Page 34 of Rendez-Vous in Cannes
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Daisy emailed her report and put the finishing touches to her ‘Then and Now’ feature before taking a deep breath and writing another email to Bill, her editor. She quickly pressed send before going down to join Poppy in the kitchen.
‘Well, that’s that then. I’ve just sent an email to the office saying I’d like to accept voluntary redundancy. I’m going freelance. Things are definitely on the slippery slope at the paper, so better to get out whilst the going is good. Hope you meant that about me renting the cottage?’
Poppy glanced up from the table decoration she was making. ‘Of course I did.’
When Nat returned with Tom and an excited Cindy, the two sisters were busy assembling the last of the table decorations for the following evening.
‘Tom’s coming to my birthday tea on Wednesday and on Saturday Nat’s promised he’ll take us both to see the whales, he says Daisy might come too,’ Cindy told Poppy excitedly.
‘The festival will have wound down by then with everyone really just waiting for the winner of the Palme d’Or to be announced,’ Nat said. ‘So you don’t have to worry about missing anything.’
‘I’m not worried,’ Daisy said. ‘You are coming to the party tomorrow night, aren’t you? I’ve cleared it with Anna. She’s said she’ll introduce you to a couple of people.’
‘Great. Teddy Wickham has finally read one of my scripts too and wants a producer friend to read it.’
‘Nat, that’s wonderful,’ Daisy said.
‘Might mean disappearing to America for a few days or even weeks if they like it,’ Nat said. ‘Fancy coming with me?’ he asked, staring at her.
‘Aren’t you rather rushing things here, Nat?’ Daisy said, smiling.
‘I’m sure you’d find plenty to write home about from Los Angeles. Unless you’ve got other plans? Poppy – and Marcus – seemed to think you might.’
‘Ah. Can we talk about this another time?’ Daisy said, realising there was an edge to Nat’s voice. An edge she’d not heard before.
‘Tonight? Meet me for a drink later?’
‘Oh, I said I’d be at Poppy’s beck and call tonight and tomorrow to help with party preparations,’ Daisy replied. ‘I don’t know if—’
‘We’re well ahead here now,’ Poppy said. ‘Don’t worry on my account.’
‘In that case, I’ll pick you up about eight thirty. Nowhere dressy,’ Nat said. ‘Come on, Cindy. Time we went back to the villa.’
Poppy looked at Daisy as the door closed behind them. ‘Nat’s a good bloke.’
‘I know. I really like him, but we’ve only just met. I can’t believe that—’
‘I knew Dan was the one for me within twenty-four hours of meeting him,’ Poppy interrupted. ‘Trust your instincts for once.’
Daisy sighed. She remembered how Poppy had returned home after her first date with Dan positively glowing with happiness and absolutely knowing how she felt about him. But Ben running away like he did had shaken Daisy’s faith in her own judgement. For months she’d thought Ben was the one for her – true, she didn’t think she’d glowed with happiness like Poppy had with Dan, but she’d felt they fitted together well. Nat needed to hear about Ben from her. It was her own fault that something that finished months ago was being blown up out of all proportion and threatened to spoil her burgeoning relationship with him. Because she did like Nat, and she’d realised instinctively without Poppy putting it into words, that he was special.
* * *
Leo and Anna were sitting on the terrace in the late afternoon when Leo reached into his pocket and placed a small package on the table. ‘Before I forget. I got you something in town earlier,’ he said. ‘Where’s your locket?’
‘Upstairs in my purse,’ Anna replied, opening the tissue wrapped package to find a gold chain nestling within its folds. ‘Oh, thank you. I’ll get the locket.’
Returning a few moments later clutching the locket, Anna was surprised to find Leo talking on her mobile phone which she’d left on the table.
‘Here she is, Bernard, I’ll hand you over,’ Leo said.
‘Hi,’ Anna said. ‘How did it go this morning? We saw the cars,’ she added.
‘It was a beautiful service, but I still can’t believe that Philippe has gone,’ Bernard answered. He hesitated before continuing. ‘I told Jacques you were in town for the festival and he wants me to take you to see him tomorrow morning.’
‘Why?’
