Page 45 of A French Adventure
‘No, other than walking the dog.’ There was a short bark as Topsy appeared from under the table and stood looking at them expectantly. ‘I deliberately didn’t say her name, but she obviously knows the w word,’ Olivia laughed, giving her a stroke. ‘Later.’
‘How about you?’
‘I want to stay fairly local in case Maxine rings, so I’ll unpack my things, come with you on the w-a-l-k and then come back here and work on my laptop.’
‘I’ve got a small arrangement to do for a restaurant near the ramparts, so I’ll do that while you unpack and we can go that way and drop it off,’ Olivia said. ‘Give me half an hour.’
In Olivia’s guest bedroom, Thierry unpacked the few possessions he’d brought with him, wondering whether he was doing the right thing moving in with Olivia, even though it was on a temporary basis. It would be a sort of practice run of living together, which might persuade her to move to the farm when it was finally his. Something that he sincerely hoped would happen sooner rather than later. On the other hand, the next few days and nights might prove to be a total disaster.
Trent had phoned him last night offering him a room in the Monaco apartment for as long as he needed. Thierry had thanked him and said he was all sorted for a few nights, but had guiltily held back from telling him he was moving into his daughter’s guest bedroom.
But now everything was going ahead for him to buy the violet farm and outdoor centre, it made sense to stay local. Besides, staying here would also give him a great opportunity to bond with Topsy, as well as the chance to grow closer to Olivia. He wasn’t about to say no to either of those opportunities.
30
It was mid-morning before Leonie arrived at L’Abri. Maxine was so sure that she’d run away and wasn’t going to turn up that she was about to ring Thierry and ask him to come back when the doorbell buzzed. Taking a deep breath, willing herself not to say the wrong things, Maxine opened the door and smiled. ‘Good morning, Leonie. You’re here. I’m so relieved. I thought you might have changed your mind.’
Leonie shook her head. ‘No. I have questions that need answering, so I have to stay until we have talked.’
Maxine stifled a sigh as she heard the forceful tone in Leonie’s voice. Hopefully there would be some understanding absolution when they had talked and she’d heard Maxine’s side of their family story. ‘Come into the kitchen. I will make us a coffee and we can sit in the garden and talk. Leave your suitcase in the hall. We’ll take it up later to your room.’
‘Your stepson, I forget his name… he is not here?’
‘Thierry. No, he’s gone to stay with a friend. He wanted to give us space to get to know one another.’ As she made the coffee, Maxine said. ‘I wish you’d told me you were coming. I would have been better prepared.’
‘I didn’t want to tell you in case I changed my mind. Also, I wanted it to be a surprise for you. To catch you unexpectedly.’
‘You certainly did that,’ Maxine said. ‘Just so you know, for the future, I’m not a fan of surprises,’ she smiled at Leonie as she added, ‘However welcome they may turn out to be.’
Leonie gave an indifferent shrug. ‘Your husband, Thierry’s father, he was not here last night?’
‘Non. He died last year.’
‘Before my father then.’ There was a short silence before Leonie said, ‘Thierry lives with you?’
‘At the moment yes, but not all the time,’ Maxine said, trying not to let Leonie’s lack of a sympathetic response to her loss of Pierre bother her.
Taking their coffees out to the garden, they sat under the loggia in silence for a moment or two, Leonie looking around the garden and Maxine deep in her own thoughts. This daughter of hers was a strange mixture of confidence and uncertainty. It was hard to work out how best to respond to her. How best to draw her close again, push away the distance of the missing years?
‘I’ve never lived in a house with a garden,’ Leonie said. ‘This is beautiful. So peaceful.’
‘Thank you. I find spending an hour out here weeding or just sitting down by the pond very therapeutic at times. Tell me where you have lived?’ Maxine said.
‘India – although we were only there for six months when we first left, so I don’t remember much of that time, just that I cried a lot for a long time. Papa would get so cross with me. Then London for a little while. All over France for years and for the last six years, Paris.’
‘Pierre and I lived in the 7th Arrondissement until last year,’ Maxine said quietly.
‘You did? We could have passed each other any time.’
‘I thought that when I received your contact details.’
‘Would you have instinctively known me if we had?’ Leonie demanded.
‘Non, I have to say I don’t think I would. Maybe if we’d met and spoken, something would have aroused my maternal suspicions.’ Maxine glanced at her. ‘I never forgot you. There’s never been a day when I didn’t think of you. I have missed having you in my life so much.’
‘Papa always told me you didn’t have any maternal instincts,’ Leonie said, matter-of-factly.
‘He was very wrong. But then I don’t suppose you’d have recognised me as your mother either,’ Maxine said. ‘Excuse me for a moment. I need to fetch something.’
