Everyone was dipping bread in their soup and eating when Alexandra came back into the kitchen, except Stéphie, who was holding forth.
‘Their school isn’t all strict like the ones Félicité and Henri might have to go to. They don’t have to wear a uniform and everyone is kind.’
She looked up as Alexandra came in. ‘I do wish Papa would marry Alexandra, then when we go to school we can say we’ve got a mummy and a daddy just like the other children.’
‘I’m not sure that’s quite enough reason for them to get married, chicken,’ said David.
But Stéphie had decided this was what should happen. ‘Yes, but then if they have a little baby of their own, I can help look after it and I won’t be the littlest in the family any more.’
‘There are a lot of advantages to being the littlest,’ David persisted, possibly aware that Alexandra, always so self-assured, was dying of embarrassment, particularly because Antoine was also there. ‘Jack and I, and your grandmother, have spent all day arranging your party for your official birthday.’
‘Ooh! Have you made me a cake?’ asked Stéphie.
‘Enough with the cake, already!’ said David. ‘But don’t worry, there will be cake. Lots of cake. Penelope has invited us all to her house. It’s going to be simply splendid.’
‘Oh! I’d rather have it here …’ said Stéphie, disappointed.
‘You will have it where it has been arranged for you to have it, my little queen,’ said Antoine, fond but firm.
‘Penelope is looking forward to having it at her house,’ David explained. ‘She’s gone to a lot of trouble to make it possible.’
‘I think Stéphie is worried that Grand-mère is always so prim and proper,’ explained Félicité, obviously not liking her sibling to be admonished.
‘I do take your point,’ said David. ‘But Penelope is in a party mood! It’ll be great fun. Jack is there now, helping.’
‘How kind,’ said Félicité, looking pointedly at Stéphie, obviously wanting her little sister to echo her words. Stéphie ignored her.
‘The food’s always great at Grand-mère’s,’ Henri piped up obligingly. ‘Not that it isn’t here, of course,’ he added, looking doubtfully at David.
‘We should check on the kittens,’ said Antoine. ‘And make a litter tray for them. Where are they going to sleep?’
‘With me,’ said Stéphie. ‘With Milou. They can curl up together.’
‘Well, go and see if they’re still happy with each other,’ said Antoine, ‘and if the kittens have run up to the top of the curtains, we’ll make another plan.’
Félicité came in to speak to Alexandra while she was finding a corner in Stéphie’s room for a litter tray, which, she insisted, would have to be emptied every day or it would smell.
‘Stéphie didn’t really mean it when she said you wanted her to marry Papa. She’s just little; she doesn’t understand.’
Alexandra laughed. ‘Oh, I know! And all that wanting to be the same as everyone else – she’ll grow out of that. I wanted to be the same when I first went to boarding school and then I realised that the people I wanted to be the same as were really boring.’
As Félicité left the room Alexandra felt pleased that she’d been able to tell her something in exchange for being told Félicité wasn’t remotely keen on her papa getting married again. Alexandra didn’t blame her, and was heartily relieved that Stéphie had no notion about Alexandra’s fortune being only a couple of marriage vows away.
Stéphie blew into Alexandra’s bedroom early the following morning wearing jeans and a jumper, a kitten in each hand. ‘I’m going downstairs now,’ she said and vanished.
Alexandra lay in bed for a few minutes wondering if she should run after Stéphie and tell her to keep the kittens indoors, and wondering what on earth they were going to be fed on. Last night they’d had some leftover chicken. She knew she had to get up but couldn’t face getting dressed. Her dressing gown would do.
‘David!’ she said as she arrived in the kitchen. ‘No matter how early I get up, you’re almost always here first!’
‘It’s a big day today, Lexi,’ said David, ignoring her slight early-morning grumpiness. ‘Let me tell you the plan.’
‘I’d better check on those kittens before you do,’ she said. ‘I’ve no idea how to look after cats but I’m sure you don’t just let them loose when they first arrive.’
‘I’d agree with you, but if you look out into the courtyard, you’ll see them running round after Milou like mad things. I think if you call him in, the kittens will follow. Stéphie too, if you’re lucky.’
Stéphie came in first, red in the face and very happy. ‘The kittens used the bathroom under the fig tree and Milou ate their leftover chicken which means it won’t be wasted. I’m just going back out.’
‘Well, there’s a happy Official Birthday Girl!’ said David. He turned to Alexandra. ‘Perhaps you could have a cup of coffee and a croissant now. Yes, I have been to the boulangerie already.’
‘Tell me everything then, David!’ asked Alexandra a few moments later.
