Page 63 of Summer at the Château
Brigitte took charge, deciding that lunch would be in one of the town’s hotels that had a dining room overlooking the sea. ‘It won’t be quite so touristy as the restaurants on the harbour.’
Pixie, still digesting the things she had learnt about Augustus in the past half-hour and wondering what effect the reunion would have on Gwen, was happy to have the decision made for her. Sitting there as the waiter placed the obligatory bread basket on the table, followed by their aperitifs, Pixie hoped her mum’s meeting with Augustus was panning out the way she expected. A rueful smile touched her lips.
‘A centime for them?’ Brigitte offered. ‘You think about Gwen?’
‘Yes, but also about how life changes and careers off in unexpected directions. Wasn’t it John Lennon who said, life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans?’
The waiter arrived with their main course as she finished speaking, placing a plat du jour of sole meunière in front of them both. The two of them concentrated on their food for several moments before Pixie looked up and glanced at her friend.
‘Brigitte,’ she hesitated. ‘I do understand how you came to sleep with Frank all those years ago and I’m sorry it changed your life so dramatically and I lost your friendship. But thank you for keeping the baby and allowing her to grow up into being Justine. You and William between you have raised a beautiful woman.’
‘William adores her, he’s always regarded her as his own daughter. We did plan on ‘aving a baby together, but sadly les oeufs were past their use-by date,’ Brigitte shrugged. ‘C’est la vie. Incidentally, has Justine ever told you her second name?’
Pixie shook her head. ‘No, why should she?’
‘It’s Francesca. The nearest I could get to a female version of Frank.’ It was Brigitte’s turn to hesitate. ‘So, we can be friends again, yes?’
Pixie gave her a quizzical look. ‘You think I can be friends again with the woman who slept with my husband?’
Brigitte pulled a face. ‘It was a long time ago and only the once. I ’ave apologised. We move on, yes, for the sake of Justine and Ferdie and in Frank’s memory? You know you were the only woman for ’im. What else can I do apart from repeating je suis désolé, je suis désolé over and over?’
‘Sackcloth and ashes come to mind,’ Pixie said.
Startled, Brigitte looked at her and registered the half-smile. ‘Phat – you English and your sense of humour.’
‘Tch, you French with your laissez-faire attitude to sex,’ Pixie retorted before relenting and smiling at her. ‘Yes, we can be friends again. Because in truth I can’t thank you enough for bringing Justine into the world.’
Brigitte gave a relieved sigh. ‘Good. Next time we come, I sleep in the château – the bed in Justine’s spare room is very uncomfortable.’
Pixie laughed. ‘Yes, you can sleep in any bedroom you choose.’ Pixie took a drink of her wine before looking at Brigitte. ‘After Frank died, I was in the depths of despair, wondering how I was going to survive without him. I still miss him, but his unexpected legacy of a stepdaughter and a grandson has given me the family we always wanted. And a reason to carry on,’ she added quietly.
‘And you ’ave me back in your life, that is good too, no?’ Brigitte said. ‘We ’ave good times together again.’
* * *
After lunch, they lingered over coffee on the hotel’s terrace and it was gone three o’clock when they made their way to Augustus’s cottage.
Brigitte pushed open the door and walked straight in, calling out as she did so. ‘Augustus, it’s me and I’ve brought Gwen’s daughter to meet you.’
Pixie, following behind, caught her breath as she saw Gwen standing next to Augustus, with happiness clearly shining from her face. The two of them might have been apart for over sixty years, but standing there together they were a true couple. Pixie sensed that in this moment Gwen was the perfect example of the old French sayingBien dans sa peau– she was truly happy in her skin.
41
It was early evening when they arrived back at the château. Charlie was in the kitchen prepping vegetables for their evening meal with Trouble curled up in the basket with Milly and Molly.
‘All well, Grandma?’ Charlie asked, looking at Gwen, and receiving a beaming smile.
‘Oh yes. Everything is coming up roses, as they used to say. Do they still say that?’ She turned to look at Pixie and back to Charlie, who looked nonplussed. ‘Well, I’m saying it again: everything is coming up roses.’
Charlie laughed and mouthed, ‘What is she on?’ to Pixie. ‘That’s good. I’ve got dinner organised for eight o’clock. William has taken Justine and Ferdie swimming at the Aqua Parc in Carhaix. They’ll be back soon.’
‘I’m going to have a lovely soak in the bath in that case,’ Brigitte said. ‘I’ll see you all at dinner,’ and she disappeared over to the cottage.
‘Pixie and I are going to have a talk in the sitting room,’ Gwen announced. ‘I promised Augustus I would do what I should have done years ago.’
‘We could have talked in the car on the way back,’ Pixie protested.
‘This is family stuff that I need to tell you. I didn’t want to spring it on you in front of Brigitte.’
