‘Do you?’ I smiled at her enthusiasm. ‘Well, I was going to say it’s a bit naff, although this is a good one.’
‘I bet it is. My nan used to make it – my mum’s mum, that is. Gran couldn’t open a can of beans to save her life, but Nana was, like, a really ace cook.’ She paused and frowned. ‘I say “was” because Nana’s dead now, as is my grandfather, her husband. They weren’t so old, you know? But I think they kind of gave up on life after Mum died.’ Looking up at me from her pepper-stroking, she read my expression. ‘Yeah,’ she agreed sadly. ‘I guess I know a lotta dead people.’
Two hours later found me trotting on my way to the Cours Saleya to see Jules Croisset at the café where we had originally met. I had phoned him yesterday evening after making Luc a club sandwich – on a tray – which he ate all right but did not trouble himself to thank me for, leaving me thinking that whatever I ended up doing with it, I could not avoid thanking Jules for the necklace, not unless I was bent on being as churlish as Luc Mandeville.
In truth, however, I didn’t quite know what to do with the necklace. My first instinct was to give it back. I was not in a relationship with Jules and not intending tobein one. He might get the wrong idea about me if I kept his gift, although that was a bit of an outdated way of looking at things, and besides, I had the distinct impression that Jules Croisset was the sort of man who would get the wrong idea about any woman if it suited his purpose.
In the end, I decided to take the necklace with me and test the water, putting it still in its box in my shoulder bag and resolutely ignoring a persistent little voice in my head telling me that if I were being honest with myself, I badly wanted to keep it because it was so fantastic.
***
Luc and Emma had departed for their separate day, Luc apparently to take his mother out for a farewell lunch and Emma to some bar in town with Josh where they had ‘like, a really cool ska band’. Luc informed me my services were not required for the day – and yes, he did use exactly those words – at which Emma promptly turned to me and said, ‘Do you see what I mean? He’s even being nasty to you.’
‘Don’t be silly, Emma,’ Luc said crisply, holding up his hand in his favoured stopping-a-bus gesture before Emma could open her mouth to answer back. He turned to me. ‘However, dinner this evening, please, Alix, for three. And on Wednesday dinner for four or possibly six, but we’ll discuss that later.’
‘Who’s coming to dinner on Wednesday?’ Emma asked.
‘Caroline and some friends of hers. Nobody you know.’
‘I know Caroline.’
‘I’m aware of that.’
Emma hesitated as though she was about to say something but then thought better of it.
‘Who is the third person you’ve asked for dinner this evening?‘ she asked instead. ‘Or did you just mean Alix?’
‘No, I did not just mean Alix, I meant Jess. I’ve invited Jess as you won’t have another chance to see her now you are going home tomorrow.’
‘Oh.’ Emma looked more cheerful. ‘Good. Thanks, Dad. That’s nice of you. Is she bringing Alphonse?’
‘Jess is indeed bringing the dog.’
‘I’ll have to, like, say goodbye to him.’ Her face puckered a little. ‘And that’s gonna be a bit emosh. I’d best grab a couple of boxes of man-size Kleenex while I’m in town.’
For a split second at that point, Luc caught my eye, a small glimmering smile seeming to twitch at his mouth, only for him to look away so instantly I wondered if I had imagined it. And that was that. In due course, father and daughter disappeared and I phoned Jules again. I’d left him a message yesterday evening, to which he had replied by text, asking me out to lunch today if I was free. I wasn’t crazy about seeing him, but I had to sort out this necklace business and, who knows, it might be a little light relief.
***
‘Alix!’ he cried when I arrived, leaping to his feet as if he hadn’t seen me in ten years. Then he kissed me on each cheek not just twice but three times. ‘There! That’s traditionally Belgian,’ he said with satisfaction.
‘So I’ve heard.’
We were at a table inside the café. I sat down and took a large swig of the red wine he poured for me from a bottle of Bandol already opened. I don’t drink a lot as a rule, but I suddenly felt like getting oblivious. Not possible. I was cooking later and, believe me, there’s few things worse in life than a drunken chef. Instead, wiping my lips on the back of my hand, I immediately launched into my mission.
‘Listen, Jules.’ I fished the necklace in its box frommy bag and placed it on the table in front of him. ‘As I said on the phone, it was extremely kind of you to give me this lovely necklace for Christmas. You must have gone to some considerable trouble to buy it, and I very much appreciate that. However, I’m very sorry, but I don’t think I can accept it.’
He looked amused. ‘Why ever not?’
‘Well, it was very expensive for a start.’
‘No, it wasn’t.’
‘Okay then.’ I tried again. ‘It isn’t…appropriate, for want of a better word. I mean, you barely know me.’
‘Maybe not, but I’d very much like to know you better.’
I sipped some more wine and considered him.
