‘Yes, Simone likes to serve drinks half an hour before the evening meal,’ agreed Yolanda. ‘She asked me if I wanted to come too but I think I’ll give it a miss. I’m vegan now, which isn’t easy in rural France, I can tell you. Look, we’ll talk again tomorrow, shall we? Try and decide how we can avoid letting Beryl know all this when she asks. I think you’ve had more than enough for one day.’
Vee thought so too. She hugged her aunt and set off down the lane back to Pension Simone. It wasn’t until she was almost there that she realised she’d completely forgotten the other part of her mission. She hadn’t even mentioned the fact that she wanted to discover why Yolanda had distanced herself so firmly for years. That would have to wait until tomorrow now. The prospect wasn’t enticing.
29
Beryl unpacked her belongings and had a quick shower before sitting down for a moment to get her breath back. A fleeting worry crossed her mind about how the news of the engagement would be received when she and Frank arrived back in Willowbrook. What would Nell and Barney think? Would the other villagers say she was too old to find love again? Beryl gave herself a shake. She’d never bothered much about other people’s opinions, and she wasn’t going to start now.
Changing into one of her less crumpled summer dresses, Beryl lay down on the bed for what her mother used to calla little toes-up. Then, completely refreshed and starting to notice pangs of hunger, she brushed her hair, added copious amounts of hairspray, put on a layer of her brightest lipstick and hunted around for her sandals. Even after her more casual holidays with Anthea and Winnie, it still seemed wonderfully decadent to be going to dinner without any tights on. This was the life. Mother wouldn’t have approved at all, which made the idea even more appealing.
Downstairs, most of the others were already assembled around the pool, sipping long, cool glasses of some sort of delicately pink drink, each with a strawberry floating in it.
‘Champagne cocktails for your first night here,’ called Simone, holding out a brimming glass to Beryl. ‘I always add a tot of cognac to liven them up.’
‘Livenusup, more like. You’ll have us squiffy, drinking on an empty stomach,’ said Sid, winking at Winnie, who smiled back, raising her glass to Beryl.
‘Where are Anthea and Venetia?’ asked Beryl, doing a quick head count as she sipped her cocktail. It was delicious, and she had to restrain herself from downing it in two gulps.
‘Anthea’s still beautifying,’ said Maurice. ‘I told her it was merely gilding the lily in my opinion, but she just rolled her eyes and called me a flatterer. I meant it though. She’s a lovely woman. I’m a very lucky man.’
Beryl didn’t think this gushing comment worth responding to. She was very fond of Anthea but to be husband number five and stick at it would take more than a bit of luck. ‘And Vee?’ she said. ‘She should be having a drink with us. Has she fallen asleep?’
‘I’m here,’ said a voice behind Beryl, and Vee appeared from round the back of the property. Beryl noticed immediately that Vee was wearing shorts. The very idea! She sniffed.
‘Aren’t you dressing for dinner?’ Beryl asked, pursing her lips. ‘We’veall made the effort.’
They both looked around at the rest of the party. Winnie had on one of her trademark long robes in purple and fuchsia with a matching head wrap. Maurice, Sid and Frank were in their smartest trousers teamed with short-sleeved shirts and Rick was resplendent in black chinos and a striped linen shirt with a black waistcoat over it.
‘Oh, I didn’t realise we were pulling out all the stops tonight, with just having dinner here,’ said Vee, clearly not hearing Simone approaching from the kitchen.
‘So, you do not consider my cooking worthy of dressing up for?’ their hostess asked, her French accent more marked as her eyes flashed fire.
‘I… I… yes, of course,’ stammered Vee. ‘I went out in a hurry to see my aunt and didn’t think I’d be this long. I’ll pop up and change.’
‘Don’t bother,’ said Simone. ‘The paella is almost ready to serve, and I hate keeping my guests waiting for food. Ah, here’s the other lady and doesn’t she lookmagnifique.’
Anthea had certainly got the memo that Vee had missed, thought Beryl, gazing at her friend admiringly. The usual artfully draped linen layers had been eschewed tonight in favour of a simple black dress accessorised with an assortment of silver and amber chunky jewellery. Around Anthea’s shoulders was draped a flimsy chiffon wrap that sparkled with gold lights as she walked. She was wearing peep-toed kitten heels and, like Beryl, had gone for the bare-legged look, but unlike Beryl, had taken the trouble to used tinted make-up to give the effect of a gentle tan. She’d also painted her toenails in pearly pink.
‘You look splendid, my darling,’ said Maurice, jumping to his feet.
‘A credit to my little residence,’ agreed Simone, handing a glass to Anthea and then another to Vee, with a less favourable glance.
‘A toast to travelling,’ said Sid, now also standing and raising his glass. ‘A big thank you to Vee and Rick for getting us here, and to our beautiful hostess, Simone. I’m so glad we decided to have an extra couple of days in this lovely place.’
There was a chorus of agreement as they all raised their own glasses. Beryl could see that Vee was uncomfortable. She kept smoothing down her shorts and tugging her top straight, like a little girl getting ready for a telling off from her teacher. Beryl’s heart went out to her. It was an easy mistake to make, after all. She went over to stand beside Vee.
‘You look perfectly lovely, dear,’ she whispered. ‘Very summery.’
Vee shot her a surprised look and Beryl realised that she hadn’t shown her much spontaneous kindness so far, apart from providing the odd tray of food or cup of tea. Perhaps it was time to start appreciating her neighbour. They were going to have to rub along together in Fiddler’s Row, no matter what history there was between them.
‘Take no notice of that one,’ Beryl murmured. ‘All tits and no taste, if you ask me.’
Vee had been swallowing a mouthful of her cocktail when Beryl spoke and now began to choke, coughing and spluttering until tears ran down her face. Rick handed her a bottle of water and started to pat her on the back and Winnie passed over a small packet of tissues, while Simone gave Vee a withering look and set off back to the kitchen.
‘You’d better all get yourselves seated at the table,’ she said. ‘I’m ready to serve and I don’t like my food to go cold.’
They did as they were told, shuffling around until everyone had a chair under the big umbrellas at the long poolside table. Vee had recovered now but seemed very glad to hide her shorts-clad legs under the table. Beryl sat down next to her, and they exchanged a grin.
‘I went to see Yolanda and I didn’t realise…’ Vee began.
