Page 35 of Sisters Making Mischief
‘Pretty good, now the better weather is coming. But today we need to finish off thegîtes,otherwisenous serons grondés– we will be in trouble.’
‘Indeed, you will,’ Isabel agreed, ‘would you like some lunch first? I am making soup.’
Unsurprisingly they said they would. We left them shouting at each other and unloading their tools from the back of the truck and went back into the house.
When we got there, Isabel paused in the doorway to admire our handiwork of earlier that morning.
‘This is amazing,’ she said, ‘I can see the table, it doesn’t look like my kitchen at all. And all the washing-up is done and put away. You are a treasure, Joy. I wish you had been here over Christmas; I could have done with someone clearing up.’
‘I was a bit busy doing that at home,’ I said.
‘Didn’t anyone help at all?’
‘Not really. Vanessa had just had a manicure and said she couldn’t help because I don’t own a pair of rubber gloves, andSara was too busy making wine glasses dirty and leaving them all over the house. I even found one in the downstairs loo. And I’m afraid none of the girls or John for that matter, would have thought about it. I am only now realising what a doormat I was, so really, I should blame myself.’
Isabel went to resume the leek chopping, putting a big pan onto the stove, and melting a sizzling lump of butter.
‘I’m not expecting you to clear up,’ Isabel said quickly, ‘I’m just grateful you do.’
‘I don’t mind doing it, I just didn’t like being taken for granted.’
And that was the truth of it, I guessed. When I was doing all those meals and all that food preparation, I didn’t necessarily want anyone to help me, I just wanted the occasional offer or acknowledgment, perhaps a thank you.
Isabel tipped the chopped leeks and garlic into the pan and there was a wonderful aroma which filled the kitchen in seconds. Moments later there was a familiar brief knock on the door and Eugénie – dressed in a very smart, navy-blue coat and red gloves – came in.
‘Did you get your letters written?’ Isabel said from her place at the stove, ‘and did you go into town to post them.’
Eugénie sat down and pulled off her gloves, which she laid neatly on the table.
‘I changed my mind. I thought it possible I would have a trip or fall. I was about to go out and I saw those lovely boys arrive. What are you making?’
‘Leek soup. Without the potatoes before you ask.’
‘Bon,’ Eugénie said, ‘everyone is fat enough. I will join you if I am invited?’
‘Bien sûr. Of course,’ Isabel said.
Half an hour later the soup was made – with a running commentary from Eugénie and interference from Pierre and Sylveste – and we were sitting around the table enjoying it. There was a largepain de campagneloaf too with a criss-crossed, crusty top, and a big wedge of brie, which Eugénie looked at as though it was poisonous.
A lot of the conversation was in French, but I was beginning to remember quite a bit, and I was even beginning to understand more than I thought I would. Still, I was grateful that out of politeness to me, they spoke English too. And even though it was quite a simple meal everyone was being pleasant and appreciative. Why couldn’t it always be like this?
‘We will start on connecting up the water,’ Pierre said, ‘it won’t take long. And the work on the roof is nearly finished.’
‘Knowing how you two get distracted and wander off, I will believe it when I see it,’ Isabel said, cutting herself a slice of brie under the disapproving gaze of her mother-in-law.
Eugénie was quick to come to their defence.
‘These boys are hard workers,’ she said, ‘you have nothing to be cross about. They are just like their grandfather, my Bastien, God rest his soul. Now there was a man who knew what hard work was.’
Sylveste grinned at her across the table. ‘Mamie,thank you.’
Eugénie fished in her handbag, pulled out two five euro notes and pushed them over the table.
‘C’est pour les bonbons.’
Buy yourself some sweets.
Nothing changes, not really.
