‘It’s beautiful. Thank you.’
Jacques stepped forward, taking hold of the sapling and removing the sacking from its roots. The groundskeeper positioned the sapling into the hole, shovelling soil and treading the tree in with a series of confident movements. Johnny wrapped a welcome arm around her shoulder, the squeeze just enough to reassure her as she did her best to wipe away her tears.
Once she’d managed to get her emotions under control, Fran turned to him. ‘I need to tell you something.’
‘What is it?’ His gaze was focused, expectant with a slight tinge of concern.
‘I’ve made my decision. I’m ready for a change, a new challenge – a fresh start, I suppose. And the thought of renovating somewhere as beautiful as Chateau des Rêves, being able to live in a place like that – I’d be crazy not to go for it.’
He grinned. ‘You’ve just made my day!’
‘I do have a couple of requests, however,’ she added.
‘Oh?’
‘I’ll need running water and electricity at all times – is that possible?’ She pursed her lips. ‘I’ve never been very good at camping.’
‘What’s not to like about camping? I love a night under canvas …’
‘Do you really?’
Johnny smiled but didn’t answer, leaving Fran hoping he was joking. Instead, he said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening – I’m so excited, Fran. And once the transfer of ownership goes through, we can start to plan properly.’
Fran nodded; her throat choked with emotion at his level of enthusiasm. Wanting to hug him, but not sure it was the right action in this setting. Instead, she took a deep breath and crossed to Red’s tree, taking one of its silky crimson leaves in her fingers, then turned to the assembled group.
‘I just want to say thank you, to all of you. This has certainly been a trip I’m never going to forget.’ She swallowed hard so she didn’t begin to cry again.
‘Come on,’ Penny said, a bright smile accompanying her words as she linked arms with Fran, ‘let’s go get some coffee. I could kill for an espresso.’
Everyone headed into the kitchen, and Louis took one look at all the ashy footprints on his pristine floor, and the soil fallingfreely from the groundskeeper’s boots before rolling his eyes in disgust.
‘Oh,mon Dieu,’ he muttered.
‘I’ll clear up the mess, Louis,’ Penny said, pouring coffee for everyone.
‘No,’ Fran said. ‘I will.’
In the end Harry offered to clean up the sooty footprints from the kitchen floor, while Louis, without complaining for probably the first time in his life, cleared away everyone’s coffee cups.
Harry looked longingly at the door that Penny had just recently exited from. ‘Can you give me a couple of minutes?’ Harry asked Louis as he lodged the floor mop against the wall of the cleaning cupboard. A brisk nod was enough to have Harry dumping his toque and apron, and he didn’t miss the knowing look Louis gave him as he rushed out in search of Penny. He’d wanted to catch her earlier, but she and Fran had been glued together, chatting and laughing like a couple of kids. Watching Penny laugh in such an uninhibited way had caused a little bit of jealousy to flare up inside of him, seeing how someone other than him could spark this kind of reaction from her – he wanted to be the person who could make Penny happy every day for the rest of her life. This only bolstered Harry’s confidence, confirming what he already knew deep down inside: that he had made the right decision, however difficult it had been, to break things off with Sophie.
He caught up with Penny in the staffroom.
‘I’ve got something I need to tell you,’ he said, breathless at the gravity of what he was about to say.
‘Oh yeah?’ she said, folding her arms.
‘Yeah. I’ve made a decision.’
‘What a coincidence, me too.’ She grinned at him, reaching into the biscuit barrel. ‘I was thinking digestive, but I’m going shortbread finger instead. Want one?’
Harry brightened at her carefree expression, then he shook his head at the offer of a biscuit as his smile faded. ‘Can we be serious for a moment?’
Penny rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t you be ruining my mood, Harry Greenfield.’
‘I FaceTimed Sophie.’
‘I see.’ Penny slid into a chair. ‘How is she?’
