Chapter 21
The days at the retreat started to slip into a routine of swimming for some and writing, eating and evening aperitif walks together before dinner.
Everyone had begun to get serious about why they were on retreat – even Becky, to Sandy’s unspoken surprise – and spent most of their time writing.
It had become a significant moment at dinner for everyone to announce and celebrate their word count for the day – the competition to have written the most words was fierce.
Becky had been the winner on a couple of nights with five and a half thousand words written and Sandy was hoping she would soon show her the pages she had written.
Lorraine had diffidently read a chapter of the book she was working on, saying that she knew that the stories she wrote in the romantasy genre weren’t for everyone.
They’d all loved it, though, and clamoured for more, leaving Lorraine sitting back with a happy smile on her face.
Becky and Lorraine seemed to have bonded slightly too, although Becky still refused to join her and the others for a morning swim, saying it just wasn’t her scene.
Mandy, though, had finally been persuaded to accompany the other three in the mornings and was verging on getting fanatical about the benefits for her writing, her head was so clear afterwards.
Isobel, who had firmly declared she would not be going swimming however many times they asked her, was nearing the end of her editing and had declared her intention to start writing a new book in a new genre for her by the weekend.
Helena had read out some of the first chapter of the book she was working on and everyone had urged her to continue. Which left Liz.
There wasn’t anything that Sandy could pinpoint, but there had been a subtle change in Liz since she’d arrived last Saturday.
She couldn’t seem to stop smiling. She’d told them all at dinner the other evening that she was hopeful that her writing mojo was back and she was working on a story set in the South of France.
So far, she hadn’t contributed to the word count celebrations at dinner but had promised by the second week she would have something to share.
Helping herself to breakfast on Friday morning, Sandy herself, though, was feeling unsettled.
All she could think about was that this was the last retreat for the foreseeable future – if not the actual last one.
Romain was seeing the bank manager tomorrow morning with a business plan, plus their accounts for the last four years, and was optimistic that they would get a mortgage.
Definitely not for the Belle Epoque villa but hopefully for something else.
Sandy wished she could share his optimism, but a quick look on the internet had showed her there were very few villas in what they had defined as their price range.
If only there was something like Villa Celestia available on a permanent basis.
The villa was proving to be a better location for the retreat than she’d expected.
Hidden away but virtually on the bord de mer, with its easy access into Antibes, was perfect.
It would make a wonderful permanent replacement venue for the retreats, but she knew it was a one-off deal and there was very little point in even raising the rest of the year’s retreats with Guy.
They hadn’t even told him about the sale of the other villa.
Guy had helped them out because he was a friend, but Sandy was sure that as soon as the hurt over losing Jacqueline had healed a little more, he would start thinking about the future.
Even go travelling for a few months like he’d mentioned.
Afterwards there was always the possibility he would re-open Villa Celestia as a ‘restaurant with rooms’, but somehow Sandy doubted it.
Guy’s heart wasn’t in the business any more.
The last nine months had changed him. What he would do in the future was anyone’s guess.
* * *
They were all enjoying a delicious dessert course of profiteroles on Friday evening when Becky broke the news to Sandy and everyone that she planned to spend the weekend with Xavier.
‘He knows someone with Hollywood connections whom he wants me to meet. They’re only in Antibes for forty-eight hours before going on to Cannes for the Film Festival.’
‘Oooh, sounds exciting,’ Mandy said.
‘If nothing else, I should be able to get some decent social media content for a couple of days. Haven’t managed to find any exciting content apart from the evening aperitif walks this week.
Besides, I’ve written twenty-five thousand words since Monday, so I feel I deserve some fun time.
’ Becky glanced at Sandy. ‘I’ve sent you the file to read ready for our one-to-one next week. ’
‘I look forward to reading it,’ Sandy said. ‘And talking it through with you.’
‘I can’t guarantee being back by midnight on Sunday, so I’ll be back early on Monday morning.’ Becky pushed her chair back and stood up. ‘Going to throw a few things into my weekend bag and leave you all to it. Enjoy the weekend, I know I will. Ciao.’
It was Isobel who broke the silence that followed Becky’s departure.
‘I don’t understand why you’d spend money on a retreat and then leave for two days?
Not to mention how disrespectful it is to you, Sandy.
I have to say, I’m loving every minute of being here and I’m sure the others all agree with me. ’
The other four gave a loud united, ‘Definitely.’
‘I am a little disappointed that Becky has decided to have the weekend off,’ Sandy said slowly.
‘But as I told you on the first day, you are all free to use the fortnight for writing, networking or treat it as a holiday. Becky has obviously decided to go for the networking option.’ She smiled at them.
‘I’ll tell you what, though,’ Mandy said.
‘Becky has convinced me to up my profile on Instagram when I get home. I’d quite like some of the action she’s getting.
Mind you, her action is based in the South of France – don’t think videos of night life in my Somerset village are going to have quite the same vibe. ’