‘Well, yesterday we went over to Penelope’s and to her credit she understood right away that Antoine going away on Stéphie’s birthday did constitute an emergency. She’s organising the cake in the shape of a pony – although Stéphie will probably want a kitten now, or two kittens – and Penelope is going to make a proper Victoria sponge herself.’
‘It’s presents I’m worried about—’Alexandra began.
‘No need! We heard of an antiques market, quite far away but so worth it! It was the last market of the season and it seemed everyone wanted to get rid of their stock before winter.’
‘Oh! That sounds fun.’ Just for a second Alexandra felt a stab of longing for the old days when she and David would have spent happy hours hunting out bargains together.
‘It was. In fact, I did buy rather a lot of stock. It’s being stored in someone’s lock-up for now but sometime I’d like to get it back over the Channel and sell it.’
‘I do appreciate how much time you’ve given up for me and the children, although it’s for me really,’ said Alexandra.
‘Oh, darling! Don’t apologise – I’ve loved it! And I’ve been thinking about getting a little place over here and specialising in all things French. I’d keep an eye on you, apart from everything else.’
‘I’m going to be in Switzerland, David.’
‘Not until next year. Anyway, let’s get back to the matter in hand. Presents.’
‘Oh, David I’ve been so worried! Although logically I’m sure Stéphie understands—’
‘All sorted,’ said David, not a little smug. ‘Jack and I are giving her the nearly restored doll’s house. We’ve done quite a bit of work to it since you first saw it.’
‘Which is a very lavish present!’ said Alexandra.
‘And you are giving her the most divine toy bakery I think I’ve ever seen. It’s at Penelope’s. Jack is making sure it’s in as perfect condition as it can be given it was made in the 1900s.’
‘Jack stayed the night with Penelope?’ Alexandra was a little surprised.
‘He did; they are getting on rather well, I must say. Lucinda’s there, after all, and she’s being a brilliant chaperone.’ He sounded a little acid, Alexandra thought.
‘I suppose if it’s your mother …’ she began, trying to be fair.
‘I understand that part,’ he said, ‘but Lucinda used the word “nanny” rather a lot yesterday – referring to you. And I know that technically you are the nanny, but you do have a name and she does know it.’
‘Oh, David …’
‘So while I was buying toy bakeries and a lovely little horse and cart – in case Stéphie’s older sibs haven’t got her anything – I bought you a jacket and some trousers which are new. The trousers are new, I mean, not the jacket, which is Chanel.’
‘Chanel? David!’
‘And – here’s the best part – I managed to find some big pearls, just like the ones you used to wear in London.’
Alexandra got up and hugged him. ‘My fake pearls! The ones that are in my trunk in Switzerland, that I love!’
‘Very similar. I think it’s important that you look glamorous for Stéphie’s birthday party. She’d like that.’ He was very firm.
‘Would Stéphie care? She wants a party and presents. She won’t care what I look like.’
‘Well, I care. I didn’t like the way Lucinda was referring to you.’
Alexandra smiled at David, thinking how much she appreciated having him in her life, to look out for her, to make her laugh, everything really. Then another worry occurred to her. ‘Supposing Antoine hasn’t got a present?’ She jumped and blushed as Antoine came in.
‘It’s all right. I may have got the day wrong when I was making my travel plans, but I have got my daughter a present. I told you.’ He sounded offended and haughty at the same time.
‘Oh yes, so you did,’ said Alexandra. ‘Let me know if you’d like me to wrap it for you.’
‘It’s wrapped already,’ he said. ‘They did it in the shop in Paris when I bought it when I was last there. Véronique helped me choose it. She’s very caring when it comes to my children.’
‘Jolly good!’ said Alexandra in English, glimpsing David rolling his eyes out of the corner of her own. ‘I’ll go and get dressed now.’
The party was to start at four o’clock, teatime in England. Everyone was dressed up in their best, apart from Félicité, who was going to wear her jeans if it killed her and everyone else around her. She came down the stairs last, when everyone else was waiting in the hall.
‘Félicité!’ said Antoine. ‘Please! Put on a dress. You know your grandmother won’t be pleased to see you in jeans.’
‘She won’t mind!’ said Félicité with a toss of her head to indicate she didn’t care. Although of course she did, Alexandra could see. She was fifteen and wanted to tell the world it was up to her what she wore, but she also wanted her father’s approval.
‘Why don’t you put on that pretty pendant that Grand-mère gave you?’ asked Alexandra. ‘She’d be so pleased to see you wearing it.’
Félicité went back upstairs to put on the little gold symbol on a chain and Alexandra turned to Antoine. ‘Just let her be. It doesn’t really matter what she wears; this is Stéphie’s day.’ She spoke quickly, hoping he didn’t think she was being presumptuous; she was a paid employee after all. Antoine was looking serious.
