The Vineyard (27 page)

‘Definitely, that seems like a lot to me too.’

‘That’s business though isn’t it? It’s life in fact. Everything we do is a gamble. Nothing is a hundred per cent guaranteed. Your mother and grandfather were kind enough to offer and I was very keen enough to experiment. I’ve proved to myself I can and that’s what I set out to do. I had looked at many options for land. I didn’t really want to throw all my eggs in one basket and, of course, the right land is difficult to find in England. Your Cote Acres was, and is, an ideal size. Yes, I’ve spent a lot of money but I could have spent much more buying probably more than I needed of unsuitable land or land with a property, a farm, which was not what I wanted. What I needed was something like this. Now the challenge is to make it even better.’

Lizzie realised they had both avoided the issue of her concern and wondered if he even realised himself that he had a huge hole in his life left by Jack.

Chapter 28

Cal returned with Lizzie to her mother’s and took the now heavily sleeping Thierry up to his room. Lizzie followed and carefully changed him into his pyjamas trying not to wake him. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Cal stood by the front door ready to go. How she wanted to run into those arms and feel his lips again pressing onto hers. She wanted him to stay but dug her nails into her palms to resist opening her mouth.

‘I’ll probably see you tomorrow then,’ he said hesitating, his eyes melting her with yearning

‘Yes.’

‘Just a goodnight kiss?’ he said, reaching out his arms.

Lizzie almost ran into them, her legs willing her but amazingly, she fought the compulsion

‘No. I daren’t Cal. It will just make it more and more difficult,’ she stated, still resisting her instinct.

‘You’re right but I’m struggling to keep my hands off you.’

‘Yes me too but…’

‘Ok, I’m off.’ And he kissed his hand and blew her a kiss. ‘Bonne nuit mon cherie.’ They both laughed.

Then Lizzie smiled as she opened the door and brushed her lips with her palm and blew a kiss back.
He’s so sweet.

Needing distraction, Lizzie poured herself a glass of wine and pulled out her laptop. The house was eerily quiet without her mother there. She went straight to her emails and opened one of the two from Sophie.

‘Ah, excellent,’ she said, opening the attachment. It was a copy of the draft contract for the lease on Rue Antibes. She read through it, all in French, and it seemed ok from what she could make out. She read Sophie’s accompanying notes. ‘Right.’ Queries had been ironed out by Charles. ‘Excellent.’ Comments regarding repairs and refurbishment. ‘Mmm Good.’ She opened the other email. ‘Pooh! Not so good. Bloody Anton pestering again.’ She looked at the clock. An hour ahead in France would make it ten fifteen. ‘Oh, Saturday night.’ She sighed, knowing Anton was unlikely to be available anyway.

She searched the internet for more information concerning visitation for fathers. She read some of the forums and found some interesting comments from people going through something similar. One mother wrote that even though her ex had given her massive grief when he found out (when she was pregnant), he soon lost interest once the child was born and they had shared custody. He stopped turning up to collect the child.
Poor child
, thought Lizzie, hoping Anton wouldn’t be so thoughtless but secretly hoping he would lose interest – like now! Her mind wandered again to Cal.

Cal was too close for comfort. She just couldn’t trust herself to resist him and that had to stop. She knew she was almost beginning to depend on him. She felt so safe and so cosseted with him around her that she wondered if she would now have the spine to go home and face Anton alone. She would feel she could make more of a judgement after Tuesday, after her mother had seen her consultant.

She wondered too, if it might be possible to take her mother to Cannes. It could do her mother good after what she had been through. She then thought about her business and how she was unlikely to be able to give the time to her mother in Cannes. Ok, here she was lucky to have such a wonderful crew looking after it, and Sophie. Going back though, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself getting back into the swing of things. And a pang of guilt shot through her. She had neglected the salon these last few weeks. Yes, she was ringing them and discussing day-to-day aspects but the new salon really did need her attention and so did Sophie. It wasn’t fair, her friend moving down to a new town, thrown in the deep end with the business, overseeing the staff, and dealing with the new premises.

Sophie must be drained. And, it suddenly dawned on Lizzie, it was now just four weeks before Sophie began her part-time work at the university, and the launch of the new salon, so she realistically needed to get back.

