The Sweetness of Liberty James (54 page)

‘Ready, Deirdre?' She nodded but was unable to speak. She knelt beside the great dog, and held his head. ‘Goodbye, my faithful friend.' She kissed his furry face. Mr Night was beside her holding the dog's leg steady, and Deirdre reached out her hand. Liberty was going to take it but instead pushed Alain out of his trance towards her. He grabbed Deirdre's hand and knelt beside her. She looked surprised for a moment, and then as the syringe pushed the fatal dose into the vein that led to the golden heart, she crumpled on to him and sobbed.

After a couple of minutes, Alain looked at Mr Night and the vet nodded and said, ‘He's gone.' Alain held Deirdre tightly until the tremors stilled, whereupon he said softly that they should pick a special place in the garden. He would lay the dear dog to rest.

Deirdre gave one last backward glance then allowed Alain to lead her to the house.

Liberty had the unpleasant task of helping Mr Night cover Dijon in his favourite blanket and then put him into a black cadaver bag. ‘Thank you for being so quick,' she said, unable to think of anything more pleasant to say, as they laid the bag
in the shed. She would check with Deirdre later that she really wanted Dijon buried in the garden and not cremated. Mr Night, used to such occasions, was unperturbed and went on his way.

Indoors, the kitchen was empty, so she made herself a cup of tea, then realised she had put hot water in a wine glass and leaf tea in the sink, so poured herself a brandy, grateful for the heat and fire it unleashed in her belly. Alain joined her, explaining he had put Deirdre and Custard into bed, the poor little pug being apparently as upset as her owner. ‘Either that, or she is terrified about what might happen to her if she lies still for too long.' A flicker of humour in a sad afternoon.

Pacing the floor, full of sorrow and yet still aware that she must get on with organising, Liberty thought she would call the always-cheerful Paloma, find out about the baby and see if Paloma could help with baskets and linen.

Paloma was delighted to hear from Liberty; from the surrounding noise it appeared she was enjoying a drink somewhere on the Champs-Elysées. ‘Sorry, darling, I am standing in the street, waiting for Jonathan. He's been doing some investigating into Khalid while he's here. I'm not sure it will do any good if he interferes, and I can't say it adds to the romantic break, but I think my heart is his, so here I stand.'

‘So you are captured to listen to my needs!' said Liberty and explained about the fair.

‘Count us in, my love. We won't send the things, we will bring them over ourselves. Jonathan is already missing home, although he won't admit it, and Claude seems to be running my restaurant for me, desperate to escape from demands for back rubs and black pepper ice cream!'

‘No baby yet, then?'

‘Twenty days late, but she refuses to be induced. Poor Evangeline looks terribly uncomfortable. She is so tiny, with a big baby, but I'm sure it will be fine. Ah, here comes Jonathan. I'll fill him in and get on to organising baskets. Leave it to us. Love you.'

And with those words the exciting sounds of Paris faded away together with the passionate and enthusiastic Paloma. Liberty reflected how curious it was that merely talking to some people made you feel capable, energised and excited. Paloma exuded energy even down the phone. Jonathan was lucky to have her.

46

Paloma's energy obviously extended beyond Liberty. At five in the morning of 6th March, baby Yves was born. A whopping four kilograms. Bonny, smiling and a delight to his exhausted but proud parents.

When Deirdre took the call, it immediately gave her a boost, and she felt a new life had benefited from the space an old soul had vacated. This thought she failed to share with the new
grand-mère
Paloma, who, although she liked dogs, could not understand Deirdre's passion for them.

The James family arranged to fly out en masse to Nice the following weekend for the baptism. Liberty would only stay for one night as she would need to get back to sort out the fair, but Deirdre and Alain thought they would stay for an extra few days with their old friend, Deirdre taking advantage of Alain's reluctance to leave her side and go to work. The restaurant would be open until the end of summer, when it would shut for renovations to turn it into a school.

When Liberty told Edmund of the birth as they met in her kitchen for their now daily coffee and catch-up, he tentatively asked if he could join them, see his Pa and get some sunshine.

