The only exception, to the romance crowd, aside from Brandon and me, is the old Lord M who sits at the head of the table.
When we first came in, he greeted me with a shrewd look and a disconcerting comment. “You look wonderful, my dear. I’m glad our village women didn’t upset you too much. When you left so suddenly, it looked as though you might not be coming back.”
I’m sure my mouth dropped open. How did he know? He hadn’t even been at the fair.
It soon becomes clear, however, that everyone knows. Hal gets another bottle of wine and tries to pour me some. “Are you feeling better?”
I quickly put my hand over the rim of my glass. “Of course. I’m fine.”
Millie waves him away. When he offers the bottle to Adam, he moves his glass away. “I’m on call tonight.”
“It’s New Year’s Eve.” Hal pretends to be hurt.
“I’m the island’s only obstetrician, and I’ve given both midwives the night off.”
“Don’t feel sorry for us,” Millie says. “We’re on mulled pear juice. It’s got enough good spices in it to heal any upset.”
The wording makes me look at her.
“Mrs Hill and Mrs Dupont can be a bit abrasive, but they mean well.”
Hal goes around the table to pour wine for someone else. A moment later, his girlfriend, Elodie, scoots over to sit beside me.
“Don’t take it personally, La Canette people can be a bit territorial and if they think someone doesn’t like their island, they bristle. They’ll come round, just give them time.”
I glance between her and Millie. “CCTV has nothing on this place.”
Millie laughs. “You get used to it. When I first moved here, I couldn’t believe how fast news travelled on an island with no cars.” She moves the jug of mulled pear and tops up my glass.
Elodie takes a sip from her boyfriend’s wine glass. “You should ask Hal about it. There was a time when villagers marched on his house with burning torches.”
I almost choke on my spicy drink.
Millie, too, is shocked. “Never burning torches. I know the story. It wasn’t burning torches.”
“They did throw stones, though,” Elodie says. “And spray graffiti on the walls,Hemingways Out.He told me.”
I glance around and find Hal chatting with Brandon. “Why?”
“His great-grandfather was the baker who sold bread to the Germans during the war. The islanders never forgave him. And they held a grudge against the family for decades.”
It’s a terrible story, but I’m struggling to keep a straight face.
“What?” Elodie asks.
“Sorry, it’s stupid, but I can’t help picturing Mrs Dupont and Philomena Hill chasing Hal down a country lane, pelting him with stones.”
Millie snorts and after a moment Elodie too starts laughing, too. All three of us get this stupid attack of the giggles. So much so that the men across the table glance our way.
“Are you sure this is non-alcoholic?” I hold up my empty glass of mulled pear.
“Unless there is hidden gin in the pastries.”
Millie pops another cheese and apple tartlet into her mouth, then offers us the platter. “You’d better have some before I finish them.”
“I’ve already had about ten.” I take another. Stilton and apple never tasted so delicious. “I can’t seem to stop. I’m more than making up for months of morning sickness.”
“Oh, don’t!” Millie groans. “This morning I couldn’t even bend to lace up my boots. George had to help me.”
