Read Online Biarritz Passion: A French Summer Novel by Laurette Long - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Laurette Long
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stormed the beaches of Egypt near Port Said, and took the city.’
She paused.
‘Surprisingly, there were relatively few casualties. But James… sadly, James was one of the unlucky ones.’
Margaret’s bright blue eyes were full of tears.
Caroline was shocked into silence.
‘It was such a long time ago now. I hardly think of it.’
Margaret lifted her head, managed a smile.
‘Well, that’s not true. I do think of it, often. Such a handsome young man. Such a waste.’
Caroline went to kneel by her Aunt’s chair. She took the frail hands in hers and rubbed them. She had never known there had been someone special in Margaret’s life.
‘But the reason I’m telling you this, my dear, is that after James , afterwards, I decided that my life had only one course. A career. I put my head down and went blindly onwards, ignoring any other possibilities, any opportunities that may have presented themselves. That did present themselves.’
Both women were silent now. Looking at her aunt, Caroline saw vestiges of the once- bea utiful girl she must have been.
How different her life might have been. Even when she came back to take care of Caroline and Annabel, she had been a striking woman with a striking personality. There must have been men who would have jumped at the opportunity of making a life with her.
‘The thing is,’ Margaret said finally, ‘just because of one false start, don’t go thinking you’ve lost all your chances. Don’t lock yourself away from other people behind a wall of self-sufficiency. We all need somebody, all of us. If you see an opportunity, Caroline, take it. Seize it with both hands.’
Caroline found herself unable to speak, affected by the sadness of what might have been.
‘My dear, you’re still so young. Yes, I know you think that’s not true, that 30 is some terrible landmark, but it’s not. You have a whole life to live, if only you’ll allow yourself to do so.’
Caroline was deeply moved. She knew that what her aunt said was true, she recognised only too well her tendency to assert her independence, to face up to life with squared shoulders.
She recognised also that what her aunt was giving her, had always given her, was the chance to be a child, a daughter, to lean on someone else, to listen to advice and not to have to give it.
Impulsively, she kissed Margaret’s cheek.
‘Thank you. Thank you for, well, for telling me all this. For telling me about James. I am so sorry. I had no idea. And I wish...’
The look in her eyes completed her sentence.
Margaret nodded, held her niece close.
They both heard the sound of the ancient trolley creaking its way along the corridor from the kitchen. With a last squeeze, Margaret gently unclasped Caroline’s arms.
‘Tea’s here.’
Birdie appeared in the doorway pushing a trolley laden with sandwiches, scones dripping with honey, robust tiers of fruit cake and a fragrantly steaming tea pot.
‘About time too,’ remarked Margaret with asperity. ‘Can’t you see the child is starving?’
She rapped the floor impatiently wi th her stick and sat up.
Behind the wing chair, Birdie pulled a face at her friend’s ramrod straight back.
CHAPTER FIVE. FRIDAY 28 MAY
Titus had always known the trick of pushing open Caroline’s door, even when she thought it was firmly shut. Sure enough she woke next morning to a wet Labrador nose.
‘Titus, oh no, make an appointment with your dentist!’
Titus grinned, slobbered and leapt on to the bed. Or rather it was an attempt at a leap, ending up more as a scramble.
‘Yes yes old boy, ugh, just turn your head a bit...’
Titus suddenly found a flea that needed attention. Thankfully, Caroline flopped back against the pillows.
The sun was filtering through the curtains, casting a golden dust throughout the room. It lit up the old floorboards polished to a grainy darkness, fell onto the brightly woven rugs.
Caroline stretched and blinked, taking in the familiar surroundings of
She paused.
‘Surprisingly, there were relatively few casualties. But James… sadly, James was one of the unlucky ones.’
Margaret’s bright blue eyes were full of tears.
Caroline was shocked into silence.
‘It was such a long time ago now. I hardly think of it.’
Margaret lifted her head, managed a smile.
‘Well, that’s not true. I do think of it, often. Such a handsome young man. Such a waste.’
Caroline went to kneel by her Aunt’s chair. She took the frail hands in hers and rubbed them. She had never known there had been someone special in Margaret’s life.
‘But the reason I’m telling you this, my dear, is that after James , afterwards, I decided that my life had only one course. A career. I put my head down and went blindly onwards, ignoring any other possibilities, any opportunities that may have presented themselves. That did present themselves.’
Both women were silent now. Looking at her aunt, Caroline saw vestiges of the once- bea utiful girl she must have been.
How different her life might have been. Even when she came back to take care of Caroline and Annabel, she had been a striking woman with a striking personality. There must have been men who would have jumped at the opportunity of making a life with her.
‘The thing is,’ Margaret said finally, ‘just because of one false start, don’t go thinking you’ve lost all your chances. Don’t lock yourself away from other people behind a wall of self-sufficiency. We all need somebody, all of us. If you see an opportunity, Caroline, take it. Seize it with both hands.’
Caroline found herself unable to speak, affected by the sadness of what might have been.
‘My dear, you’re still so young. Yes, I know you think that’s not true, that 30 is some terrible landmark, but it’s not. You have a whole life to live, if only you’ll allow yourself to do so.’
Caroline was deeply moved. She knew that what her aunt said was true, she recognised only too well her tendency to assert her independence, to face up to life with squared shoulders.
She recognised also that what her aunt was giving her, had always given her, was the chance to be a child, a daughter, to lean on someone else, to listen to advice and not to have to give it.
Impulsively, she kissed Margaret’s cheek.
‘Thank you. Thank you for, well, for telling me all this. For telling me about James. I am so sorry. I had no idea. And I wish...’
The look in her eyes completed her sentence.
Margaret nodded, held her niece close.
They both heard the sound of the ancient trolley creaking its way along the corridor from the kitchen. With a last squeeze, Margaret gently unclasped Caroline’s arms.
‘Tea’s here.’
Birdie appeared in the doorway pushing a trolley laden with sandwiches, scones dripping with honey, robust tiers of fruit cake and a fragrantly steaming tea pot.
‘About time too,’ remarked Margaret with asperity. ‘Can’t you see the child is starving?’
She rapped the floor impatiently wi th her stick and sat up.
Behind the wing chair, Birdie pulled a face at her friend’s ramrod straight back.
CHAPTER FIVE. FRIDAY 28 MAY
Titus had always known the trick of pushing open Caroline’s door, even when she thought it was firmly shut. Sure enough she woke next morning to a wet Labrador nose.
‘Titus, oh no, make an appointment with your dentist!’
Titus grinned, slobbered and leapt on to the bed. Or rather it was an attempt at a leap, ending up more as a scramble.
‘Yes yes old boy, ugh, just turn your head a bit...’
Titus suddenly found a flea that needed attention. Thankfully, Caroline flopped back against the pillows.
The sun was filtering through the curtains, casting a golden dust throughout the room. It lit up the old floorboards polished to a grainy darkness, fell onto the brightly woven rugs.
Caroline stretched and blinked, taking in the familiar surroundings of
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