Reading beyond recipe books

Chavel, together with many others, were incarcerated in a German prison. One day, they were told to choose 3 among them to face the firing squad or face the wrath of the German soldiers. The men drew lots and Chavel took the marked straw. Rather than dying a rich, Parisian lawyer, he offers his entire fortune in exchange for his life. Janvier took up the offer. Now released from prison and destitute, Chavel adopted a new identity and went to the place he grew up in Brinac. The new owner og his childhood home, Therese and the sister of Janvier took him in and made him a hired hand in then rambling estate. Now called Charlot, Chavel went about with great familiarity managing the estate and struck up a good relationship with Therese. She had no idea who he was nor knew that her hired hand was the cause of her brother's death. Carosse, an impersonator who knew about Janvier dying in place of Chavel,  sought shelter shortly after Chavael's arrival at Brinac. He lied to Therese and p

Betrand and Cary were to wed in Bournemouth but his boss had other plans for the big day.  So boss Dreuther got the couple to marry in Monte Carlo but for 9 days, he forgot his combined holiday. The couple were left high and dry with limited funds in Monte Carlo but Bertrand managed to have a windfall in the casino just when they were down and out. Cary was the romantic kind and didn't care for riches, though she was 21 years younger than Bertrand. In a fit of anger, she left him for another man, because her husband was spending too much time at the casino. Bertrand wanted to exact revenge on his boss who caused his misery and imminent divorce. With his winnings, he plotted to take over Dreuther's company. Boss Dreuther arrived 9 days later. He had completely forgotten his pact to witness the couple's wedding in Monte Carlo. To make amends, he taught Bertrand how to win his wife back. Cary went back to Bertrand and wanted Bertrand to reveal that Dreuther has been bought out