A French Pirouette Read Online Free Page B

auberge.
    Brigitte, when Libby rang her Sunday morning, was thrilled at the thought of Libby buying the auberge.
    “You would be perfect. I do want it to go to someone I like,” she said. “It will be hard for you alone but I will ’elp you all I can.”
    The price when Brigitte told her, took Libby’s breath away in surprise. She’d forgotten how reasonable property still was in Brittany. Affording it would not be a problem. Dan’s insurance money and the money from the sale of the house would cover it.
    Decision time. Could she be brave and do it? Use Dan’s money to fulfil his dream for both of them. Libby took a deep breath.
    “I’ll have to sell here, Brigitte, but yes, I would like to buy the Auberge du Canal.”
    It was surprising how fast things happened after the decision had been made. Libby decided against going to Brittany to view the auberge, feeling that she knew the place well enough already. It wasn’t as if she was buying something unseen or unknown.
    Brigitte and Bruno agreed to her paying a large deposit and the rest when the house sold. Various official papers passed from France to England and back again—usually in triplicate and signed and initialled in several places. Brigitte also said Libby should move in as soon as possible to keep the continuity of the business going.
    The house was put on the market and Libby started on the endless decluttering and packing. Chloe helped and between them they decided on the various bits and pieces Libby should take to France.
    Furniture was easy. The auberge was coming fully furnished—apart from the two-bedroom owner’s apartment. So the beds and other furniture from both their bedrooms would be needed, as would the sitting-room furniture.
    It was the personal items that caused the most problems. Paintings, ornaments and books. What to keep and what to take to the local charity shops? Many of the books had been Dan’s on such diverse subjects as fishing, car mechanics, physics and his well-read Wilbur Smiths.
    Chloe took what she called ‘an executive decision’ and took all of Dan’s books, except the Wilbur Smiths, down to the Oxfam Shop in the High Street.
    “You can put everything else in the sitting room of the auberge,” she said.
    In between the decluttering and the packing, they had several couples view the house before Libby accepted an offer from a newly married couple expecting their first baby, who declared it to be a ‘perfect family house’. From then on, the number of urgent things on her to do list grew.
    Eight weeks later Libby and Chloe drove onto the cross-channel ferry. Libby, with her remaining worldly goods piled around her, on her way to a new life in France and Chloe trying, and failing, to tell her mother about a possible change of plan in her life.
    The sound of rushing water woke Libby. It was several seconds before she remembered where she was. As realisation dawned, she smiled happily.
    She’d done it. She and Chloe were actually in France.
    Last night she’d deliberately opened the bedroom window slightly before closing the shutters so, as she’d collapsed exhausted into bed, the noise of the canal had lulled her to sleep. Lying in bed at either end of the day listening to the water’s rhythmic movement had always been a special part of past holidays. Now it was about to become a part of her future daily routine.
    Stretching out her hand, Libby picked up the silver-framed photograph she’d placed on the floor beside the bed last night. Gently she stroked the glass. “Wish you were here with me, Dan,” she said softly.
    Since the decision had been made and everything had snowballed into place, she’d been outwardly buoyed up with enthusiasm but at the same time she was secretly terrified at what she had set in motion. When Helen, Dan’s sister and Chloe’s godmother, had voiced her concern she’d tried to explain her feelings.
    “It’s such a big step, Libby. I know it was always a dream of yours and