‘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…’
Lily couldn’t help wonder, as she backed away smiling after promising to read and really ‘take in’ the information June was determined to send her, what Emily would have done in the same situation. And really how far against her own beliefs she’d go just for the sake of politeness. So far she’d appeared to agree that it was fine to drink-drive, so long as you didn’t get caught, that global warming was, at best, a ridiculous joke. And now she was well on the way to being brainwashed into a flat-earther’s cult.
Emily would have flattened each argument and still managed to somehow make friends and become part of the crowd. She’d simply smiled and scuttled away.
Why couldn’t she ever speak up?
Noticing a spare deckchair by the pool, she sank into it, almost spilling her wine as she went down. The glass was still perilously full – she’d only had two tiny sips as she definitely wanted to drive home sober. She took the opportunity to tip a little onto the grass next to her, hoping that Dawn wouldn’t notice.
‘Oops, see you like the wine then?’ said a voice.
A woman with red hair tied back in a ponytail was sitting in the deckchair a metre or so away from her.
Lily grimaced. ‘It’s not that, it’s just—’
‘Seriously, it’s horrible.’ The woman grinned. ‘Save it to sprinkle on your chips instead. I accidentally spilled my glass. Got myself a few Cokes for me and the kids. Want one?’ She reached down beside her, then waved a can in Lily’s direction.