Free Christmas in Bluebell Cove by Abigail Gordon Page B

replied dreamily, with the delightful feeling that at last all was well with her world. Ethan had come to France for the weekend without persuasion and had enjoyed every moment he’d been there with her. Was the nightmare going to end and her parents’ lovely home be filled with noise and laughter once more? She had a feeling that it was.
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    The flights for him and the children were for the Sunday night because it was school on Monday morning and he and Francine didn’t want them to be no sooner homethan having to go straight to school without time to eat and change into their uniforms, so on the off chance of flying back with them she rang the airport and managed to change her ticket.
    She’d been up in the clouds all day after spending the night with Ethan and every time their glances met, her heartbeat quickened. The two of them had gone sightseeing in the morning, cruising on the river again afterwards, and had finally had afternoon tea in a small restaurant near the Eiffel Tower that served excellent food, before collecting Kirstie and Ben who’d spent the day with a group of the friends they’d met at their French school. And all the time Francine was rejoicing inwardly because Ethan was coming round to her way of thinking.
    When he commented that the children were not supposed to know anyone on this side of the Channel, she just smiled and told him, ‘Their reluctance to come here to live was mainly because you wouldn’t be here. They can cope with living with me in Thimble Cottage because it is only yards away from where you are.’
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    There’d been no time for any really in-depth discussion after that with Kirstie and Ben around, so the bubble didn’t burst until they were back in Bluebell Cove and the children were asleep. It was then that Francine went across to discuss the weekend’s happenings with Ethan.
    She found him on the phone to Leo and when he’d replaced the receiver he said soberly, ‘No joy from that end. Leo could be absent for some time. You will be most welcome to join us at the surgery, Francine.’
    â€˜Er—yes, I suppose so,’ she agreed doubtfully, ‘butin the meantime you will have to make some arrangements for when we’ve gone.’
    He was observing her warily. ‘Gone where, Francine?’
    â€˜To Paris, of course. That is what was behind you coming to join me, wasn’t it? The reason why we—’ Her voice trailed away and there was a sinking feeling inside her as she said slowly. ‘Did you make love to me just for the fun of it?’
    â€˜Of course not!’ he exclaimed. ‘I would never do that in a thousand years.’
    â€˜So why then? Not because you cared enough to make my dream come true obviously. It was just a one-off, was it?’
    â€˜No. It was not. When I came into the bedroom last night you were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and no matter what, you were still mine. That was why, not for any other reason. To sleep with you wasn’t why I’d followed you to France.’
    â€˜It was because I felt bad about the way we’d separated down on the beach and didn’t want to have to wait until Monday before I saw you again. And with regard to me moving to France with you, how in the name of God can I? We’ve been through this a thousand times and it’s not going to change, Francine. I can’t do it.’
    â€˜You could if you tried.’
    â€˜Oh, yes? The practice in Bluebell Cove isn’t clinical and impersonal like those in town centres. It’s a place where friends meet friends, where they know their doctors, see them in the street and the pub, and are relaxed in their presence.
    â€˜When Barbara Balfour retired there was no problem in finding a replacement. They knew me almost as wellas they’d known her, but it wouldn’t be that simple if I went.
    â€˜Leo hasn’t been here long. He hasn’t