about it’ echoed in her head.
‘You can still go on your holiday, even if I’m not working over there. The campsite should be fully functional by the end of May and Alain is sure to be happier, not having me bossing him around. As for talking about that time of my life,’ Belinda shrugged, ‘you know how upset Granny always got if anyone brought up the subject of Brittany. Leaving it in the past was her way of coping. I guess I’ve followed her lead. But, yes, it did feel strange in the beginning, although after a few days, it was like I’d never been away. And I’ve made a new friend, Fern. The lady who owns the auberge where I stayed.’
Thankfully Chloe didn’t press her on talking about the past but picked up on Alain. ‘What’s this Alain like?’
‘Initially we rubbed each other up the wrong way, mainly because he’s got definite ideas about how he wants the site to be which are different to the way Nigel sees it. Nigel being the owner though, as far as I’m concerned, gets the final say.’ Belinda laughed. ‘Alain called me bossy and uptight at one stage. And I thought he was a Frenchman with a bad attitude. But we got over it.’ Belinda took her phone out. ‘These don’t do it justice and once all the work is complete it will look even better. It’s very child-friendly in the old-fashioned way – places to build dens, play games and generally just have fun. And that’s down to Alain.’ She handed her phone over to Chloe, who scrolled through.
‘It does look nice. Oh, who’s the hero with the chainsaw?’
Fern smiled to herself Sunday morning as she took half a dozen hot cross buns out of the freezer to heat through. As far as she was concerned, Easter wasn’t Easter without a spicy bun and she’d enjoyed one for breakfast on the traditional morning they were eaten, Good Friday. She hoped that both Scott and Anouk would enjoy the warm spicy buns slathered with creamy local Breton butter. Standing in the kitchen preparing breakfast for everyone, Fern realised the whole Easter weekend had somehow started to resemble a mini Christmas celebration, with the emphasis on extra-special meals.
Last night, dinner had been a fresh seafood platter with salad, followed by individual lemon soufflés. Lunch today would be roast lamb with roast potatoes and parsnips, tender asparagus, petite carrots and, because she was English, gravy and mint sauce. There was a fresh fruit salad to follow the ubiquitous cheeseboard that she knew Anouk would expect. And, of course, that