Page 17 of A French Inheritance

Sunday morning, Jeannie and Briony had a relaxed late breakfast of coffee and toast out on the terrace. ‘This week has gone so quickly. To think we’ve only got today and tomorrow left,’ Jeannie said.

‘Do you think we’ll be the only guests at lunch today?’ Briony asked.

‘Elliot will be there, I expect.’ Jeannie gave a small shrug. ‘Other than that, I have no idea. Does it matter?’

‘No. Just wondering.’

‘How long do you reckon you’re going to have to stay back in England?’ Briony asked. ‘I’ve just got to clear out my personal stuff in the flat and leave.’

‘I certainly don’t want to stay there for too long, so I’m just hoping the house will sell quickly, not drag on for months,’ Jeannie said. ‘I know it’s unlikely to be less than three months though. And I definitely don’t want to have to stay there all that time. I want to be down here.’

‘You could do the completion on Zoom and just have the solicitor to do the proxy signing on your behalf,’ Briony suggested.

‘Brilliant idea. I want to be back down here as soon as I can,’ Jeannie said. ‘So once it’s on the market, and the removal men are lined up to bring things over here, I can jump on the plane.’

‘Think we may have a problem with cupboard space, if not room space, for any extra furniture,’ Briony said thoughtfully.

‘The kitchen cupboards here are already full. In fact, there is far more stuff than we’re ever going to need.

And we do need to sort out Granny’s bedroom.

Talking of which.’ She glanced at her mum.

‘Would you like to use that room rather than the one you’re currently in?

I’m quite happy in the room I’ve always had. ’

Jeannie hesitated. ‘It’s a lovely room and it does have the en suite, but I think I’d prefer to stay in the one I’m used to.’

‘Okay, but perhaps we should think about emptying the wardrobe and the chest of drawers in there so that if we have anyone to stay they can use that room.’

‘We’ve got a couple of hours this morning, we could make a start?’ Jeannie said.

‘Good idea. Let’s do that,’ Briony said, finishing her coffee and standing up.

‘Let’s start with the wardrobe,’ Jeannie said as they opened the bedroom door. ‘Granny brought most of her clothes with her when she moved in with me, but she did say she’d left some good pieces over here.’

The good pieces turned out to be classic designer wear that Giselle had collected down the years, that both Jeannie and Briony eyed appreciatively.

A Jaeger coat, two Hermès scarves, a black evening dress and a red one in a similar style both from Ralph Lauren, a long-sleeved white shirt, and a Chanel suit in the pale-coloured tweed material Coco Chanel was famous for.

Clothes that would never go out of fashion and were of such good quality they were unlikely to wear out either.

‘Granny loved dressing up for special occasions,’ Jeannie said. ‘Lunch or dinner at the Cannes Carlton was always an excuse.’

‘How about we keep these rather than take them to the charity shop,’ Briony said, looking at her mother. ‘We could share these – use them on special occasions ourselves. They’re such classic designs. We could each have a scarf to wear any time.’

‘Let’s do that.’ Jeannie hung the designer garments back in the wardrobe. ‘I think Granny would approve.’ She reached up and took a box off the top shelf of the wardrobe and placed it on the bed before taking off the lid. ‘Not sure what’s in here. Oh, it’s a handbag.’

Briony stared at the bag Jeannie was carefully taking out of a protective cover – a scarlet Longchamp leather tote. ‘Ooh, I love this,’ she said. ‘It’s beautiful.’

‘I guess that’s not going to the charity shop either,’ Jeannie said with a smile.

‘Definitely not,’ Briony said. ‘This has my name written on it – unless you would like it?’

Jeannie shook her head. ‘It’s more your style than mine and I have a feeling that Granny bought it with your birthday in mind.’

Briony sniffed in an effort not to cry. ‘Best birthday present ever. I’ll look after it, but I definitely intend to use it on a regular basis.’

The chest of drawers had a few jumpers and blouses folded up neatly that Jeannie decided could go to the charity shop. ‘Right, at least we’ve made a start. Which scarf would you like? I’m going to wear mine today.’ She held both the scarves out to Briony.

‘You choose your favourite,’ Briony said. ‘I’m happy with either.’

An hour later, they locked the cottage door and made for the gate to walk up the track at the edge of the field to the farm.

‘What a lovely setting for lunch,’ Jeannie said as Lucy and Adam greeted them.

She held out the bottle of red wine that she and Briony had chosen to bring as a small thank you.

The table on the terrace under the wisteria-covered loggia at the back of the farmhouse had been covered with a pretty tablecloth with a jug of daffodils placed in the middle.

‘You two have done amazing things to this place in such a short amount of time.’

