Page 59 of Summer on the French Riviera
The two of them moved towards her and as Gabby put an arm around each of them, they put their arms around her and each other. Gabby sighed happily. A proper family group hug.
‘To be standing here in the garden of Villa l’Espoir with my daughter and my granddaughter, waiting to celebrate my engagement, is something beyond my wildest dreams,’ she said, her voice trembling. ‘I am so happy to have you both in my life,’ and she planted a kiss on Harriet’s forehead before doing the same to Elodie.
As they moved apart, the ring on her hand flashed in the last rays of sunlight. Harriet caught hold of the hand and held it.
‘That is one beautiful ring, Mum.’ A two-stone diamond twist ring with smaller diamonds set in the platinum twist, it was stunning in its design.
Gabby bit her lip. ‘It is, isn’t it? I didn’t want a modern ring and we both loved this vintage one the moment we saw it. And the fact that the provenance describes it as Art Deco makes it perfect in the circumstances, don’t you think?’
‘Definitely,’ Harriet said.
‘It’s beautiful. I’ll open a bottle of champagne and we can have a private toast before everyone gets here,’ Elodie said, and went to fetch a bottle from the kitchen. ‘I’ve brought one of the cave bottles seeing as how they’re vintage too,’ she remarked as she carefully placed a cloth over the top of the cork and began to twist and manoeuvre it out of the bottle. A tight fit, it was a minute before she’d finally released it with a satisfying ‘pop’ and began to pour them a glass each.
Their three glasses clinked together.
‘Congratulations to you,’ Elodie and Harriet said before they all took a sip. There was silence as they looked at each other.
Harriet was the first to speak. ‘I have never tasted champagne like that before. It’s wonderful.’
‘Let’s hope the remaining bottles are as good,’ Gabby said, laughing.
The gate buzzer sounded at the moment.
‘Party time,’ said Elodie. ‘I’ll go and let people in.’
Philippe, Mickaël, Jessica and Gazz all arrived together, followed within minutes by Jack and Martha. By the time Hugo, Colette and Lianna arrived, the second bottle of champagne had been opened.
Elodie was at the table picking up a plate of savoury tartlets to hand around, when Harriet whispered in her ear, ‘We forgot something.’
‘What?’
‘We need someone to do the toast to the happy couple.’
‘Oh, you can do that,’ Elodie said.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to?’
Elodie shook her head. ‘I don’t mind doing it, but I think you’re the person who should do it. In about ten minutes I think would be perfect timing.’
‘Okay.’ Harriet picked up the champagne bottle and went round topping everyone up ready for the toast. Once she was sure everyone had some in their glass, she clapped her hands.
‘Toast time. I’d just like to say how happy we are for you as we celebrate your engagement with you. Mum, I’d like to personally say how happy I am that you have found someone to love and who clearly loves you back. Please raise your glasses to Gabriella and Philippe. Congratulations.’
‘Your turn, Papa. Speech. Speech,’ Mickaël called.
Philippe, standing next to Gabby, took hold of her hand. ‘Merci, everyone, for coming to celebrate with us tonight. And merci to Harriet and Elodie for organising everything. Both Gabriella and I feel incredibly lucky to have met each other at this stage of our lives, but when thatcoup de coeurhits there is no escape, however old you are. Some of you have asked when is the wedding. Well, it is already booked for three o’clock the thirty-first of December - New Year’s Eve and Gabriella’s birthday. Which gives me just one date to remember for both importantanniversaires. You are all, of course, invited. Thank you.’
As the evening grew darker and the moon became a round ball of silver up in the sky, and the solar lights were lighting up the garden, Harriet moved towards the open doors of the veranda. Time for some music. She’d set up the laptop earlier and now she pressed the button for the playlist she’d chosen. She’d deliberately chosen some Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra tracks, knowing that Gabby liked that kind of easy music. As Ella’s voice singing ‘Begin the Beguine’ drifted on the evening air, she watched Gabby slip into Philippe’s arms and the two of them swayed together.
‘Now, that is a good idea,’ a voice alongside her said, and before she realised what was happening, Jack’s arms were around her and they too were moving together to the music. Knowing it was useless to protest, and not wanting to either, Harriet gave in and stayed willingly in Jack’s arms.
Elodie, dancing with Gazz down by the pool, glanced up and saw her parents in each other’s arms. Was the undreamed of actually going to happen? Was she finally, at nearly twenty-five years of age, going to have a proper set of parents?
When she looked again a few moments later as the music changed, the two of them had drawn apart and were simply standing there looking at each other before they turned and walked hand in hand back to the party.
Colette and Lianna were the first to say goodbye to Gabby and the others at eleven o’clock. As Harriet saw them out and went to close the gate behind them, Hugo appeared at her side.
‘Time for me to leave. Thanks for a lovely evening,’ he said. ‘Gabby and Philippe make a great couple. And you were right, Martha is a lovely woman.’
