Page 16 of The Little Provence Book Shop

‘Ah, you are not so very young. He is thirty-five,’ she said, turning to Adeline. ‘But he still thinks he is a boy.’

‘A boy with great taste in wine,’ he reminded her.

‘Ha! Not as good as perhaps he thinks,’ she said, and he laughed delightedly.

‘My aunt likes to make sure I know my place.’

Adeline smiled. ‘I can see that.’

‘Anyway, it is a glorious day, but I am alone, and Monique said I must come to take her for coffee.’

‘Ah, I am sorry,’ Monique said. ‘I am so busy now! Perhaps you could take Adeline – it would be nice for you to get to know each other?’

Adeline shot a look at Monique who seemed once again preoccupied with her shelves. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘But no. I think I’d better get on.’

‘Ah, is my aunt such a hard taskmaster?’

‘It’s not that,’ she said hurriedly, feeling her face get hot. ‘It’s just…’

He nodded, his smile remaining but perhaps not quite as brightly as before. ‘Monique has told me a lot about you. I am keen to learn a bit more about England,’ he said hopefully.

‘Perhaps another time?’

He nodded. ‘As you wish.’ He glanced over at Monique. ‘And I suppose I can’t tempt you, Monique, for a coffee either?’

Monique shook her head. ‘Sorry. But I have to go soon. Tosee the bank.’ She shrugged. ‘But you know, someone will talk to you in the cafe. You will not be alone.’

He smiled. ‘C’est vrai.And you have my books?’

‘Soon. And take this.’ She rummaged momentarily in a drawer and extracted a purple stone, walking forward and pushing it into his hand. ‘It will help with your hangover.’

Michel looked at the stone doubtfully. ‘I don’t have to eat it, do I?’ he asked teasingly.

‘Ha. Not if you want to keep your teeth. Just slip it into your pocket, you will see.’

‘OK, well, I will go and enjoy the morning alone with only my little rock for company,’ he said with mock sadness. ‘And I will see you both soon.’

‘Sorry,’ Adeline found herself saying guiltily.

‘Don’t worry,’ he said. Then, moving towards her, he added under his breath, ‘Don’t tell my aunt, but my head is quite sore this morning. So perhaps it’s better for me to be quiet.’

She laughed softly. ‘Good idea.’

Then he was gone and the shop seemed slightly duller without his presence.

‘He is a nice boy,’ Monique said to her.

‘Yes, he seems lovely.’

‘And his aura – it is so yellow,n’est-ce pas?’

‘His… aura?’

‘Yes. We all have one. A colour that surrounds us. And his is bright. Perhaps you noticed.’

‘No. Not really,’ Adeline said, trying not to think of the way the light had changed when he’d entered.

Monique smiled, her gaze resting on Adeline’s face for a moment. ‘You do not like when I talk of auras?’

---