She also needed to find out whether her mother would need treatment and, if she did, she could be here for a good few months. This was all going to take some juggling. She took herself up to bed with another glass of wine. She’d heard her mother and Michael come home and go to bed but by the time she finally got off to sleep, it wasn’t long before Thierry was waking her up.

‘Mummy, milk,’ he repeated, tapping on her arm until she finally opened her eyes.

***

Apart from not having her friend with her, Sophie had never been happier. She was getting to know the salon and all the girls who worked there, whether staff or the self-employed beauticians. The salon had a terrific ambience and friendliness which made it so welcoming each day and quite relaxing for a work place. She loved Lizzie’s apartment and its location, right in the hub of the busy community. Ok it didn’t look much from the outside but the interior was bright, spacious and simply furnished with marble flooring which never cooled because the south facing doors to the terrace ran the whole length of the apartment. As a bonus, Marie-Claire was around to clean: life was good!

So was Charles. She was falling deeper under his spell with every passing day and they spent more and more time together, when they weren’t working that is. He’d even taken her on his yacht and they’d sailed round to Portofino in Italy and had a beautiful lunch. His enthusiasm for his yacht and sailing was infectious as he’d shown her how to tie on the fenders and how and when to drop anchor. They’d even anchored in a bay for a swim and he’d made up a refreshing jug of Pimms. It had been a glorious day and she looked forward to more. Last night however, he seemed a bit quiet and tetchy which was unusual, but she figured everyone was entitled to off days.

One of the things she’d struggled with was Anton. He’d been to the salon several times – buzzing the outside security system until she came and accusing her of not telling Lizzie to call him. She knew Lizzie had tried but he was obviously getting frustrated not having control of the situation. There was little she could do. She’d also found it difficult to piece together ideas for the new salon. Although she knew what she needed from the clinic side, she wasn’t altogether clear about how Lizzie would want the new salon layout to work. Not without more thorough discussion. So, she made some plans the best she could and sent them over to Lizzie and suggested they make some time for a Skype call to discuss it in more detail. She had just sent an email to Lizzie when Charles rang.

‘I’ve just got some work finished and am now famished. Do you fancy coming out for something to eat?’ he asked.

‘Love to. Shall I meet you somewhere?’

‘No. I’ll walk along once I’ve showered. I need to stretch my legs.’

Sophie quickly showered and put on a pair of white linen trousers with a plain sleeveless black silk top and clipped up her hair. The heat right now was quite overbearing, it was almost August and everywhere was chock-full of hot bodies. Charles arrived as she was applying some make-up. She skipped to the intercom and let him in, surprised that he used the stairs instead of the lift. She opened the apartment door. ‘Are you mad?’ she said as beads of sweat poured out of him.

‘Yes, but I’ve slouched all day. I needed the exercise.’

‘Here, help yourself to some water while I finish off,’ she offered, pointing to the fridge.

‘Great thanks. Marie-Claire not in?’

‘No, she’s gone to her mother’s. Do you feel better today?’ she said, collecting her make-up bag from the bedroom. ‘You seemed out of sorts last night.’

‘Oh, you know how it is. Work can get in the way sometimes. Keeps you guessing and awake.’

‘That’s all it is?’

‘Yes. I…I think so.’

‘You’d tell me if you weren’t happy Charles, wouldn’t you?’ Sophie said, re-entering the room. ‘I mean, if you were having doubts about you and me?’

‘I admit, I struggle occasionally, but surely that’s what grief does to people.’

‘Well I want you to be honest, talk about it even if you feel the need.’

Charles gave a familiar chortle, grabbing a paper towel from the kitchen area and wiping his forehead. ‘Yes, of course doctor.’

Sophie rolled a light lipstick around her lips whilst looking in the mirror. ‘Are you being cheeky in court, your honour?’ she teased and planted a kiss on his lips.

‘You’d best be careful, I’m still in need of exercise you know.’

‘Before food, your honour?’ She checked her lips again in the mirror.

‘Right now doctor.’ And he swept her off her feet and into the bedroom.’

***

Lizzie was more than conscious that her mother was anxious about her hospital appointment with the consultant the next morning and decided to take her out. Michael had a shoot in London and after breakfast, when she saw Cal and explained, he offered to take Thierry down to the vines with his toy tractor for a couple of hours so Lizzie organised a nice short walk to the restaurant for a nice long lunch.

