Page 40 of A French Adventure
Vivienne smothered a sigh. ‘What now?’
‘Sadie says she can’t get through to you.’
‘That would be because I’ve blocked her.’
‘But she’s desperate to talk to you.’
‘Does she really expect me to talk to her after what she’s done?’
‘But this is business. She’s had a film company contact her. There could be quite a large sum involved, which would be good for both of you. She wants to provisionally accept on your behalf.’
Silently, Vivienne absorbed his words and thought about her reply for several seconds. There was no way she was going to be responsible for putting any extra money into Sadie Murphy’s bank account even if it meant none going into her own.
‘You still there?’ Jeremy demanded.
‘Yes, I’m still here. I’ll discuss it with Sadie when I get back,’ Vivienne said.
‘But that could be too late.’
‘I’ll take that chance. Now I’m busy, I have to go,’ and she ended the call.
The next week flew by for Vivienne. The writing was going well and she’d soon have a first draft finished, ready to show to her agent. That thought brought her up short. She certainly wasn’t going to show it to Sadie, but, in truth, she didn’t quite know what to do with it. When she got home, she’d ask the Society of Authors for advice and try somehow to sever all professional contact with her. Surely sleeping with one of your clients’ husbands and having his baby was a severe case of professional misconduct? On the other hand, maybe not in this day and age.
Maxine rang one morning to say she had the keys for the house she’d mentioned the other week and when would she like to view it? ‘Now’ was Vivienne’s instant response.
Maxine laughed. ‘D’accord. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.’
On the drive out to Valbonne, Maxine explained that the villa was basically in good condition – ‘It’s got a good roof and everything structural is fine’ – but after being rented out for ten years, certain things needed modernising and it would need decorating throughout.
When Maxine buzzed open the electric gates of the community with a remote from the villa key ring, they drove slowly in and along the road, past immaculate terracotta red-roofed villas with weed-free front gardens and beautiful roses that wouldn’t dare drop a petal. Maxine pulled up in front of a sprawling villa built on three different levels, with windows of different shapes and sizes peering through the rampant orange bougainvillea covering the honey-coloured stones.
‘It’s one of the older villas in the community,’ Maxine said. ‘But I honestly think it’s one of the prettiest, don’t you?’
Vivienne nodded. She couldn’t speak as she gazed at the villa. If anyone had asked her to describe her idea of a perfect house, this would be it. And she hadn’t even been inside yet. She pulled out her phone and took a photo.
‘Are you sure this is within the price range I gave you?’ she said quietly. ‘I couldn’t bear not to be able to afford this. It’s wonderful.’
‘It’s definitely within your price range,’ Maxine said. ‘Come on, let’s go inside.’
Inside, as Maxine had warned her, was showing signs of wear and tear, but as Vivienne wandered through the empty rooms, she could visualise the walls repainted, the floor tiles cleaned and polished, shiny windows letting the sunshine in and the rooms filled with rugs and furniture. There was even a bookshelf-lined room that would make a perfect study. A conservatory at the back opened onto a terrace and a swimmingpool filled with inviting blue water. A summer kitchen was in one corner and a wicker chaise longue was under a vine-covered pergola in another corner.
Vivienne imagined the parties she could have here, the family visits that would happen, the morning swims she’d take in the pool.
Maxine nudged her. ‘I think you have what we French call thecoup de foudre. You’ve fallen in love with this house.’
‘Yes I have. I’m definitely going to buy it.’ Vivienne turned to Maxine. ‘Even if I have to mortgage myself up to the hilt.’
‘Come on. I’m going to treat you to lunch in the village as a thank you.’
A couple of hours later when Maxine dropped her off back in Antibes, Vivienne ran up the stairs and into the apartment, feeling happier than she had for years. On the way home, she’d asked Maxine to contact the owners of the villa and begin the negotiating process, although Vivienne had also told her she would happily pay the asking price. When her phone rang, she automatically glanced at caller ID. Jeremy. She hesitated before answering it, but not even Jeremy could dispel her happiness this afternoon, so she answered.
‘Hi, Jeremy.’
Vivienne’s happy mood vanished in a flash as Sadie’s voice purred in her ear, ‘Hello, Viv. We really need to talk. It’s important.’
Without saying a word, Vivienne pressed the off button.
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