Page 39 of A French Inheritance
When they got back to the cottage, Elliot fetched the sack of dog food from the car and suggested the correct amount for Meg and after he’d left, Briony fed her. Early evening and she was curled up in her dog basket sleeping the excitement of the day off, whilst Briony ate her own supper.
Briony’s mobile buzzed. ‘Hi, Mum. How’s things?’
‘Gerry is catching the ferry tonight as planned,’ Jeannie said. ‘He should be with you sometime early next week. He’s going to text you the night before.’
‘Great,’ Briony said. ‘How did the house viewings go? Any interest?’
‘I’ve accepted an offer from a young couple.’
‘Gosh, that was quick,’ Briony said. ‘Brilliant. So you’ll definitely be back down for Easter? I’ve bought a car, so let me know your flight details and I’ll be there to meet you.’
Jeannie sighed. ‘That’s turned into a bit of a problem. Everyone seems to be jetting away to the South of France for Easter – most flights are full. But I’ve found a late-night one. So I’m going to book a taxi rather than drag you out at that time of night. Or I might ask Yannick. He has offered.’
‘I really don’t mind meeting you whatever time you land. Let me know what you decide,’ Briony said. ‘Just looking forward to having you back here.’
‘I’m looking forward to being there too. How are things down there?’ Jeannie asked. ‘What sort of car did you buy?’
‘It’s a Renault Kangoo. Quite old and looks more like a van with windows than a car, but it’s been well looked after. I’ve got lots to tell you when you get here. It’s better to do it face to face,’ Briony said. ‘There is one other thing I have to tell you now – and I hope you’re okay about it. I – we – as of tonight, now have a dog. A spaniel called Meg. Hang on, I’ll send you a photo. She’s gorgeous. You’re going to love her too.’ Briony quickly took a photo of Meg in her basket and sent it to her mum. ‘Elliot turned up with her tonight needing a new home and I knew instantly I was going to have her.’
‘Ah, she looks at home already,’ Jeannie said. ‘I can’t wait to meet her.’
‘Also, before I forget to tell you, one of the best things is, I’ve heard the owls,’ Briony said. ‘I think they are still nesting in the tree.’
* * *
Jeannie finished the call wondering what Briony hadn’t wanted to tell her over the phone. She’d sounded upbeat, though, especially when she mentioned having a dog, so she’d take her word for it that everything was good and not worry. Now she had one more phone call to make. She opened WhatsApp and pressed his name. Yann answered within two rings.
‘I hope you were serious about meeting my flight whatever time it was because I’ve finally managed to get a seat on the last flight to Nice the Thursday before Good Friday. Due to land at eleven ten. Briony said she’d meet me at whatever time I land, but I really don’t like the thought of her out driving alone at that time of night, so I said I was going to ask you, but I can always get a taxi rather than drag you out if you’d rather not. I don’t want to be a nuisance.’
‘Jeannie, you will never be a nuisance to me. Like you worry about Briony being out alone at night, I’d worry about you in the same situation. I’ll be there at whatever time you land,’ Yann promised.
‘Thank you,’ Jeannie smiled, knowing he would be.
‘There is something I need to tell you when you’re here. Something we will have to discuss.’
‘Tell me now?’
‘Non.I wait until you’re here. It is something good, so do not worry.’
‘Okay. See you soon,’ she said, ending the call. It was a wonderful feeling having someone in her life again who truly cared about her and wanted to protect her. She had no idea how Briony was going to react to her news. News that she too thought would be better told face to face rather than over the phone. She couldn’t deny, though, that she was looking forward to telling Briony about her feelings for Yann and explaining how happy she was to explore this unexpected development in her own life.
29
Friday morning when Briony woke she found Meg curled up on the bed beside her. ‘What are you doing up here?’ she said. Two big brown eyes regarded her sorrowfully, while a tail began to rhythmically thump the bed. ‘You know the number one rule is no dogs on beds. You’re supposed to be in your basket in the kitchen. But I like your company, so we’ll ignore that rule.’
She stayed there for several moments fussing Meg before getting up and pulling on some clothes to let the dog out into the garden. After breakfast and a shower, she’d walk up to the farm and introduce Meg to Lucy, Adam and Django before settling down to do some more box-checking and organising as well as trying to finalise a business plan.
Briony clipped the long lead onto Meg’s collar and went up through the fields, letting Meg stop and sniff and familiarise herself with her new surroundings. Up at the farmhouse, she knocked on the kitchen door and called out. ‘Okay to bring my new dog in?’
‘Of course, we’re looking forward to meeting her,’ Lucy said. ‘Elliot told us last night you were giving this beautiful girl a new home,’ and she immediately bent down, stroking Meg. Luna and Django wandered over and Meg stood patiently, her tail wagging.
Adam looked up briefly from his laptop. ‘Morning and hello Meg,’ he said before returning his attention to the screen with a groan. ‘I sincerely hope they’ve got this long-term forecast of a late frost warning for Easter wrong,’ he said. ‘The leaves on the vines have unfurled beautifully and the buds are starting. The avocados too are showing new leaf growth. Frost is the last thing we need. Bruno tells me a late spring frost in April 2017 was the worst in France for over twenty-five years. Down here the damage was bad enough, but it caused absolute devastation further upcountry.’
‘Is there anything we can do to protect the vines?’ Lucy asked.
Adam shook his head. ‘Not really. Bigger vineyards have lots of short-term protection options, like oil heaters, large paraffin candles, setting fire to vine pruning or even straw. We’re lucky that the vineyard is on a south-facing slope, so it should retain the heat of the day. Temperatures drop to their lowest close to the soil and create a so-called temperature inversion. Might start praying for warm sunny days but cloudy night skies that would offer some insulation to the buds.’
‘Could you buy a load of straw?’ Briony asked.