Caroline was delighted. ‘That was a really thoughtful gesture,’ her mother said as they ordered wine.

‘Well, Michael was busy and, we haven’t had a chat for a few days, so I thought it would be nice.’

‘Yes, we’ve never done this before have we?’ Caroline said as they were handed their menus. Their eyes locked at the realisation.

‘No, said Lizzie, ‘There’s lots of time now though, here and in France, when you visit.’

‘Time. Who knows how much time I have Lizzie?’

‘Now, now Mum. None of that. You don’t worry unless you have to remember. We’ll take each step one by one and deal with each as it comes.’

‘That’s what the Macmillan nurse told me Lizzie,’ Caroline said.

‘Mine told me that too,’ Lizzie said and they both burst into laughter.

‘I know I’m repeating myself but I’m just so glad you contacted them. I just wish I’d lightened up a bit when you were younger,’ Caroline admitted.

‘I wish I’d lightened up a bit when I was younger too,’ Lizzie said and again they fell about laughing. ‘I was such a dork!’

‘Yes, we’d have had much more fun. It was a blessing you had your grandparents. I was useless. I was always serious. As a child, I was quite the loner. Only child with strict parents. That’s why I loved the buzz of London.’

‘So, we can visit London more often. You’ll love Cannes. It’s got a lively buzz too.’

‘I can’t wait. And Thierry. You’re such a lovely mother darling. I’m so proud of you.’ As Caroline said those words, Lizzie’s eyes grew moist. How she’d longed to hear her mother say them.

‘You’re making me all emotional now Mum,’ she said glassy eyed and her mother’s lips quivered.

‘You’re making me cry too now darling,’ said Caroline, wiping her daughters face and brimming herself. ‘Shall we choose our food?’

Through their tears they managed to order.

‘Ok. Tell me more about this Anton, Thierry’s father. Did you know him long?’

For the first time in her life, Lizzie felt quite at ease telling her mother about her love life so that was another first. Caroline listened without making judgement.

‘So, ‘ Lizzie summed up, it seems, he wasn’t bothered until he thought Cal was my boyfriend and, I’m guessing, possibly he feels he may lose the chance to be Thierry’s father or he thinks Cal is going to take his son, or try to be his father. And, we were only chatting in a bar. He seems more possessive about Thierry than jealous. He doesn’t want me, he just wants to control me, and Thierry.’

‘Maybe. Yes it’s possible I suppose he has discovered that someone could take his place as a father and he doesn’t like the idea. You read or hear some quite tragic cases like that nowadays don’t you?’

‘God, don’t say that, Mum,’ Lizzie said as their food arrived. ‘There are thousands of fathers who deal with separation and they are emotionally involved with their children. Anton hasn’t had any involvement and if I’d told him at the time, he would have taken all control and probably would have insisted I had an abortion. I don’t think he could grasp the fact that a baby actually becomes a person. I really don’t think that he has that capacity! That’s why I couldn’t tell him.’

‘Goodness Lizzie, you need to find out where you stand, find out more. It’s so unfortunate he found out. Well, luckily Cal has been an absolute gem,’ Caroline said. ‘Look, maybe you should return to France soon and get this sorted out. I can manage and, anyway, Michael and I were discussing things last night and he and I agreed that he would stay with me for a few weeks. You need to sort out custody with Anton and…’

‘Mum. I want to be here and help you, you know I do.’

‘Yes. I understand that but, look, I can manage,’ Caroline said. ‘You must go and get that beast away from Thierry or sort something out which you think will work. I’m sure you’ll get help or get a decent lawyer. I could possibly help with some finance.’

Lizzie shook her head. ‘Honest Mum. Don’t even think about it. We’ll go along tomorrow for your appointment, hear what the doctor has to say and…decide what happens from there.’

‘You don’t have to…’

‘I want to be here Mum,’ interrupted Lizzie, ‘It’s an important time for you and I shall be here to share it with you and we can then face the future together. I hate saying this but if they do have to give you treatment and, by looking at how well you look, I hope that is not the case, but if they do, we can then work round it. I could return to France for a few days if necessary and come back at the weekend.’