Page 54 of A French Country Escape
‘Not as sorry as Rory will be,’ Lucas said, pulling out his phone and quickly pressing a number. A rapid-fire conversation in French followed. ‘Merci beaucoup, André.’
As the call ended, Peter looked at Lucas. ‘Friends in high places?’
Lucas grinned. ‘Not in very high places, just the local gendarmerie who are going to make a certain Englishman life a little difficult for the next few hours when they stop him on the autoroute.’
40
‘You didn’t tell me that Sasha came to see you about a box she found in the attic at your old cottage,’ Alice said, looking at Eliza.
‘I didn’t see the necessity of mentioning it. I told Sasha to either throw it away or put it back in the attic. I hope she did one of those things,’ Eliza said.
‘Sasha was worried about throwing it away unopened and asked Peter and Ingrid what they thought she should do, as it wasn’t truly her property to dispose of and she didn’t feel happy with the responsibility.’
‘If she doesn’t want to throw it away, she can simply put it back in the attic.’
‘Do you have any idea what’s in the box?’ Alice asked.
‘No. And I honestly don’t want to know or to see what it contains all these years later. I’m too old for it to make any difference to me now.’
Alice gave her grand-maman an exasperated look. ‘Anyway, when Sasha mentioned your unopened box to them, they agreed with her and so do I – the contents should be looked at before it’s thrown away. Just in case there is anything important in it. Soshe’s asked them and me to be with her when she opens the box. They would like you to be there too.’
‘Why would they want that?’
‘Because it’s your box. And as it’s come from anotaire, there could possibly be legal papers inside?’
Eliza shook her head. ‘I doubt that there will be anything like that in it. Thenotaireswould have contacted me when I didn’t reply if it was anything of significance. And they never did.’
Alice shrugged. ‘We have been invited to a champagne afternoon tea at the château in two days’ time, as a thank you for all your help with the curtains and serviettes for the orangery; and afterwards, the plan is to open the box and then you can decide to throw or not to throw the contents away.’
‘Thought I’d already decided that,’ Eliza muttered. ‘All this fuss over a box that I simply wanted thrown away. Well,youcan go, and tell me about it afterwards. The date they’ve suggested isn’t convenient. I already have a rendez-vous in the village.’ The look she gave Alice dared her to question that statement, even if she realised it was not true.
Late the next afternoon, Alice was in the kitchen with Peter going through the fete plans for Bastille Day when Penny walked into the kitchen. ‘How’s it all going?’ she asked.
‘Coming together well, thanks to Alice, who is an organizer par excellence,’ Peter said. ‘She’s a stickler for detail and making sure everything is covered.’
‘I’ve enjoyed it,’ Alice said. ‘Although it’s made me realise how much I miss organising events and that I’m going to have to start looking for another job soon. I can’t be a lady of leisure forever.’
‘Have you ever thought of going freelance?’ Penny asked.
‘Fleetingly. I could start small with just my laptop, but I’d really need a business address to look professional for the upmarket events and I don’t have the funds.’ Alice stood up. ‘Right, I think we’re finished here for now, so I’ll be off. See you soon.’
Penny followed Alice out. ‘I’m off toLa Maison du Jardinierfor another look around. Are you in a rush? Or would you like to see it too? Maybe even give me some ideas.’
‘Love too,’ Alice said, and the two of them strolled through the grounds towards the house. She glanced at Penny. ‘Lucas told me what happened when Rory turned up. Are you okay?’
Penny nodded. ‘Yes, thanks.’ She hesitated. ‘Your brother is something else. Did he tell you how he stood up to Rory?’
Alice nodded. ‘Your knight in shining armour, I gather?’
Penny laughed. ‘That’s one way of putting it. I feel guilty about his car though.’
Alice waved the comment away. ‘Superficial damage, nothing major.’
Just then Sasha, walking Mimi and Mitzi down to the stables, waved to them from the footpath.
‘Come and join us and have a look around my new home,’ Penny called.
‘I’d love to but better not,’ Sasha said. ‘I know the house is empty, but I wouldn’t want the pups to be naughty in there. Another time maybe?’
