Free An Unexpected Affair by Jan Ellis Page B

arranging a hat on her head, “but he doesn’t actually enjoy it.”
    Eleanor couldn’t help laughing.
    “Alan was always so earnest,” she added, handing over a handful of Euros to the stall holder. “Anyway, you are a free woman and your ex-husband is in a much better place.”
    “You make it sound as though he’s died!”
    “He’s in Canada with a dental hygienist, which I would say was much the same thing.”
    “You are of course right,” said Eleanor, looping her arm through her sister’s. “He’s in the frozen north while I’m here in the sun with only twenty-four hours to go before I see my lost love again.”
    “That sounds like an excuse for a new outfit to me. Let’s shop!”
    “Oh, do we have to?” groaned Eleanor. “You know that I can’t abide shopping.”
    “I think that that is pretty obvious from the contents of your suitcase,” said Jenna, tartly. “There’s certainly nothing in there that will do for lunch with the ex and his lovely wife.”
    Eleanor thought of the statuesque Rosanne, who looked great even in her chef’s whites with her hair casually piled on her head – and capitulated. “Okay then. But let’s be quick.”
    “Absolutely,” said Jenna. “I happened to notice a shop nearby that had some interesting things in the window.”
    “Lead the way.”
    Jenna had a good eye for a bargain and Eleanor soon found herself with a brand new pair of linen trousers and a scoop-necked top. “I’m not sure about this,” she said, tugging the neckline up over her cleavage. “It’s not my usual style.”
    “That’s because your usual style – if one could call it that – is ‘dowdy bookseller’.”
    “Well thanks a lot!”
    “I’m trying to help you, El,” said Jenna, turning her sister around to get a better view. “That pattern really suits you and the colours are great with your hair.”
    Studying herself in the mirror, Eleanor had to agree that she looked rather good. “Hmm, maybe it’s not too bad.” The burnt orange fabric did bring out the highlights in her hair, she thought, and the turquoise details set off her newly acquired tan. She paid for the outfit and they left the shop.
    Jenna turned to her sister. “Now we’ve sorted out your wardrobe, what shall we do next?”
    “How do you fancy a river cruise this afternoon?”
    “That sounds great,” said Jenna. “I especially enjoy sight-seeing that you can do sitting down.”
    “You’ll like this bit, too,” Eleanor said, pulling the brochure out of her handbag and peering at it. “It looks like we stop off at a couple of vineyards along the way.”
    Jenna clasped her hands together, “It just gets better and better.”
    Eleanor led the way down to the riverside where they caught the boat and spent the rest of the afternoon on the water with occasional sallies onto dry land. After a couple of miles, they landed and were led to a kind of barn where smiling young people in smart black aprons offered them tiny samples of local wine. The sisters each bought some. At the next stop, they tasted some more and bought a couple of bottles.
    Walking back to the hotel at the end of the trip, Eleanor tested the weight in her hands. “I think we may have overdone it with the wine,” she said, wondering how she would fit it in her luggage.
    “Nonsense,” said Jenna. “It will make lovely gifts for Kiff and our new friends in Chevandier.”
    “That’s true,” said Eleanor. “And if our bags are too heavy to lift onto the train, we’ll just have to drink the wine first.”
    “That’s the spirit,” said Jenna, bursting into giggles. “No pun intended.”
    “I think we need coffee.”
    That evening, they had another early dinner at a pizzeria on the corner by their hotel. Eleanor had a restless night, wondering what the next day would bring. She awoke early and was up and ready by 7am. She left her sister sleeping and went out for a walk by the river before breakfast. Later, they both went for a