Page 38 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure
“I think that’s unlikely,” Dora said. “In this place there is always someone watching.”
“And who would want old women’s not very fashionable clothing?” Mavis added.
They were laughing as they went back into the hotel. It seemed that Yvette had gone up for a nap. They retreated to the conservatory and asked Mr Adams for some tea. They were still drinking it when Ellie was summoned to the foyer and found Louis waiting for her.
“I have news, madame,” he said. “The good news is that a hose can be procured for your vehicle. The bad news is that there is a leak in your radiator. A crack at the bottom. If you wish, I can try to repair this, but I can’t guarantee that it will work or last long. The alternative is that we can send away for a new radiator, and I will install it for you.”
“Which do you advise?” Ellie asked.
Louis gave that delightfully Gallic shrug. “It depends what you plan to do. If your aim is to drive around the Côte d’Azur, up and down mountains, then I would say you should order the new radiator to be on the safe side. Next time you break down, you may not find aSaint-Benet close by. If, however, you decide to stay here for a while, then why do you need a motor car that runs perfectly?”
Ellie did mental calculations. It would certainly be cheaper to stay at the pension than at a more glamorous hotel in one of the resorts. It was cheap to eat in the village. Therefore the money saved while they waited for a new radiator to arrive could be spent on the replacement. But the patch might work just as well. Also, she had to admit, she was not ready to leave this place yet. And she had a desire to see the haunted villa.
“Very well,” she said. “I suggest you try to patch the radiator. And if that does not work well, then we will send off for a new one.”
He nodded as if he thought this was a wise decision.
“We will need our suitcases from the motor car if you are to work on it at your workplace,” Ellie said.
“Already taken care of, madame,” he replied. “You will find your baggage in your rooms.”
So he already suspected that they would want to stay longer. Ellie went back to the others and reported what Louis had said. “And he’s had our bags delivered to our rooms,” she finished.
“So you are willing to risk driving on with a patched radiator?” Dora asked.
“If we go any further, we’ll reach Toulon, or another of the big towns, where they will have proper car mechanics and radiators,” Ellie said. “And I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to go anywhere yet. I like this place. It seems like a sort of refuge where I can come to terms with what has happened and what is going to happen. Also, I have this strange desire to see the villa.”
“The place what’s supposed to be haunted?” Mavis looked horrified. “You’re not thinking of renting it yourself and staying there?”
“I’d just like to see it,” Ellie said. “It may sound silly, but when they mentioned a villa I found myself thinking that I’d been waiting for it, as if it was all planned.”
Dora looked at her suspiciously. “I suppose it can’t hurt to see it,” she said. “I must admit that I’m a little curious about it myself. Built for a duke’s mistress, then abandoned ... It sounds very romantic.”
“Right,” Ellie said. “Tomorrow we’ll go and visit the notaire to see if he can arrange for us to see it.”
By five o’clock, Yvette had finally risen from her nap. “I don’t know what is the matter with me,” she said, “but all I want to do is to sleep and sleep.”
“I understand,” Ellie replied. “You have had a bad shock. When you sleep, you don’t have to think about it.”
“You are right, madame,” Yvette said. “I am so worried all the time. How can I think about the future? What will happen to me? What will happen to my child?”
“It will not be easy for you, I fear, but we will try to help you, Yvette,” Ellie said. “You are amongst friends now. We will try to work out what is best.”
“You are my guardian angel, I am sure,” Yvette said and flung her arms around Ellie. Ellie stood there, feeling awkward with the unwanted embrace. She didn’t remember anyone ever hugging her fiercely like this. Certainly not Lionel, certainly not her parents. Her grandmother maybe?
That evening they set off across to Henri’s bar on the other side of the harbour. Clouds were gathering out to sea, which tonight presented an inky blackness. A chilly wind was blowing, making waves slap against the harbour wall and the fishing boats creak and groan at their moorings.
“Goodness, I wish I’d brought my fur coat after all,” Dora said, wrapping her scarf around her throat.
Henri was waiting outside the bar to greet them. “Dear mesdames, welcome. Tonight I think you will want to sit inside as the nights are now getting colder.” He led them through the open doors to where a table with a white cloth and silverware had been set up by a fireplace in which a log fire was burning. “Winter is on its way, is it not?”
“It’s certainly cold out there,” Dora said.
“You will be delighted with what I have prepared for you this evening,” he said. “I have made the poulet Basquaise, the chicken in a rich sauce of the Basque people. And to begin the meal, a terrine.”
Ellie wasn’t sure what a terrine was, but she smiled politely as they took their seats. The first course was produced. The terrine was a thick slice of what looked like various chopped meats surrounded by aspic. It was served with thin slices of toasted bread and decorated with a sprig of rosemary. There were definitely herbs in the dish. Ellie tried to make out the flavours. Rosemary? Thyme? She realized she had no idea that something so simple could be so full of amazing flavour sensations. She had always liked to cook and prided herself on her cooking, but the dishes had always been simple ones: a piece of meat, vegetables and potatoes, roast beef, pork chops, liver and bacon, stews. She did make shepherd’s pie with leftovers, or occasional steak and kidney pies, but they were flavoured with salt and pepper at best. Nothing like this attack on the taste buds.I’m going to learn how to do this,she thought.
She noticed the others were also scraping their plates clean.