‘I had strict instructions from Lucy that the house had to be habitable within as short a time as possible, otherwise she’d leave me,’ Adam said, smiling as he handed them both a glass of champagne.

‘She’s always maintained that one can put up with living on a building site so long as there is a functioning kitchen, a bathroom with lots of hot running water and a bed to collapse into at the end of long working days. ’

‘I was right too,’ Lucy said, raising her glass. ‘ Santé . It’s lovely to have you both here.’

Elliot looked at Jeannie and Briony and smiled. ‘Hi. Nice to see you.’

A couple of moments later, Lucy disappeared into the kitchen, brushing away any offers of help, and Jeannie was talking to Adam about how different the farm had been the first time she’d seen it nearly forty years ago.

‘I always felt a little sad when we visited because it just got sadder and sadder down the years. You’ve really done something to be proud of pulling it back from the brink. ’

Briony, standing slightly apart from them, wondered whether she should try to start a conversation with a silent Elliot standing at her side or join in with Adam and Jeannie about her own memories of the farm.

‘How do you like the Renault 5 EV you’ve hired?’ Elliot said unexpectedly.

‘You’re talking to someone who knows nothing about cars,’ Briony said. ‘But it’s great to drive. Very nippy too,’ she smiled. ‘I’ve only driven it along the bord de mer , I suspect on the A8 it would be very hard to keep to the limit.’

‘I keep thinking I should at the very least trade my diesel-guzzling Toyota in for something more environmentally friendly,’ Elliot said. ‘But the kind of car I need doesn’t have a large enough range yet.’

‘Maybe a hybrid to start with?’

‘Possibly,’ Elliot nodded.

Lucy reappeared at that moment. ‘I hope nobody minds, but I haven’t done a starter,’ she said as dishes of roast beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and two large jugs of gravy were placed on the table for everyone to help themselves from.

‘But there will be a cheese course, followed by dessert.’

‘This looks absolutely delicious,’ Jeannie said, helping herself to some pink beef and a Yorkshire pudding.

‘Lucy’s a brilliant cook,’ Adam said. ‘A couple of years ago, the girls and I tried to enter her for MasterChef , but she wouldn’t let us.’

‘Too much pressure,’ Lucy shuddered. ‘It’s going to be enough pressure cooking breakfasts and the occasional evening meal if any of the g?te visitors request one.

I have to confess, I’m not really pushing the evening meal side of things – the next few months are going to be busy enough without adding dinner for strangers into the equation.

I’ve started to ask in the village if anyone wants a part-time job for the holiday season.

A Girl Friday sort. But nobody has applied yet. ’

‘I’d quite like a part-time job, if you would consider me,’ Briony said, looking at Lucy. ‘I’d be happy to be your Girl Friday.’

‘Really?’ Lucy looked at Briony, surprised. ‘Does that mean you’re going to be here all summer?’

‘Yes. We haven’t had a chance to tell you before, but because of French inheritance laws Granny Giselle has left Owls Nest Cottage to me.

’ Briony took a deep breath. Actually voicing their plans to other people made her believe it was definitely going to happen.

‘Mum and I are going to move over permanently. A new beginning in France for both of us.’

‘This is great news,’ Adam said. ‘When are you planning to move over?’

‘We’re going to go back as planned Tuesday morning. Then, once back in the UK, we’ll start to close down things over there. I’m hoping to be back in about a week, to make a determined start on going through Granny’s things, which is sad but a necessary thing we will have to do,’ Briony said.

‘I shall have to stay longer as I have to sell my house, which means sorting it out first and getting it on the market,’ Jeannie added. ‘But as soon as it’s organised I’m coming back. Easter is so late this year that, with luck, I’ll be back around then, but possibly it will be early in May.’

‘I’d be very happy to be your Girl Friday, general dogsbody, whatever you want to call it, for the next few months,’ Briony said, looking at Lucy. ‘It doesn’t have to be regular hours – just when you need help.’

Lucy smiled happily. ‘Consider yourself my Girl Friday when you get back. And thank you both. I can already feel the pressure coming off.’

‘And, as well as Briony, I’ll always be willing to help you out,’ Jeannie said. ‘Actually, Adam, I was going to ask you about the pépinière . There never seems to be anyone there to help. Maybe we could have a talk when I get back?’

‘Look forward to it,’ Adam said, smiling.

* * *

It was late afternoon before Briony and Jeannie said their goodbyes and made their way back home.

‘What a feast of a Sunday lunch,’ Jeannie said. ‘I don’t think I want anything else to eat today. Just a nice cup of tea out in the garden and maybe a walk to the lake this evening.’

‘Sounds a perfect end to the day,’ Briony said. ‘Especially if I get to see your kingfisher.’