Follow Your Star Read Free

the farm, but pleased that there was to be some purpose in her life again.
    The couple of months’ trial had gone quickly and Nanette, finding she enjoyed a domestic working environment morethan she’d thought possible, had happily agreed to stay on permanently. It was certainly less stressful than her previous job as a PA to a Grand Prix team.
    She adored looking after the twins and running the house, especially when Vanessa was away on one of her frequent business trips. It was like having her own home and children, something she’d always wanted – had imagined having by now, if only things had turned out differently.
    Mathieu, Vanessa’s ex-husband visited frequently much to the twins delight. Separated when the children were still tiny, he and Vanessa had managed to remain friends despite their differences and both did their best for the twins. Pierre and Olivia were now so used to the way their lives were divided between England and Monaco they simply accepted it as the way their particular family worked.
    The sudden switching on of an outside light, brought Nanette out of her daydream and back to the present. Bryan was crossing the farmyard to do his final night-time check of the animals in the barn.
    Thoughtfully, Nanette drew the curtains and turned to finish her unpacking. Could she really turn her back on everything Vanessa had done for her and refuse to help out in her current crisis? Besides, if she didn’t agree to take the twins to Monaco where would that leave her?
    Patsy was right when she said Vanessa treated her like family, but relatives had fallen out over less and Nanette dreaded the thought of losing contact with Vanessa and the twins simply because she refused to go to Monaco and face up to her past.
     
    The smell of freshly percolating coffee greeted Nanette as shemade her way down to the kitchen on Sunday morning.
    Patsy was busy pushing sprigs of rosemary and cloves of garlic into a large leg of lamb ready to roast for lunch.
    ‘Hi. Did you sleep well? The twins are helping Bryan feed the baby calves. Help yourself to coffee. You know where the cereals are. There’s plenty of bread for toast. I’d offer you bacon and eggs but I can’t stand the smell of bacon cooking at the moment.’
    ‘Coffee and toast will be just fine. I’ll do the vegetables for lunch afterwards, shall I?’ Nanette asked.
    ‘Thanks. Helen always insists on bringing the dessert so I don’t have to worry she says. More like she doesn’t like my pastry! I thought we could go for a walk after lunch – maybe take the twins down to the lake. Helen always likes Bryan to take her on a tour of the farm on Sunday afternoons like they used to when Albert was alive.’ Patsy sighed.
    ‘Honestly, Nanette, sometimes I could strangle the woman, but she does mean well I suppose. I thought when she finally moved out things would be better. She’d get an independent life again. Leave Bryan and me to our own devices a bit more.’ Patsy shook her head. ‘But nothing’s really changed. She’s still here every day on some pretence or other. And Sunday lunch up here every week has become something of a ritual. Not sure how I’m going to cope with the “grandmotherly” advice that is sure to be heaped on me. That’s why I need you here as an ally when junior arrives.’ Patsy glanced at her sister. ‘Any closer to deciding what you’re going to do?’
    Nanette shook her head.
    ‘No. Maybe the walk this afternoon will clear my head and I’ll be able to think straight.’
    Helen arrived just as Patsy placed the roast in the Rayburnand immediately queried whether it would be cooked in time.
    ‘I always had the meat in that range by ten o’clock at the latest. Ready for lunch at one on the dot. Still you young things abhor routines, don’t you? Mind you, once the baby arrives you’ll soon change your tune.’
    ‘Helen, it’s lovely to see you again,’ Nanette said quickly before Patsy could respond to her