A French Affair by Katie Fforde Read Free Book Online

had ever felt this in their family.
    ‘Did you want to be an antiques dealer?’ she asked as they approached the door.
    ‘No. I wanted to be a linguist. But I used to work for my dad in the holidays and so I sort of fell into antiques.’
    ‘That seems a shame. I mean, to have to follow your father into the business when you wanted to do something quite else.’
    ‘You can’t really
be
a linguist,’ he said. ‘I did languages at university but I didn’t know if I wanted to be a translator or an interpreter or what. I used to go with my dad to France and help him haggle. It seemed as good a thing as any to do with my French. Dad didn’t force me into it, if that’s what you’re thinking. Now, let’s go upstairs so you can leave your bag, then we’ll unload.’
    As they moved up through the centre to the top of thebuilding Gina couldn’t help feeling the place had a rather neglected air, as if everyone had gone away to do something more interesting. She and Sally had noticed it wasn’t the most vibrant of places when they’d come here the other day and looking at it again Gina felt quite sorry for it – and Matthew. The atmosphere might have been because trade was bad but it couldn’t help that there were so many other antique businesses in Cranmore-on-the-Green. She wondered what it would take to make the French House a bit more profitable?
    Oscar was in the office waiting. The moment he saw Matthew he reared up on his hind legs and put his paws on his master’s shoulders.
    ‘Golly, he’s so big!’ Gina laughed. ‘He’s the same size as you, very nearly.’
    Hearing her, Oscar got down again, gave Gina an unenthusiastic sniff and flung himself to the floor.
    ‘I’m sorry, he’s not very forthcoming with people he doesn’t know.’
    ‘I wonder where he picked that up from?’ asked Gina.
    ‘Sorry?’
    ‘Oh, you know, that thing about dogs being like their owners . . .’
    Matthew scowled. ‘Are you saying that Oscar and I look alike? Because my hair is not entirely grey and my eyebrows do not beetle, and I don’t have a beard either.’
    ‘I didn’t say he was like you in looks.’ Gina bit her lip. She didn’t really know Matthew well enough to tease him but if she didn’t, they might never get to that point. They needed to be able to work together, after all, and that would be harder if they had to be serious all the time.
    He frowned at her in a way that told her he knew hewas being teased and didn’t mind. For a moment she caught a glimpse of the more relaxed Matthew she’d witnessed in the café. She hadn’t imagined this side to him, then. She felt unexpected relief.
     
    Gina helped Matthew shift the contents of the Volvo into a storeroom at the back. It was already quite full with an assortment of lamps and furniture arranged into sections, each with a sign by them indicating the different dealers in the centre, Gina presumed.
    ‘I never saw any of these things,’ she said, feeling foolish. She didn’t feel bad about not trying to buy any of them but she should have at least spotted them.
    ‘You develop an eye for anything you haven’t seen before and what interests you. You will have been confronted with a whole hall full of new things. Also, Bert kept these things on one side for me. He knows I like French furniture and bought these with me in mind.’
    ‘This is a nice little chest of drawers,’ said Gina, taking one end of it as they lifted it out of the car.
    ‘That’s a commode. Nineteenth century. It’s got some later paint and fittings, but it’s in good condition.’
    ‘This little bed is sweet,’ said Gina, managing this on her own.
    ‘It is. It’s hand-painted, about nineteen hundred, in very nice condition.’
    ‘And how much would you expect to get for that?’
    ‘Somewhere around the five hundred mark, I hope. Possibly more.’
    Gina nodded sagely and picked up a large stone bowl. ‘I’d imagine this was used for cream.’
    ‘Yes, you’re