Page 40 of A French Affair
‘I’m going to be so busy, it will fly by,’ Chloe said. ‘Especially with Max away so much. I was hoping you’d be around to help with… with things.’ Belinda heard her daughter sigh down the phone.
‘I’ll be back by the second week in June,’ Belinda said. ‘And don’t forget you’re coming for a holiday in May.’
‘Is that still on then?’
‘Don’t see why not, especially now that I’ll be out there. Why not come in the middle of the month, you’re not tied to school holidays yet. Even if Max can’t make it, you and the twins can come.’
‘Okay, but please, Mum, do think seriously about coming to France with us.’
‘I will,’ Belinda assured her.
‘Right. Got to go, one of the twins has woken up. Love you,’ and Chloe was gone.
Belinda put the phone in her pocket and continued walking for a few moments before turning and making for the apartment. Lots of things to do before she caught the three o’clock ferry tomorrow afternoon. To think this time tomorrow evening she’d be back in Brittany – and she actually wanted to be there this time. There were certain things she needed to face up to, whatever the consequences turned out to be.
28
The sun was shining as the ferry pulled out of Plymouth and stayed with them all the way across the Channel. The sea was a little choppy, but Belinda remained out on deck with a coffee and a sandwich to read her book, looking up to people-watch occasionally.
Six hours later, standing with other passengers on the front deck, Belinda watched the lights of the French coast, and then Roscoff ferry port itself, get closer. This time, there were no feelings of dread, of not wanting to set foot on French soil, churning away inside her despite being at another crossroad in her life. Instead, there was the strange feeling of coming home to a place she recognised and an overwhelming sense of being in charge of things; in charge of her emotions. She’d deal with the package of official papers in her suitcase she’d decided to bring with her, lay a few ghosts and then get on with her life.
There was no need to set the satnav this time as she collected her car, with BB sleeping happily in the back, before joining the stream of traffic driving down the boat ramp and making its way up to the main road. The traffic quickly thinned out and within the hour Belinda was driving up the campsite lane. A newly resurfaced lane with not a single pothole, she was pleased to note.
She parked in front of the office and let BB out of the car. The office was closed and locked. Belinda glanced across at the staff house. No lights inside, but an outside one by the door was on.
The house had a lived-in feel to it this time when she unlocked the door, walked in and switched on the lights. Mugs and plates drying by the sink. A car magazine on the coffee table in the sitting room. The wood-burner stove was warm and the firebed was glowing, taking the evening chill off the air. Milk, ham, cheese, butter, a bottle of white wine and several small bottles of beer were in the fridge when she went to put in the food she’d brought with her. Briefly she wondered if Alain was going to sleep here tonight now that she was back, or return to his parents’ house. She knew that Nigel had emailed him to tell him she was returning early.
Taking her suitcase upstairs, Belinda was surprised to find that Alain had opted to use one of the smaller bedrooms rather than the one she’d prepared before leaving. She unpacked her suitcase and put things away in drawers and the wardrobe. The envelope she placed on the bedside table. Taking a towel and her toiletries bag, she made her way to the one and only bathroom, intending to leave her things there, ready. A toothbrush and toothpaste were on the shelf by the sink, a large bath towel on the towel rail. She retraced her steps to the bedroom. Probably best to keep her personal stuff in her bedroom.
A door slammed downstairs.
‘Belinda?’
Alain was waiting for her in the small hallway as she went downstairs. ‘Welcome back,’ he said. ‘Good trip?’
‘Thank you. And yes, it was.’
‘You ’ave eaten?’ he asked. ‘I think to have a sandwich and a beer before bed. Peut-être you join me?’
Surprised at the offer, Belinda nodded. ‘I’d love a sandwich and a glass of wine,’ she said and followed him into the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of wine and opened a beer for Alain while he buttered some bread and made some ham sandwiches. Minutes later, they were sitting companionably on the settee in front of the fire, which Alain brought back to life with a few small logs.
There was something different about Alain tonight, Belinda decided, trying to work out what it was. Sitting there with BB sprawled across his feet waiting for stray crumbs and the odd crust that Belinda realised Alain was feeding him, the man looked positively at home. Definitely more relaxed. Definitely friendlier. Definitely happier.
‘Nigel and I had a good discussion yesterday about the camp, about what needs doing for the season,’ she said. ‘We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead of us. I’ve come back with revised plans and a new budget. We’ll go through it together tomorrow. Nigel said the glamping pods were cancelled until next year and that you had suggested building a couple of tree houses?’ She looked at him questioningly.
‘Much more in keeping with a family-orientated site, don’t you think?’ Alain said.
‘They won’t bring in as much money as pods.’
‘It’s not all about the money though, is it?’ Alain asked quietly. ‘I know the site ’as to be profitable, but it needs a balance too. We’re in the ’eart of the countryside ’ere, people should be able to enjoy the things nature offers. Rather than a plastic bubble filled with luxuries.’
Belinda watched him as he drained his bottle of beer and replaced it on the table. Why was he so set on everything being as nature intended? This was the twenty-first century. They needed some technology to be available for campers.
‘It’s all coming together. Everything that needed painting and smartening up has been done. All the white goods ’ave arrived for the cabins, new furniture is on order and the grounds are looking spring-like. Bernie, he ’as been working hard with me on them,’ Alain said.
‘Do we have anybody staying on site at the moment?’ Belinda asked.
‘Six camper vans and one caravan.’
