Page 20 of A French Country Escape
Sasha closed the book. Time to go up to the château and see if Ingrid was back from the doctor’s, and to make up the bed for the guests.
Ingrid and Peter were in the kitchen when Sasha pushed open the back door which was, as usual, unlatched.
‘What did the doc say?’ Sasha asked.
‘Nothing broken, but bad sprains on both ankle and wrist,’ Ingrid replied. ‘I’m not to put any weight on the foot for at least a week and need to sit with it up on a stool. He’s given me a pair of crutches to use.’ Ingrid sighed. ‘Peter is making coffee, would you like one?’
Sasha shook her head. ‘Maybe when I’ve done the bed. Just the double to do in the one room?’
‘Please. I’d put all the bedding in there ready. It’s the first bedroom upstairs on the right. And if you could check the en suite, please.’
Sasha walked through the foyer of the château, giving Merlin a stroke as she passed, and climbed the marble stairs slowly. This place was just the right size, in her opinion. Grand, but nottoo grand. She’d love to stay here for a romantic weekend with someone special, it had such a lovely, intimate atmosphere.
The bedroom with its toile de Jouy curtains and bedspread, thick cream carpet, the oval antique gold-leaf mirror with its bevelling on the wall above the dressing table – it was a perfect room.
After she’d made up the bed and checked the en suite, Sasha returned downstairs. ‘It’s all looking lovely up there,’ she said to Ingrid. ‘Lucas has offered to take me to collect the puppies this afternoon. Can I still borrow the cage you mentioned please?’
‘Of course, it’s in the utility room.’ Ingrid pointed to a door at the end of the kitchen.
Sasha laughed when she opened the door. ‘Your utility room is bigger than my kitchen.’
‘What do you expect? This is a château you know,dahling, bigger and better,’ Ingrid said in a plummy voice, looking at Sasha before they both burst out laughing.
‘You sound like that character inAbsolutely Fabulous– you know, the ditzy one, Patsy. Thanks for this,’ Sasha said, finding the folded-up cage against the far wall. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow after the guests have arrived.’
Back at the cottage, Sasha opened up the cage, put some newspaper in the bottom of it, and left it outside the front door, ready for when Lucas arrived. She sent Freddie a text.
Not to worry, puppy collection has been sorted for this afternoon.
Lucas arrived promptly and within minutes, they were driving through the village and turning onto the farm track. Bruno had shut Meg, the mother, away in the farmhouse so she wouldn’t get distressed as the last of her puppies left home. The pups themselves were happily inquisitive, sniffing the air andmaking small squeaky, murmuring noises as Sasha carried one and Lucas the other out to the car and placed them in the cage.
Back at the cottage, Lucas carried the cage into the kitchen and carefully set it down on the floor and unhooked the side flap, while Sasha closed the kitchen door.
‘Cup of coffee?’ Sasha said.
‘Merci,’ Lucas replied. ‘It is strange being here with you in Grand-maman’s kitchen. It is different. There was a grand… I’m not sure what you call it in English. High with shelves and cupboards?’
‘Dresser. We call it a dresser. I’m hoping to get one,’ Sasha said, looking at him startled. ‘Eliza lived in this cottage?’
‘Oui, for many years. She and Grand-papa. Alice and I spent every summer here with them. Our parents—’ he paused ‘—they prefer to holiday without their children. No, that’s not fair. Since I grow up, I realise it was Dad who prefer to leave us here. And Mum accept it for an easy life. She always the one who came for our concerts, parent evenings and sports days.’ He gave Sasha a nonchalant shrug. ‘It was fine.Nous préférons– adore – the time here. We never tell them –peut-êtrethey stop us coming.’
Sasha shook her head as she handed him a coffee. ‘That is so sad your parents didn’t want to spend time with you. Make childhood holiday memories.’
‘They live in the US now. Mum come over when she can. Usually about three times a year. Dad less. Look, the puppies, they come out to explore.’
‘Does Eliza miss living here in the grounds of the château?’
‘Peut-êtreshe did first when she had to move out, but now with Grand-papa gone, I think she like village life. It is not so lonely. She see people every day.’
‘When I’ve finished decorating and have some more furniture, perhaps she’d like to come and see the place again?’
‘I bring her when you tell me. If you look for furniture next week, the village have its big annualvide-grenier– you would say car boot sale, I think. People come from all over to sell things. It take over the main street and most of the village. Lots of stuff offered – these days it more of abrocantethan a simplevide-grenier,with hundred of different things for sale. Furniture to baby clothes.’
‘I’ll pass on the baby clothes this time, but furniture, definitely have to take a look,’ Sasha said.
‘See you there then, if I don’t see you before. You meet Alice then too.’ Lucas gave each of the pups a final stroke and was gone.
Putting food in the bowls for the puppies, Sasha thought about what Lucas had said about his childhood. She and Freddie had enjoyed a far happier one than him it would seem, although having the château grounds to play in every summer must have been some consolation for him and his sister Alice, and Eliza presumably adored them both.
