Page 14 of A French Adventure
Maxine was standing by her car when Vivienne turned into the mews-like road L’Abri was situated in and a mere five minutes later they were on their way through Antibes, heading out into the back country.
Vivienne, watching the suburbs of Antibes blend into urban and then open countryside, gave a sigh.
Maxine glanced across at her. ‘You are okay?’
Vivienne smiled. ‘Yes, very happy actually. I’m in the South of France, the sky is an amazing blue, the sun is shining, the scenery is wonderful and I’m having a day off with a new friend,’ Vivienne answered. ‘It’s a day to forget my problems and enjoy.’
‘Sensible woman,’ Maxine said. ‘I do the same and we have fun. Valbonne is a lovely medieval village. You will like it, I think.’
Thirty minutes later, Maxine pulled into a car park and they made their way to the centre of the village.
‘You have seen the filmFrench Kiss?’ Maxine said. ‘It was very popular a few years ago.’
‘Yes. Natalie and I saw it together. We both loved it.’
‘This is the square where the fight between the brothers was filmed. We have lunch here at the restaurant,’ and Maxine pointed to the table and chairs with their parasols already open. ‘But first we shop. My friend Giselle she designs and makes the clothes. I think you will find something you like.’
Vivienne, walking alongside Maxine through a labyrinth of narrow streets, gazing at the artisan shops selling jewellery, paintings, clothes and local delicacies all jostling together in ancient buildings, longed to slow down and have a proper look. Maxine, though, was on a mission. She must have sensed Vivienne’s longing as she said, ‘After we buy your dress, we have lunch and then we will take a look at the shops. I take you to the English bookshop too if you like?’
‘Please,’ Vivienne said, briefly wondering if she would find any of her books there. If she did, she’d buy one to give to Maxine as a thank you for today.
Maxine finally stopped outside a tall narrow house, with its brightly painted red front door held open with a terracotta pot full of sunflowers and a short rail of dresses placed on the other side. ‘Voilà,’ and pushing aside the mosquito net curtain, she stepped inside.
Vivienne followed and found herself in a veritable Aladdin’s cave of feminine clothing.
After the obligatory hug and cheek kisses, Maxine pulled Vivienne forward to quickly introduce her, telling Giselle that Vivienne needed at least one party dress. Vivienne squirmed inwardly as Giselle looked her up and down before nodding thoughtfully.
Standing there with these two chic French women, Vivienne felt positively dowdy. What on earth was she doing here? She didn’t need a glamorous party dress. She was a middle-aged English woman with no real sense of style who was happy to dress comfortably and live a quiet life. Had she become boring?Happy to live in the world of the stories she wrote? Was that why Jeremy had looked elsewhere? Maybe. But she wasn’t going to take full responsibility for their current situation. She might have ignored the signs that their marriage was in trouble, but it was Jeremy who had decided to play away, when sitting down together and talking might have made all the difference. But today was not the day to think like that and Vivienne made a determined effort to push those thoughts away.
Giselle, moving across to a rail, asked, ‘Is there anything here that appeals? Any of these dresses would be perfect for summer parties. If you need something more formal, the outfit on that model would suit you,’ and she pointed to a sequinned off-the-shoulder evening dress on a nearby mannequin.
‘No, nothing as formal as that,’ Vivienne said hastily, moving across to the rail to have a closer look at the clothes hanging there. But it seemed she wasn’t allowed to browse for too long.
‘This would suit you,’ Maxine said, taking an ivory floral-print wrap midi dress with a V-neck and cap sleeves off the rail. ‘Go try,’ and she held it out Vivienne.
‘Here try it on with these sandals,’ Giselle said, handing her a pair before pulling a curtain aside and revealing a small changing room.
As she changed, Vivienne could hear Maxine and Giselle chatting quietly. Once she’d tied the wrap dress in place, she slipped her feet into the high-heeled sandals and glanced at herself in the mirror before pulling the curtain back. ‘I feel good in this, but is it glamorous enough for the party?’ she asked Maxine anxiously.
‘Yes, but try this one,’ Maxine said, handing her a green midi dress. ‘This is truly a party dress.’
Vivienne went to protest, but both Maxine and Giselle waved her into the cubicle. She looked at the green dress on its hanger – a Bardot neckline, with straps around the upper armfor sleeves, small red flowers scattered over the bodice and the hemline of the skirt which had a slight flare. This was so not her. She just knew that it was a waste of time trying it on.
Opening the curtain, she stepped out into the shop without even looking at the mirror in the changing room and was totally unprepared for both Giselle and Maxine’s reaction. ‘Now that is truly glamorous. I insist that is the one you buy.C’est parfait.’
Giselle nodded in agreement. ‘I think I design and make it knowing you would be coming to buy. It has your name written all over it.’
‘But I never wear green or anything with bare shoulders.’ Vivienne shook her head and caught a glimpse of herself in the shop mirror and stopped to take a proper look as the flared skirt swished around her legs. ‘And I’m too old for a dress like this.’ If Jeremy were here, he’d be shaking his head at the sheer folly of her even trying on such a dress at her age.
‘Nonsense,’ Maxine said sternly. ‘Me, I’m too old for it, but you are the perfect age for it.’
‘A dress like this is completely out of my comfort zone. I’m happiest in trousers, if I’m honest. What about a trouser suit?’
Wordlessly, Giselle walked over to a rail at the back of the shop and took a terracotta trouser suit off the rail. ‘Try it on. You could glam it up for Saturday night with some accessories. Down here, anything really goes for evening outdoor parties. It tends to be very relaxed.’
‘Thank you,’ Vivienne said, relieved that the discussion over the Bardot dress was over.
Back in the cubicle, she stood in front of the mirror and tried to look at herself and the dress dispassionately. It was a lovely dress; beautifully cut and made, it fitted her perfectly. She even liked the vibrant colour. The neckline was actually quite flattering, not as low-cut as she’d expected it to be. No cleavage on show. The straps around her arms were comfortable. WereMaxine and Giselle right when they said it was the perfect dress for her?