‘Why, of course, that would be lovely!' exclaimed Liberty. ‘I'm sure we can all stay at Paloma's. Bless her, she sounds so excited about Claude's baby, and then refuses to be called “
grand-mère
”. Far too ageing! So now everyone is calling her
l'Ancienne
!'

The following Thursday Edmund drove them all to Gatwick, each one invigorated by the baby's birth and the arrival of spring
sunshine. Crocuses and daffodils lined the verges after months of greys and browns, and their hearts were lifted.

Alain, true to his word, had buried Dijon in a flower bed at the end of the garden, covered him with narcissi bulbs and bluebells, and placed an order with Fred for an ironwork gazebo in place of a headstone. ‘Dijon, faithful companion' would be stamped on a small plaque, and he had ordered a winter jasmine to climb up and over, along with a yellow rose to remember his glossy coat.

Alain was pleased that Yves had arrived to take Deirdre's mind off the loss of her beloved dog, but also that she seemed to take it as right that the dog who had helped her though those lonely years should go now that Alain had returned. He still couldn't believe his luck that his beautiful ex-wife had taken him back to where he had always belonged, and was kicking himself that he had let pride get in the way once he realised his ghastly mistake.

They were searched and scolded by security when Alain was discovered trying to take a pile of cream-laden cardamom lemon buns, his baptism gift, through in his hand luggage. Thankfully, one of the top security chiefs was a major foodie, recognised Alain and, on hearing it was for such an important celebration, allowed them to board, but only after trying one and pronouncing it free of explosives!

‘If I ever save enough money to bring my wife to your restaurant, I hope you remember me!' he said. At which Alain scribbled a note and said, ‘Use it quickly. I'm closing down in the autumn!' He had given the bemused, work-weary man a voucher for a tasting menu and suite for the night for two people.

‘Two freebies in as many nights! Daddy, you are losing your head.' Liberty was finding her father's volte-face rather endearing, if a little odd. She would never have believed he would choose to leave his restaurant unless in a coffin; now he seemed unable to leave Deirdre's side.

‘Ah, but darling, love makes you happy, and what else is there, really, in the world?'

They sat in the lounge, drinking champagne, waiting for their flight to be called. As they chatted happily, Liberty told Edmund all about the fabulous place that Paloma called home, and how she had come to be there. ‘So she has never caved in and told you who Claude's father is?' Edmund sounded sceptical, whispering to Liberty that there had to be a reason. Liberty didn't care; she was thrilled to be returning to the warmth and excitement of the Riviera and to meet Yves. She had always felt like an older sister to Claude, and now she was an aunt and a godmother!

The flight was short and on time. Edmund helped Liberty with her bag and then went off to arrange the car while Alain and Deirdre waited for their luggage. Deirdre had packed so many presents that they had three suitcases for as many days.

‘It is such a lovely time to be on the Riviera,' said Deirdre as they sped in their hire car towards St Tropez. ‘Like the perfect English summer's day.' The road was almost empty of traffic, so they made fast progress. Edmund confidently covered the miles, Liberty at his side pointing out road-side stalls, pretty houses and dead cats, while they tried to ignore the cuddled-up love birds in the back. They were reminiscing about their time in St Tropez when they helped Paloma set up on her own. ‘She was such a bad cook that one sample of her food and Alain said nothing was to be done, she had to hire a chef!' recalled Deirdre, laughing. ‘But she is so entertaining that as front of house she established a reputation that has kept her going. Chefs are banging at the door, eager to work there, and customers are queuing summer after summer.'

Liberty added that the remarkable setting helped, but she couldn't imagine the place without Paloma. However, as they roared up the gravel drive through the wrought-iron gates, always open and completely grown over by the creepers that covered the wall surrounding the property, it was Jonathan who was standing on the steps waiting to greet them, looking
as though he had always lived in the south of France. His face was smoothed by love, sea air and lack of responsibility, and he wore a cream linen suit with a pale blue shirt, emphasising his blue eyes, and loafers on his feet with no socks.

‘Pa, you've gone native,' said Edmund, as he hugged his father affectionately.

‘Come through and meet the star of the show. He's just woken and Evangeline is feeding him on the terrace.' Jonathan seemed very excitable, unable to stand still, and he almost dragged Edmund along, reluctantly waiting while Edmund insisted on helping Liberty.