‘Can I sit next to you in the front?’ asked Stéphie. ‘It is my birthday!’
‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ said Alexandra. ‘Here’s Félicité! Let’s all pile in. Just as well David went earlier. We’d never have managed to fit.’
‘It’s good that the kittens are having a nap,’ said Stéphie, ‘or they may have wanted to come with us.’
‘Milou will look after them,’ said Alexandra and slid across the bench seat so she was sitting in the middle.
‘You’re looking very smart, Lexi,’ said Félicité, possibly grateful to her for having stuck up for her. ‘I haven’t seen those clothes before. And your hair looks very elegant in its chignon.’
Alexandra patted the back of her head, checking for escaping tendrils. ‘Well, all my smart clothes are in Switzerland and David bought me this jacket from the brocante. It’s Chanel! I put my hair up properly for once because it seemed only right that I should, for the jacket. But does it smell OK? Will your mother take one sniff and say, “Ugh! How unpleasant! It maybe couture, but it’s still second-hand!”’
Félicité laughed. ‘That’s exactly what she’ll say.’ She sniffed. ‘And then she’ll say, “And soaking it with cheap eau de cologne doesn’t help!”’
Alexandra was giggling now. ‘I did slosh quite a lot on. And she’ll probably tell me my pearls are obviously fake, too!’
Antoine turned round and looked at them, his expression one of complete bafflement. ‘In France, women don’t make jokes about clothes; they are too important,’ he said. ‘And it is considered bad form to be disrespectful about your mother.’
Alexandra and Félicité exchanged rueful glances, both trying not to laugh.
‘So best behaviour, please,’ he went on. ‘OK?’
‘Sorry,’ said Alexandra, not at all ashamed. ‘We’ll be good, I promise.’
She could tell from the back of his head that he was laughing too.
Everyone was in a very good mood when they arrived at Grand-mère’s elegant townhouse. Jack opened the door, holding it wide with a big smile. Inside it was en fête with flowers and candles, everything arranged to look festive and celebratory.
‘Oh, I’ve never seen Grand-mère’s house like this before!’ whispered Stéphie, looking around her in awe.
‘It’s for your birthday,’ explained Alexandra.
Félicité looked at her. ‘We’ve had birthdays here before, you know, and Grand-mère has never put out candles and bowls of sweets.’
‘It’s probably my bad influence,’ said Jack, looking pleased.
‘We don’t often have an official birthday to celebrate,’ said Penelope, appearing from the salon, formal but obviously happy with the effect her efforts had produced. ‘We also wanted to give Antoine a little party as he’s going away tomorrow.’
Everyone was ushered through to the salon. Jack was opening a bottle of champagne seeming very at home when Alexandra caught a look Penelope gave him which he couldn’t see. She was obviously very smitten. Alexandra felt a rush of joy at the prospect of Jack and Penelope finding love after being apart for so long.
She wondered if anyone else had noticed and was looking around to see when Lucinda came into the room. With her, arm in arm, was Véronique.
Just for a second, Alexandra was too shocked to move. She wasn’t expecting to see Véronique and she had no idea that she and Lucinda knew each other. Seeing them together almost took her breath away. She was very grateful when David appeared at her side.
‘I know they’re looking as if they’re bosom pals,’ he said, reading her mind in a way that only he could. ‘But they have only just met,’ he breathed into her ear. ‘I found out earlier. Véronique has an old friend in the area she’s been staying with.’
Véronique having to stay at the chateau before with hardly any notice flashed into her mind. She could have stayed with her old friend and not made life so difficult for everyone in the chateau. And now she’d chummed up with Lucinda. Alexandra felt suddenly depressed.
‘Antoine, darling,’ said Véronique, leaving Lucinda’s side. ‘Surprise! I’ve been staying with my friend in the town and I met Lucinda and her mother in the pâtisserie, ordering her cake. I discovered that little Stéphanie was having a party and I thought, if I come, I can travel with you back to Paris. Won’t that be fun?’ She enveloped Stéphie in a hug which meant the little girl was crushed to Véronique’s ear and smothered in silk jersey.
Alexandra longed to rescue Stéphie from suffocation, and was just about to cross the room to her side when Penelope put out a hand to the little girl and released her from Véronique’s grip.
‘Now, it is your party!’ she said to Stéphie. ‘Do you want to open presents? Or shall we have tea and eat cake first?’
‘Cake! The obsession with cake!’ said Lucinda, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Stéphanie looked at the mother of her siblings for a moment. ‘Let’s have cake first!’ she said, sounding very English. ‘I’m jolly hungry!’
Alexandra nudged David. ‘That’s my girl!’
