Page 31 of Summer at the Château
Seeing Gwen walking up from the lake hand in hand with Ferdie, and chatting away to Justine, she decided now was as good a time as any to put her plan into action.
‘Anyone for pizza?’ she called.
She saw Justine give a shake of her head as Ferdie yelled, ‘Me’ and grab him by the hand before he could run up.
Pixie turned in disappointment and went into the kitchen as the timer buzzed. Clearly it was going to take time and patience to get Justine to trust her.
Gwen was sitting on the terrace pouring wine into the glasses when she took the pizza out.
‘Justine said thanks for the offer, but she’d already got supper waiting for them in the cottage.’
‘I’m sure she has. The pizza’s not big enough for four really so probably a good thing,’ Pixie said. ‘I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier about using the new room, making the best of things for the summer we’re here.’
‘And?’ Gwen’s voice was hopeful.
‘Furnishing my new writing room isn’t really a practical idea, but I’m going to buy a barbecue and one of those pizza ovens in the garden centre. They can stay as part of the fixtures and fittings when I sell. With the family coming soon, I think they’ll be well used. Good idea?’ Pixie looked at Gwen, a bright smile on her face hiding her inner thoughts. As much as she wanted to use the writing room, she was starting to realise it was going to be a big enough wrench leaving the château at the end of summer without adding a perfect writing room into the frame.
22
Trying to get a fractious Ferdie to eat his sausages after hearing the magic word ‘pizza’ being offered by Pixie was difficult and Justine was fast losing patience with him. It didn’t help that she felt bad about saying no and she definitely didn’t need him crying and calling her a meanie. Her immediate reaction to Pixie’s unexpected invitation had been a definite, No. The last thing she wanted to do was to eat with Pixie and her mother. As much as she liked the older woman, Pixie made her feel uncomfortable and guilty, but she hadn’t stopped to give any thought to Ferdie’s love of pizza. Why had Pixie issued the sudden invitation to them anyway – was she developing a conscience about turning them out of the cottage?
‘Come on, Ferdie, eat your sausages. They’re your favourite.’
‘Not. Pizza favourite.’
‘If you eat your sausages, we’ll have pizza at the weekend.’ Justine knew she was resorting to bribery. ‘If not, well, I don’t know when we’ll have pizza again. And there is also the fact, of course, that if you don’t eat them, you will go to bed with a rumbling tummy, because there is nothing else to eat.’
Justine’s mobile rang at that moment and she picked it up, glancing at caller ID as she did so. Her mother. Tempted as she was not to answer right away, she knew she had no choice. Her mother would ring every five minutes until she answered.
‘Salut, Maman,’ Justine said, automatically slipping into French. ‘How’s things with you and Dad?’ She wandered away from the table, leaving Ferdie to eat, or not eat, while she talked to Brigitte. She didn’t want him whining to ‘Gangan’ about not being allowed to eat pizza with Mrs Sampson.
‘All good. Your favourite uncle is here with us at the moment. He sends his love.’
‘Give him mine,’ Justine said. Her uncle and godfather was a special man and she was sorry she didn’t get to see him as often as she, and he, would have liked. ‘We’ll have to have a catch-up soon.’
‘He’s on the move again. Talking of coming back to Brittany, so if you’re still in the château when that happens, you’ll be able to. Now, why don’t you come up here and see us soon? If not soon, how about planning a visit for for Ferdie’s birthday?’
Justine bit her lip. She’d left herself wide open there. She laughed. ‘I expect Ferdie will want his best friend, Lola, to come to tea. Besides, it’s not long since I came back from you.’
‘What’s that got to do with anything? You know you’re welcome any time. For a holiday – or longer. I still think it would be better for you to come back ’ere and live. You being so far away is ridiculous.’
Justine smothered a sigh. Living near her parents would make life easier on so many counts but harder in other ways. Her mum, with the best intentions in the world, wouldn’t be able to stop making suggestions and interfering. ‘Well, I can’t come at the moment. I’m busy making baskets and getting ready for the morning markets.’
Her mother gave an exasperated ‘Tch,’ before saying, ‘What’s happening with the château now that Frank is no longer with us?’
‘No idea,’ Justine lied. She hadn’t told Brigitte about Pixie and Gwen being at the château for the summer and didn’t intend to now. Or the fact that she had to move out of the cottage. She knew how her mother would react. Better to tell her afterwards when she’d found somewhere else to live – or needed to move back home like her mum wanted. ‘I expect I’ll hear something soon. Either from his wife or the notaire.’
There was silence at the other end of the phone.
‘Anyway, Mum, we’re just having tea, so I’ll love you and leave you. Love to Dad. Talk soon.’ And Justine ended the call before Ferdie could demand to ‘talk to Gangan’.
Talking to her mum had brought back the disappointing reception she’d got from the four letting agencies she’d been in touch with. Without exception they all told her that there was no chance of finding anywhere before summer was over. Every available property was being rented out as a holiday let. The advice had been to come back in September when there would be winter lets available from October. Justine needed to be moved and settled by September, ready for Ferdie’s new term, besides which a winter let was no good. She didn’t want to have to move again in the spring. The alternative was to find a private rental. Perhaps Carole would know of something or somebody who could help. Next time they met up she’d ask her.
* * *
The visitors’ car park at Camping dans La Forêt was busy on Sunday when Pixie and Gwen arrived at midday. Walking through the campsite, following vide-grenier signs pinned to trees and fixed to posts, Gwen commented on how inviting it all looked.
‘I’ve never fancied camping in a tent, but these chalets look really cosy. Well-spaced too. I wouldn’t mind staying in one of those.’