They walked round the side of the building as they didn't wish to disturb the diners inside. Edmund gasped, Liberty screamed and Deirdre and Alain hugged each other. For sitting alongside the happy mother and babe were Savannah and Khalid, holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. The children were running around Antoine the gardener's feet and playing tag. Savannah dragged her eyes away from Khalid's, and stood to hug them, and then they all cooed over baby Yves, who, in typical Gallic fashion, was enjoying a good lunch. Evangeline and Claude looked tired, but deliriously happy. It was an idyllic scene. Khalid called the children over, saying it was time for their meal, and he whispered to Savannah she had best fill everyone in on her own while he took the kids inside.

Liberty, waiting impatiently for all the details, picked up a proffered Campari soda and sat next to her old friend.

‘Please say this means we can see each other often again! What on earth happened?'

‘It's all Pa's doing, really,' explained Savannah. ‘When Khalid left at Christmas, I thought he was taking the children and refusing to let them be influenced by the Western lifestyle. I think I had read too many novels and disastrous press reports, and after all my other relationships had ended so badly, I suppose I imagined this one would too. If only I had talked things over with Khalid, I would have realised it was the other way round.
Apparently, he was terrified I wanted to stay in the UK without him, after Christmas. He got in a terrible jealous rage at the party, and thought the only way to hold on to me was to take the children and lure me back, but the whole time he had been planning a different scheme. Realising that life in Abu Dhabi wasn't best suited to me, he had bought a house in Paris, a vast three-storey apartment in the 13
^th
Arrondissement. Gray had been keeping an eye on it, thinking it was for some illicit scheme, but only saw his interior decorator coming and going.

‘Khalid thought we could live happily in Paris. He would be able to fly direct to the UAE when he needed, but could conduct most of his business from an office in the apartment, and I could jump on the Eurostar to come home whenever I liked. He booked schools for the children, but when we got all muddled at Christmas he wasn't sure if I would agree even to that, so he didn't mention it at all!

‘Pa found out about the house purchase when he and Paloma were in Paris by talking to the concierge, so he phoned Khalid to ask what was going on, which prompted Khalid to break down, tell me how much he didn't want to lose me and could I possibly bear to live out my years in Paris, if he also bought a home on the Riviera for holidays? How could I refuse him?'

They all roared with laughter at the absurdity of Savannah even considering for a moment the idea of refusing such an offer.

‘I realised how much I love him,' she continued. ‘I just had got it into my head that he must be a beast because those are the only types I've been with before! It's all rather lovely, really. It's like a whole new beginning, and I can't tell you how happy I am – no, we are! He's allowing me to go to some fabulous antique fair next month to buy furniture, but he has employed Nicky Haslam's team to do the house to make it look like an old English home. How sweet is that?' She then followed up with, ‘Well, I could hardly employ J-T after his thing with Gray,' misinterpreting Liberty's look of incredulity.

Liberty gazed at her friend, who had softened somehow, as
though acknowledging she was loved had made her relax and be able to love herself. Her eyes glowed and her cheeks seemed fuller and so did her tummy . . . Noticing her friend's glance, Savvie shrieked ‘Oh, and I'm pregnant again!' to anyone who wanted to hear. Which they all did, of course.

Khalid poked his head out of an upstairs window. ‘We were going to tell everyone together!' He sounded frustrated, but was laughing. ‘It seems you have told the whole of France, you loud-mouthed lovely.'

‘Goodness me, it must be catching,' said Claude. ‘Congratulations to you both.' Khalid waved and shouted that he would be right down.

After chatting for a while longer, the group was catching up with news. Edmund looked like a startled rabbit when Jonathan asked how Denhelm was getting on without him ‘Oh, you know, Pa,' he said, trying to make a joke of it. ‘All collapsing without its captain!'

Sensing his discomfort, Liberty called over that she should show him around, and took him off to be introduced to Antoine, her gardener tutor. ‘Thank you,' said Edmund huskily, when they were out of earshot. ‘I don't think this time of joy is the correct moment to share with my father that I'm sinking his prize ship.'