The Vineyard Read Online Free PDF Page B

up like a coil of wire had been released.
    ‘No, and to be honest, we have nothing to talk about. My mother and I have nothing to say to one another. In fact the further away I am from her the better. She has all she wants! No doubt she has sent you here.’ It wasn’t a question, rather a statement of fact. She spoke with such fierce animosity that Cal stood momentarily speechless. His eyes captured hers, weakening her. She squeezed Thierry’s hand tightly.
    ‘I have to go,’ she said.
    ‘But I thought you’d returned home to make amends.’
    ‘I don’t wish to talk about it.’
    ‘Lizzie, I want to help. Your mother was pretty upset when you left.’ He shifted his weight from one leg to the other in a gesture to stop her moving forward.
    ‘I doubt that. Anyway, we have nothing to say so, thank you for your concern. Goodbye.’
    Lizzie moved forward to leave and could only drop her eyes down in shame with her outburst. She wasn’t usually so rude. Nor aggressive, her anger surprised her – she was angry with him just for helping her mother.
    ‘Lizzie, please, a moment of your time?’ One hand brushed her forearm very softly but the magnitude of the effect jarred her. Her body radiated an intense heat, an instant chemical reaction. She looked up at him, embarrassed, and searched his eyes. She wondered if he felt that fire too. He reached inside his jacket and was just about to speak again when she broke in.
    ‘I…don’t want…’ she stuttered, trying to get past.
    ‘It’s just my number in case…’
    ‘I don’t see any point. You’ll waste your time.’
    ‘Ok. Ok. That’s fine’. He said as he drew out a small card and pushed it deep into her handbag. ‘Give me a call if you change your mind. I’ll be here until Sunday afternoon’. Lizzie grabbed her bag to retrieve the card but Cal turned and left.
    ‘Come along sweetheart.’ She squeezed Thierry’s hand and strode off as quickly as she could, with Thierry almost running, in the direction of Le Rue Espariat. Briefly she halted to watch Cal as he crossed the Cours Mirabeau.
    All through lunch at Chez Jo, Lizzie was on edge. She couldn’t believe how much Cal affected her. She cursed herself for being attracted to him. Why had she allowed him to get to her like this? What did he intend to do anyway? Did he really think she would forgive her mother? Did he know the full story, she wondered. After all he would only be aware of her mother’s version of events. Surely, their cosy little set up didn’t need her in their way anyway?
    When they returned home, Marie-Claire was still out so Lizzie made some gingerbread men with her son before bathing him and dressing him for bed. After reading him a story, she was tired too and took herself off to bed. It was impossible to sleep though with so much playing on her mind.
    ‘Shit!’ she shrieked as the realisation dawned. Cal would have seen Thierry. He never questioned her about him. She never introduced them. What would he assume? He would go back to her mother and reveal she had a grandchild. That was the last thing she wanted to happen! It was important for her to break this news personally, if at all. ‘What a mess.’ She would have to ring him but it was too late tonight.
    From six thirty the following morning she paced her apartment having given up trying to sleep. At nine she punched in his mobile number.

Chapter 3
    ‘Hello, hello, Cal?’ Lizzie tried hard to keep the urgency out of her voice.
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘It’s Lizzie here. I’ve been thinking and I will meet you. Meet me at the Pause Café, it’s in Rue Hoche, Cannes. Can you make twelve thirty?’
    ‘Ok. Pause Café. Yes I think I know where that is. Sure. I’ll see you then,’ he confirmed.
    As usual, Lizzie left Thierry’s routine to her au pair, Marie-Claire, who took Thierry to his usual local playgroup for the morning. This allowed Lizzie to take a leisurely, luxuriant bath and give her hair a conditioning treatment.