Page 40 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure
“It’s certainly simple,” Ellie said. “But it’s clean. It will do for now.” She was going to add something about the villa but stopped, suddenly shy about sharing too much.
They took their leave soon afterward.
“You see, Yvette? They are not such brigands and corsairs when you get to know them,” Dora said as they walked home. Yvette merely shrugged.
Chapter 15
The next morning they were woken by wind rattling the shutters. When Ellie opened hers, she felt rain in her face and saw an angry dark sea. So winter had come to the Côte d’Azur. This made her realize that staying in this small town might not be so desirable after all. If they were stuck all day in the pension, what exactly would they do? There were no cinemas, tea rooms or other delights to amuse them. The so-called lounge was a rather dreary room with a couple of ancient leather sofas and a bookcase containing some board games and a few novels. Ellie suspected they’d soon get sick of each other’s company. But she was still determined to see the villa before the radiator was mended. So after breakfast she paid a call on Monsieur Danton, the notaire. The rain had intensified, so she left the others in the warmth of the hotel lounge and wished she had brought her stout English raincoat as she made her way down the village street. Monsieur Danton had an impressive office in the same building as the police station, and Ellie realized that in a village this size he was the equivalent of a mayor, handling permits and fines and everybody’s business.
Monsieur Danton was a little man, immaculately dressed with a high starched collar and dark suit. His thinning grey hair was parted in the middle, and he sported a thin moustache. He wore wire spectacles and had a perpetually surprised expression. This became even more pronounced when Ellie explained her mission.
“My dear madame,” he said, “this so-called villa is not what you think. It is not suitable to be occupied at this stage. It is a tumbledown ruin, untouched for many years.”
“Would it be too much trouble to enquire of the owners if we could at least see it?” she asked. “I find its history quite romantic. You do have an address for the current owner, do you?”
“I certainly do,” he replied. “But as to whether the owner will want you to see it? Who can say?”
Ellie left, not feeling too hopeful. They passed the rest of the day in reading or playing cards. Mr Adams managed some ham sandwiches for lunch, and in the evening they bundled up and hurried across the harbour to Henri. He apologized that the van with supplies had not arrived, due to a mudslide, but he would make them omelettes. These proved to be amazingly light and stuffed with tiny shrimp and herbs. With them were layered potatoes in a creamy sauce and a spinach salad.
“Who knew that ordinary old eggs could taste so nice,” Mavis summed up for all of them.
After an apple tart and coffee, they retreated to the pension, just in time, as another round of storms came in, buffeting the shutters. “If it’s going to be like this all winter, it hardly makes sense to stay here,” Dora said testily. “We’d do just as well in Bournemouth.”
“We’re not going home already, are we?” Mavis asked in alarm.
“Of course not,” Ellie said. “We’re not going to let one little rainstorm drive us away.”
After they went to bed, Ellie slept fitfully. What was she doing here? she asked herself. Was it really the right place for her? Where was a right place for her? She belonged nowhere. But she felt responsible for Dora and Mavis and Yvette. What was to become of them?
At last she fell asleep and awoke to blue skies, seagulls wheeling overhead and fishermen already busy bailing water from their drenched boats.
“So what do you want to do today?” Dora asked. “See if the radiator is fixed and we can move on?”
“I’d like to find out if Monsieur Danton has managed to contact the owner of the villa,” Ellie replied.
“That damned villa. You’ve become obsessed with it, haven’t you?” Dora replied.
“Maybe just a little.” Ellie managed a smile. “But it can’t hurt to take a look, can it? We go and visit old houses and castles in England. This is the same sort of thing. Historic value.”
“Hmph” was all that Dora replied. Ellie noted that she was not in a good mood today and suspected she might be in pain. The rain certainly would have made arthritis flare up in an older person.
“Do you want to come with me to see Monsieur Danton?” she asked.
“I’ll come,” Mavis said. “This place ain’t exactly cheerful, if you know what I mean.”
“I should like to meet this man who seems to rule the roost here,” Dora said. “Yvette, do you wish to come with us?” she asked in French.
Yvette shrugged. “This town is boring,” she said. “There are no good shops. No cinema.”
“I hardly think there were many good shops near your farm,” Dora replied archly.
Yvette nodded as if this was true. “I will come,” she said. “At least I can look at the pastries in the window of the boulangerie.”
They set out. Women were busy hanging out laundry after the wet day, righting outside furniture and plants that had blown over during the storm. There was a line at the baker’s. The owner of the other food shop was putting out baskets of apples and peppers. Before they could reach Monsieur Danton’s place of business, they saw him walking towards them. His officious manner of walking echoed his dress and personality.
“Ah, the very person I was coming to see,” he said, beaming. “I have good news, mesdames. The owner, he says that I may escort you to see the villa. But he warns that you will not find it agreeable, and please be careful as it could be dangerous.”
“Oh, we’ll be very careful,” Ellie said. “Thank you so much. When might be convenient for you?”
