over and things between us slowly dying away. Even though he said he wouldn’t let it.’ Fern fingered the Scotty pendant around her neck.
‘Oh ye of little faith,’ Anouk said, starting to stand up. ‘The man is in love with you. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see that.’ Anouk took her cane in her hand and straightened up. ‘I’ve a few things to sort in my room, so I’ll leave you two to chat. If you see Enzo again, do please remember me to him.’
‘I will,’ promised Belinda. She owed Anouk a big thank you. If it hadn’t been for her, it was doubtful that the reconciliation with her father would ever have happened.
‘How is Scott’s cousin?’ Belinda asked as Anouk left them.
‘She’s doing better but it will be a couple more weeks before he’ll be free to return.’
‘I’ll probably have left by then,’ Belinda said. ‘Once official opening has happened on the first of June, I’ll be returning to the UK – jobless and homeless by the end of the month.’ As Fern looked at her, shocked, Belinda explained about the hotels being sold and deciding not to work for the new owners. ‘Maybe it’s the wrong decision given that I have no idea yet of what I’m going to do, but so much has changed in the last few weeks, I feel a new direction – life, even – will be good for me.’
‘Will you move to the Vendée to be close to Chloe?’
Belinda shrugged. ‘It’s an option, although I do feel that Chloe and Max should live their lives without me tagging along. I’ll probably help them move and then settle into being a visiting granny.’
‘What about coming to live in Brittany? At least you’d be in the same country. Easier to be that visiting granny.’
Belinda nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s a thought. Alain wants me to stay working with him… and the new owners,’ she added hastily, remembering her promise to Alain.
Fern raised her eyebrows.
Belinda laughed at the look on her friend’s face. ‘Stop it. Anyway, talking of the campsite, not long now before the café will open. You’ve organised the staff, the equipment is all in place, and once the kitchen has been inspected, we’ll be good to go. As the manager, are you happy with everything? No major crisis or anything we’ve forgotten?’
‘No crisis apart from the fact that I hope I don’t let you down,’ Fern said quietly.
‘Not a chance of that happening. Alain will be there to have your back and give you any help you need.’ Belinda stood up. ‘I’d better make tracks. Get everything up to date before Chloe arrives and I have some time off. We’ll arrange a day for you to come and meet Chloe and the twins.’
Walking back to the campsite, knowing that in a few weeks she would be leaving Brittany again, Belinda sighed. Despite all the upheavals in her life during the weeks since she’d arrived, it was beginning to feel like leaving was the wrong thing to do. But she had no idea as to what was the right thing. At least Chloe was arriving soon and she could talk it through with her.
41
After breakfast the day Chloe and the twins were due to arrive, Belinda gathered together the things she wanted to take down to the cabin situated next to Bernie’s where she’d decided Chloe would be staying. As she closed the house door behind her, she could see Alain in the nearby hangar and she wandered over to see what he was up to. Bernie was there with him, helping building what looked suspiciously like a chicken house to Belinda.
‘Is that what I think it is?’
Alain gave her a happy smile. ‘Oui. Un poulailler for the chickens that arrive soon. I thought for it to go behind our maison. Fresh eggs for breakfast.’
‘Your maison. You’ve forgotten I’m leaving soon,’ Belinda said as gently as she could.
‘Non. I don’t forget.’ Alain’s happy smile vanished as he looked at her for several seconds before turning back to his work.
Belinda smiled at Bernie before making her way down to the cabin, pushing the look Alain had given her out of her mind.
Once in the cabin, Belinda began to put out the things she’d brought with her, including the welcome basket of local goodies that they planned to place in every cabin for guests and a bunch of flowers in a vase on the table. In addition, she’d brought things especially for the twins: Ribena in