Read Online Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson - Free Book Online Page A

footing, sartorially speaking.
    â€œWhen do you start your classes?” he asked, his gaze focused on the sea.
    â€œIn September. At the Académie Czerny.”
    â€œThe name is familiar. Do you know the address of the school?”
    â€œIt’s on the rue du Montparnasse, just off the boulevard.”
    â€œThen it’s not far from where I live.” He turned his head, one hand shading his eyes. “Will you look me up when you’re back in Paris? You can send me a petit bleu at the paper.”
    â€œA little blue . . . ?”
    â€œA pneumatic message. I doubt your aunt has a telephone—hardly anyone does—and the post isn’t very efficient. You can buy the forms at the post office or stationers.”
    â€œWhen do you leave?”
    â€œTomorrow. I could only wrangle a few days off from my editor. Blochman fell down the stairs last week, and he and I are the only ones that can make much sense of the cables from New York. So back I go.”
    â€œIs he all right? Your colleague?”
    â€œHe’ll be fine. Will teach him to avoid stairs when he’s had a snootful.”
    It was the first time she’d ever heard that term, but for once it didn’t have to be explained to her. American words were so terribly expressive.
    â€œI had better go home,” she said presently. “My aunt will be expecting me.”
    â€œLooks as if Gerald and Sara are marshaling the troops, too.”
    It really was a shame he wouldn’t be staying longer. She wondered if she’d have the courage to find him in Paris. “Thank you again for your help yesterday.”
    â€œYou’re welcome, Ellie. Or should I say ‘duchess’?” He smiled again, for the first time since she’d admitted her decision to stay only a year in France. “Look me up, will you? It’s always nice to have an old friend in a new city.”
    â€œI will, though it may be a while. I’ll need to get settled at my aunt’s house, and I don’t know how much time I’ll—”
    â€œI don’t mind. I’ll wait.”
    â€œGood-bye, Mr. Howard.”
    â€œCall me Sam. Please.”
    â€œGood-bye, Sam.”
    He walked away, holding little Patrick’s hand as they followed the path up to the seawall, his head bent to listen to the child’s happy chatter. She watched them until they were hidden by a stand of palm trees, and then she clipped Hamish’s lead to his collar and set off for home.

P ART TWO
    Don’t you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you’re not taking advantage of it? Do you realize you’ve lived nearly half the time you have to live already?
    â€”Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises

Chapter 7
    T he last weeks of the summer slipped by in a languid, sun-drenched blur. Agnes departed for St.-Malo in the middle of August, taking Vincent and Hamish with her, and without her animating presence the villa felt cold and silent, even on the hottest of days. Jeanne and Micheline stayed on, for they remained in Antibes year-round; and though they were friendly enough, their work kept them too busy to offer much in the way of company for Helena.
    It would have been unutterably lonely if not for the Murphys. If ever she felt at loose ends, or in need of conversation, she had only to wander over and they made her welcome. Sara even invited her to stay with them at the hotel, but Helena hadn’t wanted to intrude, or to be seen as presuming on their friendship. She still saw them at the beach most afternoons, and often went with them, too, when they paid visits to their villa, where renovations were nearly finished and the garden was in full, riotous bloom.
    â€œIt was here when we bought the place,” Gerald explained. “The fellow who owned the villa before us was a diplomat, and every time he traveled he brought back something exotic.We’ll have to do some pruning and weeding, but not