Page 49 of A French Affair
‘Good. Now, have you thought any more about Belinda’s job offer?’
‘Making cakes and desserts for the campsite? I have to admit it’s the kind of thing I’d have jumped at years ago. I was surprised when Belinda suggested it though.’
‘I think you should take her up on the offer. It would keep you busy.’
‘I’ll definitely think about it,’ Fern said. ‘I do like that sort of cooking. In fact, I made a tiramisu this afternoon, just to take my mind off things.’
‘In that case I suggest I ask for the bill and we go home and sample it. Did I tell you I put a bottle of champagne in the fridge earlier?’
‘No you didn’t,’ Fern said, laughing. ‘Is that why you barely touched your aperitif and why I was the only one to have wine with our meal? You were saving yourself for later.’
‘That and the fact I never drink and drive. Come on. You can show me the way to go home.’
Fern laughed.
‘What’s so funny?’
‘That reminded me of the old song my dad used to sing when he came home from the pub after too many beers.’
‘I wonder if it’s the same one I know? You can sing it for me in the car,’ Scott said.
Once in the car, after Fern had given him the scenic-route directions and they were driving homewards, Scott glanced at her and started to hum the tune. Within minutes they were both laughing as Scott sang an American parody of the song, while Fern tried to stick to the words she knew.
Half an hour later, after creeping into the house so as not to disturb Anouk, they were sitting on the auberge terrace, glasses of champagne on the table, two spoons and a dish of tiramisu between them. As she shared the dessert with Scott, Fern knew that the sense of connection between the two of them had deepened. It was a connection that she was beginning to want more from. Having agreed to wait for him she could only hope that Scott would fulfil his promise to return when he had sorted things in America.
33
Anouk was in the conservatory as Fern had said she would be. Belinda, about to call out ‘Hello’, stopped. The old lady was sat there, her eyes closed and her breathing slow, facing out over the garden. Belinda hesitated for a moment. As much as she longed to hear the truth about her parents, she didn’t want to upset Anouk by asking her to drag up memories from the past. She would have been newly married in the late fifties, talking about those times would surely remind her of her husband and her life then. Belinda could only pray that Anouk’s personal memories would be good ones because now she knew Anouk could tell her things about her parents, there was no way she couldn’t ask the questions that she desperately needed the answers to.
‘Anouk, I’m here,’ Belinda said softly, walking into the conservatory. ‘How are you this evening?’
‘Bonsoir,’ Anouk said, opening her eyes and smiling at Belinda. ‘Come and sit down. Fern has left us some nibbles and some wine in the kitchen. Do you want to fetch it or save it for later?’
‘Later,’ Belinda said. ‘I might need a drink after you’ve told me the truth about what you called the Belrose scandal.’
‘I will tell you what I know but you must remember times were different back then.’
Anouk regarded her shrewdly. ‘Do you really know rien – nothing – about your parents’ break-up?’
Belinda shook her head. ‘Nothing. Mum would never talk to me about it and I never got the chance to ask Dad. Mum died three years ago, but it was only recently that I finally went through the last of her papers. When she was dying, she said sorry and told me to visit and lay the ghosts to rest. I had no idea what ghosts she was talking about.’ Belinda rubbed her face distractedly. ‘It was the final box of papers that really made me realise there were things I did not know about. There were certain things missing that should have been there. Like a marriage certificate and divorce papers.’
Anouk nodded and sighed. ‘I went to your father’s wedding, you know.’
‘You did? So they were married, even though I didn’t find a marriage certificate.’ Belinda’s voice died away as Anouk shook her head.
‘Not his wedding to your mother – Jean, wasn’t it?’
Belinda nodded miserably.
‘This was his first marriage. Helena Colbert was a local girl, in fact she’s a distant relation of mine through my father’s family. Younger than me, but we’d see each other at family get-togethers. Enzo and Helena grew up together and from an early age it was understood by everyone that they would end up marrying each other.’ Anouk sighed. ‘They were both so young, still teenagers. It was a beautiful day, Helena looked like a picture-book bride and Enzo couldn’t take his eyes off her. Three months later, Helena was pregnant.’
Belinda caught her breath. Did that mean she had a sibling, or even siblings, somewhere?
‘The two of them were apparently giddy with excitement at the thought of being a family. Sadly, the child was stillborn.’ Anouk paused for a few seconds. ‘And the bubble that ’ad encased their love and their lives burst. Helena went to pieces and then one day she just disappeared. No one heard anything about her for years. Her parents were devastated. Blamed Enzo, of course. They died still not knowing where Helena was.’
‘That must have been very difficult for them,’ Belinda said, trying to get her head around everything Anouk was telling her.
Anouk nodded. ‘Enzo too was beside ’imself. His parents were good to him though and understood when he said he ’ad to get away. It was nearly six years before he came back, with a woman we all assumed was his new wife and you.’
