Page 28 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure

The next night Ellie undressed in darkness.

Before she got into bed, she went over to the window and looked out.

It was another clear, moonlit night. There was no breeze, and the garden lay still and peaceful.

She looked forward to getting to work on the grounds, bringing back the lawn and the flowerbeds, growing vegetables.

Then she froze. The figure was there. He’d come back.

Definitely a man. This time he was coming out of the trees at the far end of the garden and walking towards the house.

Hastily she put on her robe and slippers.

Enough was enough. She was going to make sure this stopped now.

They had a right to privacy, and intruders were not welcome.

Not thinking of danger, she went downstairs and let herself out of the front door.

The light from the foyer streamed out as she stepped into the cold air of the night.

He was coming up the path beside the overgrown lawn, wearing some kind of dark jumper and baggy trousers.

A seaman’s cap was on his head. She stepped out in front of him.

He came forward, head down, not seeing her.

She was about to hail him when he looked up, gasped and froze.

She expected him to turn tail and run away.

Instead he stood staring at her, shocked.

“What do you think you are doing here?” she shouted. “This is private property.”

Then he said, “Oh, it’s you, English madame. You startled me.”

“I startled you? I looked out of my window to see a strange man crossing my garden. I was the one who was startled. Did you not know that this place is occupied, that we are living here now?”

“Oh yes, I heard.” He came slowly towards her. A shiver of fear shot through her. This had not been wise. If he was intent on mischief, she was now alone. She should have brought some kind of weapon to defend herself. Then she saw his white teeth. He was smiling. Or was that laughing?

As he came closer, she saw that it was Nico.

“If you’ve come for the party, you are a day too late,” she said, standing her ground and eyeing him defiantly.

“I am not one who enjoys parties,” he said. “But I heard it was a great success.”

“What are you doing here, then?” she demanded. “This is private property. Did you think you could come to spy on us? You find it amusing to stare at English ladies?”

He was still smiling. “I have no intention of spying on anyone, madame,” he said.

“And if I wanted to ogle undressed women, I would choose ones younger and with the right sort of curves.” He paused.

“I came to retrieve some fishing gear, that is all. I store things in the shed at the back of the garden, and I use the steps from the terrace to go down the cliff to the water, where I sometimes moor my boat. You have seen the little dock down there?”

“No,” she said. “I hadn’t noticed the steps.” She paused, thinking of what he had said. “You store things in the shed? Here? Who gave you permission to do that?” She still sounded haughty.

“The owner. He knows.”

“The owner?” She tried to outstare him. “You know the owner?”

“I do,” he said. “A good fellow. He has no problem with my crossing this property, and neither should you.”

She felt he was bluffing. Of course he didn’t know the owner.

He had probably been helping himself to items from the shed and the gardens for ages, and now these women were in his way.

She remembered Yvette saying that he looked like a corsair, a brigand.

Perhaps it was the other way around. He didn’t take items—he used the shed to store contraband, bringing it from his boat, coming up the steps to the villa, out of sight of the village.

She folded her arms. “Well, that was before the property was let,” she said. “Now we live here, and we do not want intruders, especially at night. If you have to retrieve your fishing gear, please ask to do so during the day.”

“Such an officious woman,” he said. “What were you back in England? A schoolteacher? The mayor of your town? Let me tell you, madame, here you will find that we don’t go in for rules much.

If I am about to take my boat out and I find that one of my nets is no good, I am certainly not going to wait until morning to retrieve another one, when the best fishing is on a still night like this. ”

“I don’t see you carrying a net,” she said.

“That was merely an example,” he said. “Tonight it is the simple matter of a battery for my torch and some fishhooks.”

He put his hand into a pocket and produced some.

“So I suggest you go back to bed, tuck yourself in and forget I was ever here.” When she didn’t move, he added, “Come. I will escort you back to your front door. You should be glad that you have a strong man to keep an eye on your grounds so that you can sleep safely.”

He went to put a hand on her arm. “I can find my own way perfectly well, thank you,” she said, shaking off his hand.

She heard him chuckling behind her as she strode back to the house.

Back in her room, she found that she was trembling.

She took off her dressing gown and slid between the sheets.

How stupid she had been to go out into the night alone, in her nightclothes.

