Page 39 of A French Country Escape
Sasha took all her equipment up to the orangery. The wall had dried well and she measured out the size of the three panels she had planned for each of thetrompe l’œils, lightly pencilling in key features before starting to paint the first one.
Over the next day or two, Sasha slipped into a new routine. She took Mitzi and Mimi on her early morning walk to the village for breakfast croissants. She’d discovered there was a hitch ring in the wall by the boulangerie, and the two pups soon learnt to sit and stay quiet while she collected her baguette and croissants. Walking home down theroute de galopwith its dead end, she let the two of them off their leads and they had a chase and a play back and forth down the lane and by the time they were at the cottage, they were happy to flop on their bed and enjoy a chew.
Sasha was up at the orangery by nine o’clock and lost herself in her painting for the next hour or two. Penny had arrived just before noon the first day she was there, with a small stepladder and a tape measure.
‘I need to let Eliza know the measurements for the muslin curtains. She’s nearly finished making the serviettes. Oh, I like those,’ she’d said, spotting the birdcages.
‘Yes, I meant to ask you – can you add a reasonable-sized trailing ivy plant, an owl or some other bird, and a large church candle to your shopping list?’
‘Mum and I are going to Carrefour in Brest tomorrow for a big shop, so I’ll do my best. If not, a local Point Vert store should have something suitable. Must remember to get some fairy lights too.’
‘How are Ingrid’s ankle and wrist?’
‘Her ankle swelling has gone down, bruising is not quite so colourful, and she’s trying to use her crutches less. Her wrist, I’m not so sure about. She’s started to strap it up, which means it’s hurting.’
‘That’s not good,’ Sasha had said.
‘No,’ Penny had agreed with a sigh. ‘Right, I’m off to take these measurements to Eliza. The electrician might call by sometime to look at the ceiling light sockets. I found a couple of lovely chandeliers on eBay that look to be the perfect size for in here. Fingers crossed they arrive in time for the wedding.’
The days passed in a blur for Sasha, she was so busy. After working in the orangery for several hours and walking Mimi and Mitzi twice a day, she spent the evenings trying to sort out things at the cottage. Freddie was busy working all hours too and they didn’t see much of each other. He’d recently bought an oven and a microwave and was now more independent for food. Occasionally, Sasha heard him standing in the garden talking on his phone. As far as she knew, Maddie hadn’t been to the cottage.
With the weather seemingly settled into full-time summer mode with blue skies and sunshine, Sasha was determined to have the terrace looking good for all the al fresco lunches and suppers she was planning to have. Every evening after a shortpuppy walk and a quick supper, she was out in the garden wire-brushing the wrought-iron table and chairs before finally painting them white. As she painted, Sasha couldn’t stop her thoughts drifting to Jean-Paul. Life was definitely conspiring to make sure she did take things slowly with this new friendship, which was maybe for the best, but so frustrating. Once the wedding was over though, not only would dog training begin again, but she had their supper date to look forward to.
With just a week left before the wedding, Sasha finished the two endtrompe l’œilsand was hoping Penny would pop in and see them and tell her they were acceptable. She hadn’t seen Penny for a couple of days and guessed she was probably even busier than she was. Sasha stepped back and regarded the paintings critically. Framed like an open window, both were countryside scenes with trees and a cottage in the distance, a graceful willow tree by a lake and a hydrangea bush in full flower.
‘Wow, they look amazing,’ Penny said, coming in through the open French doors and appearing unexpectedly at her side.
‘You sure? I can always paint over them if you don’t think they’re very good.’
‘Sasha, they are great. I take it the third one is going to be different?’
Sasha nodded. ‘Yes. If you look closely, you’ll be able to make out the very light sketch of the key points.’
Penny stepped up close to the wall. ‘Oh, that is going to make so many people happy,’ she said. ‘I can’t wait to see it finished. We’ll have to have a glass of champagne to celebrate the orangery when it’s completed.’
‘I’m hoping to finish it at least a day or two before the wedding,’ Sasha said. ‘This third painting is going to be a little more difficult to get right than the other two, so fingers crossed it all goes to plan.’
‘I’m sure it will,’ Penny said. ‘I’ve brought the serviettes and the first three muslin curtains,’ and she indicated the things she was carrying. ‘Dad is coming over later to hang them. And the electrician has promised to show up within the next two days, which is cutting it a bit fine, I think.’ She shrugged. ‘I guess we were lucky to find an electrician at such short notice.’
‘If he lets you down, I’m sure Freddie could connect the chandeliers. He’s promised to put three hooks up for the birdcages.’
‘That will be plan B then,’ Penny said, smiling. ‘Right, better get back to the château. Stella is bringing the drinks this morning. See you later.’
Once Penny had left, Sasha began on the third painting and was soon lost in a world of her own.
Back in the château, as Penny chatted to Ingrid and checked through her to-do lists, they both heard a van pull up on the driveway. As Penny went out to see who it was, the driver jumped out and opened the back.
‘Stella asked me to drop this lot off,’ he said. ‘Any chance of a hand unloading?’
Penny looked at the bottles of red and white wine, spirits, several cases of mixer drinks and beer, and wondered if Stella had misread the amounts she’d suggested. Penny quickly messaged Peter, whom she knew was working with Freddie somewhere on the estate.
Could do with some manpower to unload Stella’s drinks!
The reply came back instantly.
On our way!
As Peter and Freddie started to help the driver, Penny’s phone rang.
