A quarter of an hour later, the bathroom was steamy and smelt of strawberries from the bubble bath Belinda had poured into the water before she’d stepped in and lowered herself into the hot water. Bliss.
Laying there, she thought about the evening ahead. Would Anouk remember that far back and would anything she remembered be relevant to the questions Belinda wanted answered? Perhaps it would be better to see Anouk on her own, not with other people around, eating and drinking.
Her mobile, which she’d placed within reach on the bath stool, began to ring, breaking into her thoughts. Belinda sat up, reached out for the towel she’d put on the nearby rail, quickly dried her hands and picked up the phone.
‘What’s up?’ she answered Fern’s quiet hello. ‘You sound down.’
‘I haven’t mentioned anything to Anouk yet about the two of you talking, but you are still coming tonight, aren’t you?’
‘Yes of course. Why?’
‘Scott’s leaving on Monday. This evening is in danger of turning into a bit of a tearful farewell dinner for him. I need you here for some light relief.’
‘In that case, do you have room for another guest? Alain is at a loose end,’ Belinda said impulsively.
‘Bring him. There’s lots of food and it will be good to have another man at the table. See you soon.’
As the call finished, Belinda decided if Fern still hadn’t mentioned the reason for tonight’s dinner to Anouk when she got there, then she wouldn’t bring the subject up. Tonight didn’t look like the night to ask questions.
Belinda was drying herself when she heard Alain moving around in his room and quickly pulled on her towelling robe before opening the bathroom door.
‘Alain,’ she called. ‘Your lonely evening has been averted. Fern is in desperate need of another man at the dinner table, would like you to join us for dinner?’
Leaving the cottage, Belinda automatically had her car keys in her hand and pressed the unlock button.
‘We go in mine,’ Alain said.
Belinda looked at him, surprised, as he held the passenger car door open for her. She shrugged. What did it matter which car they went in? She pressed her key fob again and the lights flashed and the door locks clicked back down.
‘If Anouk tells you something upsetting tonight, peut-être you drink more than is good. This way, I make sure you get home safely.’ Once Belinda was sitting in the passenger seat, Alain slammed the door closed and walked around to get into the driving seat.
‘I had a car like this once,’ Belinda said quietly. ‘The year we left France, Dad was teaching me to drive.’ She didn’t tell him that it had been another four years before she finally learnt to drive.
‘You like to drive?’
‘I do now, yes. Especially here in Brittany where the roads are quieter.’
The rest of the short journey to the auberge passed in silence.
Anouk and Scott were out in the garden when Fern let them in. Alain handed her the bottle of wine they’d stopped to buy in the village shop.
‘Thank you. You really didn’t have to. Come on through and meet Anouk and Scott.’
Introductions were made quickly and Scott poured everyone their wine of choice before disappearing to help Fern with something in the kitchen.
Anouk looked at Alain. ‘How are your parents? Fern tells me you’re running their old campsite now. I remember some good times there years ago, before they owned it of course. I’m talking about back in the sixties.’
Belinda glanced at her. The late sixties were when her father had brought her and her mum to France to live. Maybe Anouk would be able to tell her something about her parents after all. As Scott returned, Belinda excused herself and went to talk to Fern in the kitchen.
‘The smells coming from this kitchen are, as always, delicious,’ Belinda said. ‘How are you really about Scott leaving?’
Fern, concentrating on pouring a sauce into a jug, pulled a face. ‘I’m fine. It’s not as if we’re in the throes of a mad passionate relationship. We haven’t passed more than the friendship stage really.’ She turned to face Belinda. ‘I’ve always known he would have to return to his life in New York. I’ve always known too that long-distance relationships rarely survive.’ Fern hesitated. ‘Which is why I’ve struggled to keep things on a friendship basis, even though I really like him.’
‘My mum had a favourite song from her teenage years, she was always humming it or singing the words