Jack arrived back after supper, staying in the kitchen very briefly before going to bed. He was as polite and charming as ever, but Alexandra had no idea if he’d had a good day or not. He seemed distracted and unwilling or unable to tell them how his dinner with the children’s grandmother had gone. It was very strange.
It was only later, when Alexandra was clearing up, that Antoine told her it had been arranged that Lucinda would take Félicité and Henri out the following day. Alexandra couldn’t decide if she was annoyed that Stéphie had been left out or relieved. If Lucinda wasn’t going to treat the three children equally, maybe it was better if Stéphie wasn’t included.
‘Do you know what they’re going to do?’ she asked Antoine.
‘She wants to buy them clothes, and do something cultural, I expect,’ said Antoine. ‘She has asked me to look at the prospectuses she brought. Maybe they should go to boarding school. It may be the only sensible solution.’
‘Stéphie will miss them terribly if they went away.’
David appeared in the hall. ‘I’m going to take myself off now. It’s been a lovely day but I’m tired.’
‘Thank you so much for cooking us such a wonderful meal,’ said Antoine.
‘It’s an absolute pleasure, old chap,’ said David and went upstairs, making Alexandra wonder if he wasn’t rather overdoing the English-gentleman act.
She was about to follow David when Antoine said, ‘Don’t go up just yet. Come back into the kitchen where it’s warm and have a glass of brandy. I need advice about my children’s education.’ He sent her a glance. ‘Even if you are only twenty.’
Inordinately flattered, Alexandra allowed herself to be seated in the comfy chair, which had become a bit more comfy since she had found better cushions. Antoine handed her the brandy.
‘What do you think? Should I allow Lucinda to send them to boarding school?’
‘It’s hard to say. I did go to boarding school myself but I didn’t like it. It was very old-fashioned and I’d been used to a certain amount of freedom, living in London with young women who never really knew what I was up to. I wasn’t happy only being able to walk to the nearest town, which was very small, on Saturdays, with a friend, if we asked permission. I suppose I did enjoy being with girls my own age, but not enough to make me want to stay at the school.’
‘And did you learn anything there?’
‘It did fill a few gaps in my knowledge. I was considered bright and was advanced in some subjects but I was dreadful at arithmetic. David taught me sums.’
‘Oh?’ Antoine sat back in his wheelback chair with the rush seat.
‘I met him when I was selling – or trying to sell – antiques at the Portobello Road market. Have you heard of that?’
He shrugged. ‘It’s a market; it sells antiques.’
That didn’t quite sum up the bustling, colourful, cosmopolitan community she’d come to love but this wasn’t the moment to comment. ‘Well, I’d managed to wangle myself a bit of space on someone else’s table. I had to look after the whole stall while the proper stallholder went shopping. David was next door and could see I was getting in a muddle with the money. And I didn’t know the basic trading terms. He took me to the pub and made me learn my times tables and percentages. He taught me a lot of other things too.’
‘You went to school without knowing your times tables? Surely you learn that when you are small?’
She nodded. ‘I managed to miss learning them.’
He shuddered. ‘I’ll speak to Jack about it,’ he said. ‘My children must know that, at the very least.’
‘Maybe you should talk to Félicité and Henri about going to boarding school,’ said Alexandra. ‘They’re too old to be just sent to places, particularly Félicité. She should have the choice.’
‘My ex-wife doesn’t seem to believe in choice for children.’
‘If she’s unhappy, Félicité will run away. I think Henri may be all right about it. He needs other boys to play with. And he needs to continue to study the cello.’
‘How do you know so much about children and what they need?’
Alexandra could tell Antoine was teasing her but he’d asked her advice and so she’d give it to him. ‘I’ve been a child and I also had an unconventional upbringing. I had a lot of nannies, companions and governesses. You’ve met my cousins Clothilde and Aimée. They were the relations most concerned in my upbringing, but they didn’t care enough to interview the applicants every time there was a change of staff.’
‘Yet you seem so self-assured.’
‘I learnt to look after myself to some extent. My life changed for the better when David let slip he needed somewhere to live and I realised there was more than enough room in the family property where I was living in Belgravia. First, I just shared with David, but later, two fellow students at the cookery school I went to moved in.’ She sighed. ‘We had a lot of fun.’
Antoine didn’t speak for a long time. ‘And then there’s Stéphanie …’
The thought of Stéphanie being sent away to school tore at Alexandra’s heart. But it wasn’t her place to be emotional. ‘Well, she’d be very lonely without the others. And, of course, you’re away most of the time.’
‘I know. It’s far from ideal but we must eat, and I must keep the roof on this place.’
Alexandra hesitated. Should she tell Antoine that she and David had had a good look round and saw plenty of potential for renting out bits of the property to holidaymakers? She didn’t think so. She stifled a yawn.
‘I’ll let you go to bed in a minute, but I should tell you I will be away all day tomorrow. Stéphie will need you to look after her.’
‘You know Stéphie and I can always have a good time together.’
‘Thank you, Alexandra.’ He smiled and Alexandra’s heart turned over and began to beat faster in response. ‘I’m glad you lied on your form. If you hadn’t, I might not have employed you.’
‘I thought it was that terrifying woman who employed me.’
He shook his head. ‘She took her orders from me. Now go! And goodnight.’
