A Year at the French Farmhouse(58)

‘Course it’s harder in this weather. It never used to get this hot until August.’

‘That’ll be global warming then,’ she said with a wry smile.

‘Yeah, right,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘Global warming.’

‘What?’

‘You don’t seriously believe all that stuff, do you?’ he said, leaning forward slightly. ‘Tell me this, then. How can we have global warming when it’s freezing cold come September? Could do with a bit more global warming if you ask me.’

‘Eh,’ she said. She’d heard this argument before – the odd Facebook forum nutter online – but never had someone voice it to her face. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘it’s not all about things heating up, it’s—’

‘Global warming,’ he continued, not really listening to her, shaking his head, almost fondly, as if she was a small child talking about Santa.

She used the pause in conversation to make her escape and drifted over to two women in sundresses and hats standing by the water. One of the women had clearly been wearing a strappy dress the day before, and white lines of a cross-strapped back were clearly visible against the red of her sunburned skin.

‘You all right, love?’ one of them said. ‘Been talking to Bob, have you?’

‘Yes,’ she said, tentatively, not wanting to make a comment in case she’d accidentally stepped into some sort of climate-change deniers’ expat drinking group.

‘Was he giving it all that?’ the other woman asked, moving her hand like a bird’s beak.

‘Well, maybe a bit.’

‘Just ignore him,’ the first woman said. ‘He’s harmless enough. But… well, getting on a bit.’

‘Right.’ Lily felt flooded with relief. ‘I did wonder…’

‘Anyway, I’m Kelly and this is June,’ said the first woman, whose red complexion was topped with a startling blonde quiff.

June smiled. ‘Hi,’ she said. She was younger than Kelly by a few years, and had softly curling brown hair that hung neatly around her face. She’d accessorised with the sort of chunky jewellery that a kind person might describe as ‘individual’.

‘So, out here all alone?’ Kelly said, making the same sad face that Dawn had made during her introductions.

‘Yes,’ she said, not really wanting to go into details. ‘But it’s great… I’m looking forward to getting to know people, settling into the area.’

The pair nodded. ‘I was like that at first,’ June confided. ‘Thought I’d be fluent in French within a month! Now look at me – I can barely ask where the bogs are!’

‘Oh, how long have you been here?’

‘Twelve years.’

‘And you don’t—’

‘It’s all those verbs,’ June said, solemnly. ‘We get by quite well without those in English.’

‘Ha,’ Lily said, then wondered whether June might actually be serious.

‘Anyway,’ she said, moving the subject on to safer ground. ‘What brought you to France?’

‘Oh, it’s lovely here. We sold up in the UK and bought a property outright, so no mortgage. Meant we could retire at fifty-five,’ said Kelly. ‘We run a B. & B. in the summer to get a little bit extra in, but we use the rest of the time to relax or go on holidays in the campervan.’

This was more like it. ‘So you enjoy living here?’

‘Oh yes, nothing like it.’ Kelly smiled.

‘And where have you travelled to? You’ve probably done a round-the-world tour by now.’

The women exchanged a look and Lily had to review her words to find out if there was something wrong. She didn’t think she’d said anything insulting.

‘Yeah, right,’ June said. ‘All the way round the world, right, Kelly.’

‘Yep. A round-the-world trip!’ They both laughed, almost affectionately.

‘Sorry,’ Lily said, unable to take the weird feeling of tension stretching in her stomach. ‘Did I… Was it something I said?’

‘Oh, don’t worry about us,’ June said. ‘We’re just not used to meeting… well, globe-heads.’

‘Globe-heads?’ Lily unconsciously raised her spare hand and placed it on her head. Was it rounder than the average head shape? And if it was, why had she never noticed? And even if it was, it wasn’t very nice of them to laugh at her for it. She began to feel a little as she’d used to at school when walking past the popular crowd on her way to lunch.

‘Yes.’ June nodded. ‘I mean, don’t worry. It’s not your fault. I was one until I met Kelly.’

This sounded even more alarming. ‘So…?’

‘I think most people are moving away from the round earth theory,’ said Kelly, leaning forward conspiratorially. ‘People in the know I mean.’

‘You mean, you think… you believe the world is flat?’ Lily said, trying to keep her tone light.

‘Well, it’s not really a case of believe, love. It’s fact.’

‘But…?’

‘I tell you what,’ June said, putting an arm around Lily’s back. ‘Give me your email address and I’ll send you some links…’