Read Online Hot Basque: A French Summer Novel 2 by Laurette Long - Free Book Online

laughter as his son. Caroline noticed other similarities: the tall athletic build, the blonde hair now turning to gray.
    Edward’s father had started as a barrister. He’d taken silk, then at the age of fifty-five, had been offered a judgeship. Now, in his sixties, he was semi-retired, enjoying life in the English countryside with his French wife. Their younger son, Antony, was in Brazil.
    ‘Oh you are exaggerating as usual.’ Julie gave her husband a fond look. ‘You know you love Jean-Paul, and from the minute she could talk, Claudie, she is always wanting to be with Tonton Adam. At least Anouk got a girl. Me too I always wanted a little girl but I never got one.’
    ‘ Maman !’ Edward put a hand to his heart. ‘That explains my feelings of rejection. Also why Antony has run off to Brazil, deep down he knew he wasn’t wanted.’
    Julie cast her eyes heavenwards.
    ‘Antony has run off to Brazil to chase a petticoat, or whatever you say in English. Pay no attention Caroline. But look at us, standing here in the hall. Come through my dear, Adam, he will get us something to drink. I want to hear all about you.’
    As the evening had worn on, Caroline quickly understood why the family always spent their holidays together at the Villa Julia, the two sisters, their husbands, and the four cousins. They all shared the same sense of humour, the same easy-going outlook, the same energy and joie de vivre.
    ‘You must meet my sister Anouk. I know you got on so well with the twins when you have met them in July. Ah, she was so happy, you know, Anouk, when she found out she was pregnant, with Gerard they had been trying for some time. And then when those two little babies were born, we had the loveliest times together. Fortunately our husbands took an instant liking to one another, even though they could not hardly understand a word each other said at the beginning. Perhaps that’s why!’
    Caroline found herself falling into the same easy relationship with Julie that she had with Claudie. She bent her head over the album that Julie was showing her, pictures of the four cousins when they were children, Edward the oldest, proud and straight at the head of the little troop, clutching a shrimping net on the beach at Biarritz; the twins next, holding up dried crabs, both of them so brown that all you could see of their features were enormous dazzling grins, then the youngest, Antony, also dark like his two Parisian cousins. No wonder the locals called Edward ‘Blondie’ when he was in Biarritz. He looked as though he belonged to a different family. Only when you met his father, Adam, did you see where he had acquired those oh-so-British looks. She smiled as Julie turned to a photograph of Jean-Paul holding Claudie upside down over the pool. A shadow crossed her face as she thought how different it was between her and Annabel. Could she ever forgive her sister for what had happened that summer? With an effort she pushed the thought aside and concentrated on enjoying her first meeting with Edward’s parents, which was turning out to be a splendid success.
    Since that evening almost one year ago, the two families, Margaret and Birdie, Julie and Adam, had shared their weekends when Edward and Caroline visited. The Rayburns had bought The Limes nine years previously; the house was separated from Willowdale by a small wood. What had started out as a neighbourly acquaintance quickly grew into something more. Caroline, phoning her aunt would learn that ‘Julie and Adam’ had been for tea, or that Margaret and Birdie were ‘invited for Sunday lunch, so looking forward to it, Julie is such an inventive cook.’
    Thoughts of Julie’s cooking prompted Caroline to take another peek at the ice-cream. Perfect. She moved through into the dining room. The table was set with a lace tablecloth, linen serviettes, and Margaret’s best Spode china. A small vase of freesias, her Aunt’s favourite flowers, stood in the centre, their delicate