Odile Hughson’s biography could form the basis of a novel in its own right, raised in Marseille a branch of her family originated in a part of Poland that is now in Ukraine.
As a young woman she came to Scotland to teach and ended up marrying a Scot - David.
A self-confessed townie, she spent most of her married life in Weybridge, Surrey. A relevant fact, because a chance encounter prompted her research into the exiled House of Orléans, which resulted in a book and a series of talks.
Professionally, Odile taught French at the world famous Yehudi Menhuin school in Stoke d’Abernon, a great appointment for a music lover.
When her husband retired, they moved back to Scotland and now live in Edinburgh. Despite being a keen gardener, she finds herself sans jardin which is why she volunteered to be a guide for the Museum of Scotland, a service she has provided for more than 20 years.