“Yes, I know. You’re quite famous around here. Thank you for having me to your party. I won the fresh eggs for a year from Monsieur Gérard Dubéin the silent auction. Pretty excited, actually.”
“Do you live nearby? Otherwise eggs for a year seems like a bit of a commitment.”
“Well, about that. I’m quite taken with your village and all that you’re doing here, revitalizing the community.”
“Thank you,” said Marlow, smiling. “I’m quite taken with it too, actually.”
“I live in Glasgow at the moment—so you’re right, if I stay there, eggs for a year would indeed be quite the commitment.But I was wondering, do you know if the little church is also part of the program? I’m a new minister with no prospects so far, so perhaps this …” He looked wistfully at the little church. “This might be my calling.”
“I don’t know if the church is available for one euro,” Marlow said, “but I don’t see why it couldn’t be. You should ask Rémy, the local civil servant. Shall I introduce you?”
“Oh Rémy, we’ve met,” he said, “thank you. And perhaps I will see you again, sooner than later?”
“Perhaps,” said Marlow.
Angus headed back in Rémy’s direction, which didn’t seem to displease her one bit.
Marlow lifted the food to her mouth once more, and sure enough, she was approached by three more people in a row: one, a Chateau Beauprésous-chef who wanted to open a boulangerie in the square, a person who worked with Pierre at Voyages Celeste who wanted to reopen the bicycle rental shop, and a vintner colleague of Guillaume’s who thought that perhaps Mirabelle needed a wine store. When more people started approaching, Noah put his foot down, and insisted his sister get ten minutes to herself.
“You’re a victim of your own success,” he told her. “Eat. Fast!”
She wolfed down the appetizers he’d passed her and instantly felt better. But just as she was ready to rejoin the fray, Rémy approached with two glasses of wine, one for herself and one for Marlow.
“Your littlesoiréeis a success,” she said, toasting Marlow.
“Thank you,” said Marlow. They sat there in silence for a moment, eyeing the revelers. “And the appeal tomorrow—any idea which way it will go?”
“Eh bien oui. I know everything that goes on here.” And with that, she headed back to pick up her conversation with heavenly Angus.Poor guy, thought Marlow.
The business of the fundraiser was over, and Pierre was playing gentle music on his guitar.
Aubin approached Sabine. “Can I have this dance?”
“It’s not really danceable, is it?” she said, reluctant.
So he went to the musicians from Château Beaupré. A few ran down the stairs to the Nenier parking lot and reappeared with synthesizers and an electronic drum kit. They plugged into the sound system and took the energy level into the stratosphere.
Aubin returned to Sabine, stretched out his arm and pulled her under the disco ball.
“But I’m a terrible dancer! You know that!”
“This is your prom, which means you have to dance.”
So Sabine danced in her dreamy blue dress. Then the band called up Aubin, and he joined them, plugging in his phone to pipe his music through the speakers, which wowed everyone. She walked over to Guillaume, who marveled at what he was seeing.
“I know Aubin’s supposed to take over the winery,” she said. “But if he could explore his music, too, that would be so good. Otherwise, a part of him will die a bit. And he might resent that he never got to do it.”
“I will talk to his mother,” said Guillaume, who watched his nephew dazzle the crowd. Sabine could see he was a little dazzled himself. “I had no idea he could do any of that,” he said in wonder.
The music changed to a slower beat. Aubin pulled her back under the mirror ball. They danced, bodies close, amid the other kids from his lycée. It really did feel like prom. She wanted to remember every moment of this night.
Guillaume and Marlow danced, too. “You did a remarkable job,” he said.
“It wasn’t just me; it was everyone.”
“I go to the US next week. You don’t know if you’ll be here or in Canada.”
“Not until tomorrow, no,” said Marlow. “There’s so much up in the air, I can’t keep it straight. The house appeal, the job I’m up for at Renegade, the possible job at Cannes, entirely thanks to you, what’s happening with Sabine …”
