‘David said something like that to me after he saw the mural in Véronique’s room. He made me realise that being a bit childlike isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’
‘Not when it’s like this, no. Will there be art teaching at your school, do you think?’
‘It depends which one I go to. I don’t expect the one my mother would prefer will be very keen on it. Or they won’t like my painting anyway.’
‘You never know,’ said Alexandra, feeling that she probably did know and that Lucinda’s preferred school would be more interested in teaching Félicité to be a lady than in encouraging her artistic side. ‘Can I let your grandmother see it now? She’s desperate to come and I’ve been putting her off.’
‘You really think it’s all right?’ Félicité looked anxious suddenly.
‘I do. I think it’s really, really good. David will tell you the same.’
Félicité sighed happily.
In the end Félicité and Alexandra decided to ask Jules’s parents (and Jules, of course) to come on the same day that Penelope arranged to come with her caterers.
‘We can open some fizz and I’ll ask David to do some little nibbles for them,’ said Alexandra. ‘He and Jack can come and it’ll be like a party.’
‘David’s seen it lots of times,’ said Félicité. ‘But I’ll ask Papa.’ She paused. ‘He hasn’t seen it yet.’
Alexandra nodded, sensing Félicité’s nerves about her father seeing the mural. She shared them; the way the figures were arranged made it look a little bridal, although she realised she was probably reading a whole lot of things into it that weren’t there.
Alexandra had intended to put on a dress and make herself look less like a workman and more like someone who arranged weddings, but time got away from her so she was restricted to putting her hair up in a loose chignon and putting the scarf she usually put round her head round her waist instead. For the sake of the mural, she put on her pearls. David was there when Alexandra and Félicité arrived and he winked, which meant he thought she looked OK.
Penelope and her two caterers were the first of the visitors to come through the door of the orangerie.
‘Goodness!’ said Penelope. ‘Félicité did that? It’s amazing! But where are my manners. Let me introduce you. These ladies are the best caterers in the area. Madame Pam Hopkins and her colleague, Madame Elizabeth Pollard. This is Alexandra, who works for my son-in-law. Very hard to say what her job is now but she came here as a nanny.’
After the how-do-you-do’s Pam said, ‘How nice to meet you. I’ve heard such a lot about you.’
Then Elizabeth said, ‘I expect you’re wondering how two Englishwomen came to become caterers in France; everyone does.’
‘We met at the market,’ Pam continued. ‘Elizabeth was with her husband and I heard her speaking English. I said hello; we became friends and discovered we both have a passion for food.’
‘And I would like an English element to the food,’ said Penelope, ‘for Jack’s sake.’
‘We’ll be serving things like devilled eggs, angels on horseback – things the English love and the French will enjoy too, I think,’ said Pam. ‘We’re still discussing the main courses. Cold only, obviously. So …’ Pam addressed Alexandra. ‘Where can we serve from?’
While Alexandra was talking to the caterers, she saw Antoine arrive with Jules and his parents. They went straight to the mural and Alexandra could tell how impressed they were.
‘Is this a private party? Or can anyone come,’ said Lucinda in a loud voice. ‘Oh, darling!’ she said to Félicité. ‘Did you do that? It’s really quite good, isn’t it?’
Feeling protective, Alexandra made an excuse and joined the group in front of the mural.
‘It’s really very good,’ said David. ‘Your daughter has great artistic talent.’
‘Oh,’ said Lucinda, apparently not sure if she should be pleased or annoyed.
Antoine put his arm round his daughter and kissed her head. ‘I am so proud of you.’ He smiled at Jules. ‘And you – I gather you helped.’
Jules nodded. ‘I only did the background; Félicité wouldn’t let me do the important bits. Oh! Here are Henri and his sister.’
Lucinda opened her mouth and shut it again. Alexandra suspected she was about to deny being Stéphie’s mother, and was glad she changed her mind.
Soon everyone was milling about, drinking crémant and eating the snacks that David provided.
‘It’s a lovely space for a party, isn’t it?’ said Penelope, who had been joined by Jack.
‘It is,’ Alexandra agreed. ‘And isn’t the mural lovely?’
