a American movie people for years) spoke fluent English. Between Marseilles and Gordes, each family asked and answered dozens of questions.
They were a few miles outside Gordes when Madeleine asked the question that had been in the forefront of each one's mind but which no one had dared to verbalize, "Christiane, what do you suppose is up between MawMaw and your father?"
Christiane shrugged, "You tell me. I haven't seen them together, but you have. After Lisa died, he started to withdraw from life. He seemed to physically shrink. He still worked hard, but he spoke little and went out hardly at all between movies. He almost completely stopped making public appearances. He didn't even date for quite a while, and even when he did start keeping company with women again, it seemed to me his heart wasn't in it. I feared for him.
"Now, he is a different person. I can tell you that talking to my father on the phone these days is like speaking to someone I have never met. I have never heard that lightness in his voice. I don't know what it is, but I have to tell you, I like what being with your grandmother is doing to Papa."
Christa said, "Madeleine, you have seen them together. What were they like?"
Tears sprang to Madeleine's eyes. "Mom, it was positively the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I know they're old. Frankly, I have to tell you ...., um, well, never mind." The four adults all laughed. Madeleine blushed. "Anyway, they are like two teen-agers in love. It's beautiful... and a little gross."
Christa said, "Christiane, I am sure that we share concerns that our parents not be hurt, but from what I hear, they are very happy together. I am inclined to be supportive. It sounds to me as though you are at least willing to keep an open mind. How does your brother feel?"
Christiane hesitated for a long time before answering. She was obviously considering carefully what to say. Finally she smiled and said, "I'm going to let my 'American' side rule here and blurt out the truth. I've lived in France for a long time and have gotten out of the habit of being as open as I used to be when I lived in America. Anyway, here's the bottom line on my brother's attitude. My brother does not care who my father sleeps with. What he cares about is what my father intends to do with his money, of which, as you may have surmised, there is a LOT."
Christa said, "Oh, my God. I hadn't thought of that. Every dime your father spends on Maman is money out of your inheritance."
Christiane shuddered, "That sounds crass, but its certainly a factor to consider. You must understand that Papa has a small army of attorneys, accountants and others who look after his interests. I have been gratified to learn that Marianne has passed all their scrutiny. Not all of the women Papa has been interested in have passed muster. Papa always put up a fuss when his attorneys objected to a woman, but he ultimately gave in. He worked very hard to build the fortune he has. Even he understands that he needs to protect it from gold diggers. He has always been reasonable about that.
"Paul has always been somewhat overly concerned about Papa's fortune, at least in my opinion. He has not been able to embrace the idea of Marianne because of what he thinks the impact will be on his inheritance. I have been emphasizing to him that it won't make any difference. We are in fine shape. When Papa and Mom divorced, he agreed to pay her four million dollars a year in alimony. After she died, he continued the payments, dividing them equally between our trust funds. Paul and I each already have huge trust fund from Papa. We don't need any more. The problem is Paul inherited our mother's greedy gene. He may have reservations about their relationship because of that, but I can assure you he will not give so much as a hint of it in front of Marianne or Papa."
Madeleine asked, "How can you be so sure?"
Christiane said softly, "Because Papa laid down the law to each of us before he left L.A. If either of us so much as makes a sideways face at her, we will be invited to get the hell out of Gordes immediately and we won't be invited back any time soon."
Richard said to nobody in particular, "That sounds like a man who's got it bad."
Christiane added softly, "A man in a relationship that has survived more than thirty years without any nurturing."
They were all quiet the rest of the way to Gordes.
Luke and Marianne greeted them at the door with hugs, kisses and tears all around. The driver took their bags to the inn. Chantal served brunch in the dining room of Luke's house instead of the terrace because it was windy and a bit chilly outside. They ate, and then Marianne offered to take Christa and her family to the inn where they could check in and rest for a while after their trip. They took the back way, along the path between Luke's pool deck and the back veranda of the inn. Marianne walked along the path, arm-in-arm with Madeleine. Christa and Richard followed with their arms around each other. About half way to the inn, Christa stopped and said, through tears, "My God, Mom, this place is even more fabulous than your words and pictures showed."
