‘Me neither,’ said Luc. ‘But it’s been agreed that Roban will have the grapes this year.’
‘Uh! Alphonse will be furious.’
Luc shrugged. ‘I tried to change her mind. She told me to leave.’
‘What about your father? Did you speak to him?’
‘Yes. He wants to open the château up for events. Looks like you might have a job, Fliss. If you’re interested.’
‘Oh my God. Yes. Yes and yes. I’d love to stay.’
Hattie couldn’t believe she could make such a big decision just like that.
‘You should stay too,’ said Solange.
Luc stiffened and he slowly withdrew his arm from around her shoulders. Immediately she missed the weight of it, the solid anchor that had kept her moored since the news of Gabby’s elopement.
‘I can’t,’ she said and slugged back the rest of her cognac. There was an awkward silence around the table and then Luc rose. ‘I’m going to find Alphonse and speak to him.’
As he walked through the door, Hattie jumped up. ‘Wait a minute, Luc.’
He paused and she caught up with him and then walked with him into the hall.
‘Luc…’ She almost chickened out but he’d been so kind to her, she owed him an apology. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘I know.’
‘Can we at least be friends? I’m only here for a few more days.’
His face softened and he touched her cheek. ‘I’m sorry. You’re right,’ and his face lit up with that familiar smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ‘And I find it really difficult to be cross with you. I’m not going to apologise for it, I love you, but I want you to be happy.’
Oh shit. Why did he have to be so damn lovely?
He walked away out of the front door, leaving her standing a little lost and lovelorn.
‘Those vol au vents aren’t going to make themselves,’ said Fliss when Hattie returned to the kitchen. ‘We’ve still got avin d’honneurto prepare. Do you think Yvette would like us to serve a limoncello cream and white chocolatecroquembouchein the orchard? I’m damned if all those bloody choux buns we made are going to waste.’ She paused and then added with a comical pout. ‘And I really wanted to make it.’
Solange laughed and even Hattie managed a smile before saying, ‘I’m sure she’d love it.’ The situation wasn’t perfect but no one had died. Hattie suddenly decided it would be far better to make the best of things. She’d had a wonderful month here. Why not go out on a high and make Yvette’s celebrations truly memorable? She could still take lots of pictures of the château, the food and the decorations for her website.
Solange came around the table and kissed Hattie on the cheek. ‘You are a very good, kind and generous-hearted girl. Thank you for giving the château a new lease of life.’
ChapterThirty-Six
On the day of Yvette’s wedding, the sky couldn’t have been any bluer and the sun any brighter. The sunrise that heralded Fliss and Hattie as they made their first coffees of the morning at silly o’clock was the prelude to a glorious day.
Like them, Solange appeared in her dressing gown, her hair done up in rollers, almost skipping like a child.
Hattie and Fliss had now been invited to the restaurant meal later in the day – and Hattie had decided that it would be a shame not to wear the blue dress she’d bought in Paris. They would dress just before they took everything down to the orchard.
‘I thought I’d pop in and see if you needed any help,’ said Solange.
‘You mean you couldn’t keep away,’ teased Fliss.
‘Or she didn’t trust you to do things properly,’ added Hattie, laughing when Fliss gave her the evil eye.
‘I know you’ll both do a brilliant job. I just wanted to share in… Us all being here. It’s been such fun working in the kitchen together. I’d forgotten how much I miss being with other people, especially other cooks. When Marthe was still here, she always spent most of her time in the kitchen with me, and before that, I always had additional staff to help when we were entertaining. There’s something about being with other people with a shared passion.’
‘I know what you mean,’ said Fliss, linking her arm through Solange’s. ‘And lucky for you, you’re stuck with me, even if Hattie is buggering off home.’