She was lucky he had only been interested in fishing gear, although she still didn’t quite believe that this was what he came for.

She made up her mind to have a word with Monsieur Danton to see if Nico really had an agreement with the owner or was lying to her.

When she woke, it was to bright sunlight streaming in through her windows, and her fears of the night had melted away.

The villa had been empty for years. What was to stop local people from borrowing the shed, helping themselves to fruit, using the steps as a shortcut to the seashore?

She had to remember that she was a newcomer, maybe not even here for very long, and she had to get along with the local people, not antagonize them.

After she had washed and dressed, she went downstairs to find Mavis already busy in the kitchen.

“Oh, you’re up early,” Ellie said. “I thought we might have eggs for breakfast for a change. I’ve had enough of bread and jam, haven’t you?”

“You won’t believe what I found on the kitchen table this morning,” Mavis said. “Look at this!” And she pointed to a platter on which lay two large fish. “I’d swear they weren’t there last night. You didn’t bring them in, did you? Bruno’s not here yet, and Louis isn’t coming today.”

“I think I know where they came from,” Ellie said. “The fisherman called Nico.”

“The big one with the frown and the deep voice?”

“That’s him.” Ellie stared down at the fish and pictured Nico.

“I caught him coming across our garden last night, and I’m afraid I gave him a piece of my mind about trespassing.

He said the owners let him keep his tackle in the shed and he took our steps as a quick way down to his boat.

I think this may have been a kind of peace offering so that I don’t tell Monsieur Danton about him.

They are really beautiful, aren’t they?”

Mavis nodded, then reached down to grab the kitten.

“Not for you, you little monster. We’ll have to train some good behaviour into you quickly, I can see.

” She put the cat down and moved the fish to the centre of the table.

“I’m not sure what they are or how to cook them, but I’ll give it a try.

Pity Louis isn’t coming today. He’d know. ”

Ellie stared at her. “How do you manage it, Mavis? You don’t speak French, and yet you seem to be able to communicate with Louis.”

Mavis blushed. “Well, he speaks a bit of English. In the war he had to do reconnaissance for English troops, and he picked up a bit. And I don’t know.

We just seem to understand each other. There’s a lot of arm waving and acting, but we get the gist usually.

” She chuckled. “It’s about time I started those French lessons, now we’re in the house and we’ve got things up and running. ”

“Good idea,” Ellie said. “We’ll start today, although I do want to get those curtains made as soon as possible. I’m now concerned about what can be seen through our windows with strange men wandering around in the dark.”

Mavis nodded. “I know. I have started on them, but it’s a big job. I really need that table in the dining room to cut things out, and for the sewing machine.”

“We’ll clear space for you in there,” Ellie said. “We can stack the chairs and see which bits and bobs we can get rid of. But first let’s have some breakfast.”

“Bob’s your uncle,” Mavis said. “Tea’s already made. I’ll fry some eggs, shall I?”

“You don’t have to do everything, Mavis. You’re not the cook or the servant. I don’t want you to think that you are. You’re one of four friends.”

“That’s a maybe,” Mavis said, “but one of the so-called friends don’t do much, and poor old Miss Smith-Humphries gets tired really easily, so it’s just you and me, and Bruno and Louis when he comes. And I don’t mind the work, honestly. I like to keep busy.”

Dora arrived as they were sitting down to breakfast.

“How lovely. Eggs. I’ve been missing a proper breakfast,” she said. “I don’t suppose anyone around here sells bacon, do they?”

“I haven’t seen any,” Ellie said, “but we have ham left from the party.”

“That would go quite well,” Dora said. “And where did we get those magnificent fish?”

“A present from one of the fishermen,” Ellie said quickly before Mavis could mention the nightly intrusion. She didn’t want Dora worried. “We have to find out how to cook them.”

“There’s certainly too much for one meal,” Dora observed. “Perhaps you should ask Henri how he makes his fish stew. That would last us for several days.”

“I’ll do that,” Ellie said, “but first I want to get the dining room set up so that Mavis can sew the curtains. I feel vulnerable when anyone can see in.”

Dora laughed. “I think we’re suitably far away from any prying eyes up here, don’t you?”

Ellie looked at Mavis. Don’t say anything, her look said.