Free Wanderlust by Danielle Steel

with them. They became an inseparable threesome, laughing and dancing and telling tales, drinking champagne until they could barely stop laughing anymore, making fun of the other passengers, and inviting them to join them now and then. But on the whole, the threesome was a huge success, and Audrey and the Hawthornes became fast friends. So much so that it was a mournful night as they faced the prospect of disembarking the next day.
    Will you come to Cap d'Antibes with us? It was Violet's suggestion but James seemed anxious to second it. You'd have such a good time. We always do. There are such marvelous people there. Their favorites among them were the Murphys, of course, Gerald and Sara, with their endless parties, funny costumes, and intriguing friends. Hemingway had been there with them for a time, Fitzgerald always was, Picasso, Dos Passos ' but more than that it was the Murphys themselves who were so amusing. The Hawthornes were mad about them, and counted themselves lucky to be among their friends. Do come. Violet's eyes pleaded with her and Audrey was tempted to say yes. You're coming to the South of France anyway. Just plan to spend a little more time there.
    Yes, James laughed, rather more like two months. Good God, Audrey, Violet's brother stayed with us for seven weeks last year he had such a good time. He pretended to frown then as he looked at his wife. He's not coming back again this year, is he, Lady Vi?
    Now, don't start that again, James, you know he only stayed for two weeks in July. And this year, he can only stay for a few days. She turned her attention to Audrey again. We're counting on you. We'll be there by July second or third, and you just come.
    I will, she promised, and suddenly the summer looked even more exciting.
    There was a whole new world to discover, with the cast of characters they described in Antibes, and all the adventures they would share. They held out excitement like a handful of gems, and their promises danced in her head like little elves, as she lay in her bunk that night and ran it all through her head again ' a weekend in Saint-Tropez ' gambling in Monte Carl', as Vi called it in flawless but irreverent French ' Cannes ' Nice ' Villefranche ' the very words filled her with excitement, and her heart pounded as she lay there late into the night, thanking her lucky stars that she had met them.

Chapter 5

    The days in London flew by much too quickly. Audrey was delivered to Claridge's by James and Vi, with a special introduction to the manager. Her reservation had been at the Connaught, but James had insisted that she change, only because he preferred it. There was absolutely no reason why, and she would have been happy in either place, although James's introduction guaranteed her treatment the likes of which she'd never experienced anywhere. She attempted to explain it in a letter to Annabelle, but then finally tore it up for fear that her younger sister would be overwhelmed with envy. There were rivers of champagne, endless baskets of fruit, little silver trays of impeccable chocolates, and afternoons of shopping with Lady Vi, driven everywhere in their Rolls, taken to parties and plays. And Vi and James even gave a party for her. They introduced her to their closest friends, she fell in love with their children, and was in awe of their home. It was enormous and elegant, and looked more like a small palace than a house. Even in San Francisco, with all its grand homes, she had never seen anything like it. She almost hated to move on to Paris at week's end, and the only thing that consoled her was the fact that she'd be meeting them in Antibes in a few weeks, and she could hardly wait to see them.
    Paris almost seemed dull in comparison, without Violet and James. And Audrey bought a wonderful little hat for her, at Patou, and an even more wonderful one for Annabelle, which she sent home. And almost everything she saw in Paris seemed to have a jungle motif that year. She bought a wild