‘That’s very brave,’ said Stéphie, impressed. ‘I don’t like it when they flutter.’
‘I don’t like birds in the house,’ said Alexandra, ‘but hens are different. And it’s lovely having fresh eggs every morning.’ She now had a basket with a dozen of them in it. ‘Do you want soldiers again?’
‘Yes, please.’ Stéphie took hold of Alexandra’s free hand. ‘Can we make a cake later?’
‘Of course. We’ve got better at making them, haven’t we?’
‘We’re all very good at eating them,’ said Stéphie seriously, and then smiled, pleased to have made a joke.
Alexandra laughed and hugged the little girl to her. ‘Practice makes perfect!’
A few days later, Maxime drove up to visit them.
‘Are you at home for morning calls?’ he said, having kissed Alexandra’s hand.
‘It seems we are,’ said Alexandra. ‘We weren’t doing anything very exciting.’
‘It is quite boring living in the middle of the countryside,’ added Félicité.
‘I do hope your gouvernante doesn’t share your opinion,’ Maxime said to her. ‘I have had a telephone conversation with your papa. Among other things we discussed he told me that he needs this young lady’ – he looked at Alexandra – ‘to stay for another two weeks, so six weeks in all. Will that be possible?’
Alexandra considered. ‘It might be, but I’d need to tell my relations in Switzerland. Could you send them a telegram for me? I’m not entirely sure—’
‘I will send the telegram. You go now and compose it. Félicité? Can you lead me to some rosé? Writing telegrams is very fatiguing. Alexandra will need sustenance when she has done this task.’
Alexandra laughed and ran upstairs to her bedroom where she could think in peace. She didn’t try to make her telegram brief, in order to save money; the estate could presumably afford to pay for as many words as she needed. In the end she was pleased with what she’d written.
So sorry but I have been asked if I would stay on at the chateau for another two weeks as the Comte de Belleville has been further delayed abroad. I feel it is my duty to continue to care for his children who are my responsibility. I will be in touch the moment I know when I can come to you. I am looking forward to seeing you.
It was very long for a telegram and Alexandra wondered if she should have said she was looking forward to seeing them. For one thing, it wasn’t really true, but she wanted to appear as if she was doing her best to honour their wishes. She had reminded them she was working for a count, in a chateau, and that she had responsibilities. All good things, she felt.
While she was spending the Count’s money she added a telegram to David. I’m staying an extra fortnight. Do try and come! She added the telephone number that was on the writing paper. He hadn’t said if he was coming yet and she wanted to give him a nudge.
She found Maxime and the children in the salon with a tray with glasses and a jug of wine.
‘Here’s my telegram to my relations in Switzerland and another to my friend in London who I’m hoping will come over and teach Shakespeare to Félicité and Henri. Their grandmother is worried about their education. I am a bit, too, although Stéphie and I enjoy reading together.’
Maxime nodded. ‘Do you not want to go to school?’ he said to Félicité and Henri.
They both shook their heads firmly but Alexandra felt they did this from habit and that they hadn’t really considered the benefits that being at school could give them.
‘I could drive you to school,’ said Alexandra. ‘If you wanted to go.’
‘I’ll go if Papa says I have to,’ said Félicité with her bottom lip stuck out just a tiny bit.
‘We’ll let him decide then,’ said Alexandra. How long had their father been away from home? Too long, probably.
That night the telephone rang and Henri, who had answered it, said it was for Alexandra.
‘David!’ she said as soon as she realised who it was. ‘How wonderful to hear you! Can you come and stay? I’ve missed you so much. I actually love it here’ – she’d said this for the benefit of the children originally; now she realised it was true – ‘but I miss having someone to talk to and gossip with!’
‘I’d love to come, actually,’ said David. ‘I haven’t got any theatre work coming up and a trip to a few French flea markets and brocantes would spice up the antiques stall. I’ve managed to get some lovely references from important-sounding people.’
‘That’s wonderful!’ said Alexandra.
They chatted for a bit, Alexandra filling David in on everything that had happened to her since he’d dropped her off at the station in the chilly dawn just a couple of weeks previously.
‘Is the chateau big?’ said David. ‘It’s just I was talking about it to an old friend in the pub and he said he’d heard of it and may even have visited. He knew of Saint-Jean-du-Roc.’
