Chapter 19
When there was nothing left of the sausage rolls but flakes of golden pastry and every plate of Winnie’s tongue-tingling snacks was empty, Beryl cleared the decks and asked Sid to refill everyone’s glasses.
‘It’s time for the main business of the evening to commence,’ she said, in her best WI meeting voice.
The others in the room fell gratifyingly silent in seconds.
Beryl signalled for them all to sit down and settled herself in the highest chair.
It was tapestry-covered with wooden arms and always made her feel slightly regal.
She looked round at her assembled guests.
Frank, Sid, Rick and Venetia wore confused expressions, but the other two Saga Louts and Maurice were gazing back at her with shining eyes. Winnie gave Beryl a thumbs-up sign.
‘I’ve a proposal to put to you,’ Beryl said.
‘I thought Maurice already had the proposal covered,’ said Sid, grinning at his old friend.
‘Not that kind. This one is about an adventure. As most of you know, Anthea, Winnie and I love to go travelling but we usually either travel by train or plane and we’ve done so many city breaks and short package holidays to the seaside all over the place that I thought it was time to try something different.
We were going to do a Yorkshire Dales trip last time, but it was cancelled so we swapped it for Majorca and going abroad again has given me itchy feet. ’
She paused for a moment and Frank said, ‘Go on, spit it out. I don’t see what that has to do with us though.’
Beryl smiled. ‘I’m hoping it has everything to do with you.
I want us to go on a road trip together.
Anthea, Maurice and Winnie have already said they’re up for it.
We’ll just need a minibus and a couple of drivers.
Last time we did this, when we were the Happiness Gang, Rick sorted all that out and drove us beautifully. ’
Rick nodded. ‘Yes, I did, and it was great. Are you telling me you want me to take you all to Norfolk again?’
‘Not exactly. Let’s go a step further this time. I’d like us to go to France.’
‘But… I’m in the middle of helping Vee to sort her house out,’ said Rick. ‘I can’t just take off to France at a moment’s notice. What’s brought this on?’
Beryl glanced across at Venetia, who wasn’t looking at all impressed. ‘It doesn’t have to be immediately,’ she said. ‘And we’d want another driver, for a start, because Anthea…’
Her voice tailed off and Anthea pulled a face. ‘Okay, okay – I know you all think I’m past my sell-by date for driving on the wrong side of the road,’ she said. ‘Do you have a driving licence, Venetia?’
Vee sat up straighter. ‘Yes, I have, as a matter of fact. I haven’t got a car any more though. Do you mean you want me to come with you? Most of you hardly know me.’
‘Well, I for one think it’s a superb idea,’ said Frank. ‘I haven’t been anywhere exciting for ages. What about you, Sid?’
The other man was now sitting on the edge of his seat. He clapped his hands. ‘I’m in,’ he said. ‘A road trip to the Continent sounds like a great jaunt. Anywhere in particular in France? Jenny and I loved Brittany and it’s very easy to get to.’
‘Hang on a minute,’ said Rick, holding up a hand. ‘I’ve already said I’m busy. We’ve got a lot of work to do before Vee can move into her house. I’ve promised her I’ll make Dragonfly Cottage habitable as soon as I can.’
‘How long do you think that’ll take you?’ Beryl asked. ‘A week? A fortnight?’
Rick sighed. ‘We could probably get the main jobs done in a couple of weeks as Vee’s helping me, but I don’t understand why you want to go to France. Couldn’t you just plan a trip to Cornwall or somewhere even closer?’
Winnie shook her head. ‘There are various places we’d like to visit as we drive through France.
Sid would probably enjoy stopping off in Brittany, by the sound of it.
Anthea loves La Rochelle. I visited Bordeaux with my man years ago and I’d like to have a wander around there again. Revisit old haunts.’
‘And then there’s St Emilion,’ said Beryl. ‘Some of my Eddie’s favourite wine came from there. He was very partial to a glass or two of the red stuff.’
Vee gasped. ‘But that’s not far from where my Aunt Yolanda lives,’ she said.
‘You’re quite right,’ agreed Beryl. ‘I expect you haven’t seen her for a long time, and neither have I. You’d have a lot to talk about, I’m thinking. We’re old mates, me and Tallulah’s sister Yolanda. She stayed at Dragonfly Cottage with you all quite often back in the day, didn’t she?’
Vee didn’t reply. Beryl decided not to push the subject.
From what she’d overheard in the garden, Yolanda, a very lively character who’d never married and had travelled the world even more than the Saga Louts, would be just the person to fill her in on a few of the details about the time when the family did their disappearing act and what made them leave so suddenly.
Beryl had her own suspicions. It surely couldn’t only have been the lure of a new job for Vee’s father or the fact that Venetia was proving to be something of a loose cannon.
‘What do you say, folks?’ she said. ‘Shall we make a plan? How about we give ourselves three weeks to get ready? Is it doable? Does everyone have a current passport?’
They all said they had, but Vee was still frowning. ‘Are you sure you want me to come with you?’ she asked. ‘I’ve got to admit I’m pretty skint right now. How much will it cost?’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that, darling,’ said Anthea.
‘We’ll split the cost for the minibus and the ferry, and we can stay in nice but cheap places as we go.
Auberges and the like. Roadside motels, you know the kind of thing.
You look as if you need a holiday and so does our Rick.
Call it an investment for your mental health. Are we all up for it?’
Silence fell again and then a babble of voices said that yes, they were. Even Venetia sounded convinced, thought Beryl. She rubbed her hands together. It was time to make a proper plan. This trip was really going to happen.