‘David is a brilliant cook,’ said Alexandra. ‘You’ll enjoy his food, I promise. And he’s going to love the produce. You laugh at me getting excited by garlic at the market – he’ll go into ecstasies.’ She paused. ‘He can be a bit … flamboyant.’
Félicité laughed. ‘Grand-mère may hate him.’
Alexandra shook her head. ‘No, she’ll love him. He’ll make sure of it. I just hope his friend does the same.’
The following afternoon, Alexandra and the children were sitting at the table under the trees on the terrace at the side of the chateau, playing rummy, when two men pushed open the wrought-iron gates that opened on to the area. One of them called, ‘Anyone at home?’
Alexandra put down her cards and rushed over. ‘David! You’re early! I wasn’t expecting you until tonight!’ she said and threw herself into his arms.
After a few moments hugging and exclaiming, David said, ‘Lexi! You look different! When I saw you last, you were all elegant, like Audrey Hepburn. Now you’re a sultry peasant, in your off-the-shoulder dress and bare feet. More like Brigitte Bardot.’
Alexandra laughed. She had missed his teasing. ‘I’m like this during the day, but not when it gets colder in the evening and I put on a cardigan.’
‘Meet Jack – Jack, this is Alexandra who you’ve heard all about. Lexi – this is Jack who can teach maths and music and is very interested in the area.’
Jack came forward to take Alexandra’s hand. She noticed that he limped slightly and had a stick. He was older than David – in his fifties – with thick, greying hair and dark eyebrows over kind, twinkling eyes. Any worries that Alexandra had had about him being suitable vanished. He seemed just as nice she had promised the children he would be.
‘Hello,’ he said. ‘Delighted to meet you at last and thank you so much for inviting me.’
‘We’re delighted to meet you too. Félicité? Henri? Stéphie? Come and meet your tutors.’ Alexandra didn’t want to make too much of introducing David and Jack to her charges. She felt they’d be more receptive if they could just observe them for a little while. ‘Would you like something to drink?’ she said. ‘Something to eat?’
‘That would be delightful,’ said David, who had shaken everyone’s hand. ‘We did have a snack on the way here, but we wouldn’t say no to something. Maybe some cheese?’
‘We always have cheese,’ said Stéphie, who liked to be helpful. ‘I’ll bring some.’
David smiled at her. ‘Thank you so much. That would be very kind.’
‘I’ll get the wine,’ said Henri, obviously a bit shy and glad of an excuse to escape for a bit.
When Stéphie and Henri had gone, David turned to the dog. ‘And who is this handsome chap?’
‘That’s Milou,’ said Alexandra. ‘He looks after us. He’s very good at it.’
‘Does he sleep in a kennel to repel intruders?’ asked Jack.
As Alexandra knew that Milou slept with Stéphie or Félicité but didn’t want to say in case it caused embarrassment, she changed the subject. ‘I hope you like goat’s cheese,’ she said. ‘Most of the local cheeses are goat.’
‘There’s an opportunity for someone to make a joke about old goats,’ said Jack, ‘but I think I’ll refrain.’
‘How did you get here?’ asked Alexandra a little later when she’d seen the new arrivals had everything they wanted.
‘We brought the car,’ said David. ‘It’s parked in front of the chateau. Then we realised no one was in, so came round the side and found you here.’
‘It’s good that you’ve got the car,’ said Alexandra. ‘It’ll give you some independence.’
‘Yes,’ said David. ‘I want to buy some antiques.’
‘And I just want to explore the area,’ said Jack.
‘Why?’ asked Stéphie.
Jack smiled at her. ‘I was here on holiday before the war. When I heard David here talking about coming I thought: This is my chance. It’s handy for me that I teach maths so I’ve got an excuse to come.’
Stéphie seemed satisfied with this explanation.
‘And, of course, if I buy too many antiques, I’ll have to rent a van anyway,’ said David, ‘in which case, Jack can drive the car home.’
‘Would you like me to teach you a card trick?’ Jack asked Henri, who’d been building card houses while David and Jack had their cheese and some pâté.
