Page 42 of Summer at the Château
‘No, I wanted to spend some time with you,’ Charlie said. ‘And ask you something.’
Justine smiled and bit into her pizza slice, conscious that Gwen and Anouk were sitting close enough to hear the conversation.
‘Would you let me take Ferdie and you to the coast one weekend?’
‘Ferdie would love that, but you don’t have a car. We could go in mine if you like,’ Justine said, wondering where her resolve not to get close to Charlie had gone.
‘Pixie will probably lend me hers. Next Sunday then?’ When Justine nodded, Charlie said, ‘It’s a date then.’
‘A date? You go, girl,’ Gwen said, looking at Justine.
Justine laughed. ‘See what you’ve done. Now everyone will be thinking you’ve asked me out, when really it’s a treat for Ferdie.’
Charlie shrugged philosophically. ‘They can think what they like. I know it’s because I want to spend time with you both.’
It was eleven o’clock when Justine said she was ready to go home and asked Charlie to carry Ferdie over to the cottage for her. Together they crept into the bedroom, where Mimi was sleeping peacefully on her side with a thumb in her mouth, while Ferdie was spreadeagled across the bed clutching one of the soft toys.
Charlie bent over the sleeping boy, whispering reassurance, as he gently scooped him up and carefully began to carry him downstairs, out of the château and back to the cottage. Justine had left the lights on and quickly opened the door and showed Charlie upstairs to Ferdie’s bedroom, where Charlie gently laid the boy on his bed, still clutching the toy.
‘Night night, Charlie,’ Ferdie muttered sleepily.
‘Night, Ferdie.’
‘Too late for a coffee?’ Charlie asked when they were back downstairs, standing in the sitting room looking at each other.
’Much too late. Thank you for carrying Ferdie across,’ Justine said, opening the front door. ‘See you in the morning.’ No way was she encouraging Charlie to stay any longer. The champagne had already weakened her resolve not to get too close to him. She wasn’t going to risk letting her guard down any further and she closed the door.
As Charlie wandered back, deep in thought, to join everyone, Gus fell into step beside him.
‘You arrived here early, Pixie tells me you’re staying for the summer – is there something you’d like to tell me?’
Charlie took a deep breath and decided to come clean with his father. ‘I was “let go” as they say, from the agency a few weeks ago.’
‘It happens. You’ve been there long enough to receive a reasonable cheque. So, what next? Any plans?’
‘Nothing concrete, but I definitely want a new direction.’ Charlie hesitated. ‘I’m thinking of catering, as in cooking for a living,’ he added, making sure his dad understood.
‘Well, you are a good cook, you’ve proved that this week – reckon you’re Michelin star material?’
Charlie laughed. ‘I knew that’s how you would react! Dad, I don’t want to do that kind of cooking. I want to cook food like I’ve done this week. Maybe open a small restaurant or bistro. I just have to figure out the where and the why fors. That’s why I’m taking summer off. To make proper plans.’
Gus nodded thoughtfully. ‘Right. When you’ve decided, let me know if I can help in any way.’
‘Thanks Dad, appreciate that.’ And with that the two of them arrived back on the terrace.
* * *
Shortly after Justine had left, Jean-Yves made his way across to Pixie. ‘Marien has made a new friend I think with your niece,’ and he glanced across to where Annabelle and Marien were busy chatting away. ‘It is a pity the holiday finishes tomorrow. I think also the two little ones would have played together well.’
Pixie was about to say, ‘Yes, next time I must get them together’, but then remembered there wouldn’t be a next time and smiled sadly. Next year Mimi would be taken on holiday somewhere else.
‘I would be very happy, Pixie, if you would have dinner with me one evening next week?’ Jean-Yves’ voice pulled her back to the present.
Surprised at the invitation, Pixie looked at him before smiling. ‘Thank you, I would like that very much.’
‘I will ring you. Now, I must collect Marien and get her home.’
Fern, Scott and Anouk left at the same time, together with Belinda and Alain, and the family set about clearing up the party debris. Gus and Annabelle went round turning off all the outside lights, while Sarah and Gwen tackled some of the washing up, but at Pixie’s insistence stacked the rest in the kitchen to be dealt with in the morning. ‘You’ve all got a long day tomorrow, you need to get some sleep.’