Marianne smiled and said, "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Wait until sunset."
Marie-Claire was waiting for them on the porch. She said to Marianne, "I have put M. et Mme. Bannock in the room you once occupied. Mademoiselle will be across the hall. Will that serve?"
"Absolutely! Thank you, Marie-Claire." The entire group was to have dinner in the inn that evening.
Later in the afternoon, Marianne was sitting in the sun on the pool deck, half-listening to Luke, Christiane and Georges talking movie-talk. Their conversation was about people she didn't know and movies she hadn't seen. She was enjoying the fact that Luke and his daughter shared something that they were both so passionate about. Marianne didn't understand most of what they were talking about, but she loved listening to the intensity with which they spoke.
She noticed Christa come out the back door of the in and start down the path. She started to let her go, but then changed her mind. She stood up and said, "I do not mean to be rude, but I think I will join Christa for a walk."
They all smiled and Christiane said, "By all means, go. If you don't mind, I may try to catch up with you in a little while."
"Please do."
Marianne hurried down the path and caught up with Christa. They hugged and walked along together, with Marianne pointing out landmarks. After they were out of earshot of the house, Marianne said, "Thank you for coming."
"Thank you for inviting us. This is amazing." She paused for a minute and added, "Luke is every bit as wonderful as you said. And I really like Christiane also."
Marianne smiled and looked a bit bemused, "I am still not sure what to make of it all, but I'm simply trying to enjoy every day before I wake up and find it's all a dream."
Marianne went on, "I want to ask you something. I wanted to do this privately so if you say no, you can do so without losing face. I want to know if you would be willing to go with me to St. Saturnin-les-Apts. I had in mind for us to go tomorrow. If you and Richard want to go, I would love it. If not, I would invite Madeleine to come with you and me."
Christa thought about it for a long time. "Mom, I've been to Provence many times before, but I always avoided this particular region because I didn't want to go to St. Saturnin-les-Apts. Your stories and photos have always been so precious to me, I was afraid if I went there it would not be the same. If you want to go, I'll go with you. Perhaps it would be appropriate for you to take me and Madeleine. Richard is working on arranging a new piece of music; he has already warned me he plans to take full advantage of the artistic air of Provence. We will hardly see him while we are here. Could we borrow Luke's car and make it a chick trip?"
"Better than that: Luke has offered us both the car and a driver if Richard doesn't want to go."
"Do you have any contacts with people there?"
"Nobody who still lives in St. Saturnin-les-Apts."
"I'll call Philippe's daughter, Marcelline I know she still keeps in touch with some of her cousins in St. Saturnin-les-Apts." She pulled out her cell phone and pushed a couple of buttons. A few minutes later she was chatting in only slightly halting French with Philippe's
daughter in Marseilles. She explained the plan for the following day and rang off a few minutes later. Looking up at her mother she said with a bit of a sheepish face, "I'm afraid we may both regret that I made that call."
"Why?"
"I think we may be met with a welcoming committee from the Villeneuve family."
"Oh. Imagine that!" They laughed.
Christiane caught up with them and they explained the plans for the next day. Christiane seemed somehow disappointed. Marianne said gently, "My dear, you are more than welcome to go with us."
Christiane shook her head sadly, "Oh, no. I wouldn't think to intrude on such a personal outing, but someday I would like to go there. My father has told me many times how lovely he thought it was and how nice the people were to him. I usually come up here after the Cannes Festival to rest. The lavender is in full bloom then." She hooked her arm through Marianne's and said, "Perhaps you and I could take a day trip at that time."
Marianne agreed immediately and insisted that she would hold Christiane to that offer. She thought it interesting that Christiane seemed to assume Marianne would still be in Gordes in May. On the one hand, she was gratified to know that Christiane accepted Marianne so readily in her father's life. On the other, Marianne had trouble thinking beyond the next day. Thinking ahead all the way to May was out of