David paused in his dismembering. ‘Right. I’ll do you a deal. If you can find grape scissors, so people don’t pick at the grapes and leave little stubs on the bunch, I’ll make a crumble. Or maybe ask your nanny to do it.’
‘Her name is Alexandra,’ said Stéphie sternly. ‘And she’s very good at crumbles.’
‘It’s about the only pudding I make at the moment,’ said Alexandra. ‘Shall I be your kitchen assistant, David? And Stéphie, do you have any idea where you might find grape scissors? In the dining room perhaps?’
‘Grape scissors are an affectation,’ said Jack, passing Stéphie as she skipped out of the door. ‘Ordinary ones will do.’
‘At a pinch, dear boy, but we are in a chateau,’ said David. ‘We should have higher standards.’
Alexandra and Jack both laughed, and then she turned to put wood into the range.
‘Alexandra,’ said Jack. ‘Can I do that for you? Or maybe bring in some logs? If you show me where they are.’
Alexandra hesitated, wondering if Jack would manage with his stick.
‘I’ll be fine,’ Jack said, obviously reading her thoughts. ‘Just lead me to it.’
Alexandra picked up the log basket and led him out through the corridor of storage rooms and sculleries to the courtyard and directed him to the wood store, which, fortunately, was still full of firewood. ‘Here we are. It’s all wonderfully dry, which is lucky. I don’t think we’d have a chance with that range if it wasn’t.’
She and Jack started throwing logs into the basket. When the basket was full Alexandra said, ‘if you could learn how to keep the range in overnight I’d be grateful. The Count can do it, but I feel I should know too.’
‘Then why don’t you ask the Count to show you?’ said a voice behind her.
Alexandra jumped. ‘Oh! I just thought you might be busy.’
‘And won’t Jack be busy, teaching my children algebra and card tricks?’
Jack laughed. ‘I will be busy, and so will they, but we all need time to enjoy our surroundings. David’s considering putting on a play.’
‘Really?’ said Antoine. ‘Why?’
‘He says the best way to understand Shakespeare is to act it,’ said Jack. ‘But we might not have time.’
‘I think that sounds a splendid idea, if there is time,’ said Antoine. ‘I like the idea of my children being taught in a less conventional way than they’d experience at school.’
‘School has its advantages,’ said Alexandra quietly.
‘Schools haven’t worked well with my children so far,’ said Antoine, ‘but I’ll be happy to discuss it with professionals.’
‘Right,’ she said. ‘I’m going back to the kitchen to make a crumble. It’s Stéphie’s favourite.’
‘May I talk to you about Stéphie sometime?’ said Antoine.
‘I’ll be happy to talk about her any time,’ said Alexandra, smiling. ‘Just now she’s looking for grape scissors. We can have grapes as well as crumble. I thought she might find some in the dining room.’
Antoine shrugged. ‘I have no idea where they might be. Maybe you should help her look? She’s very fond of you.’
‘It’s mutual. I’ll go and find her.’ She paused for a moment. ‘You won’t forget the logs, will you?’
As she went back into the house, she realised she’d started giving orders to a member of the French nobility; probably not the best way to further her career as a nanny.
She found Stéphie in the dining room, in front of a large, very ornate sideboard. She was sorting through the knives and forks, presumably looking for grape scissors.
‘I wish Félicité was here. I need her help!’ She picked up a fork. ‘Oh, these are pretty. We haven’t used these for ages,’ said Stéphie.
Alexandra picked up another one, admiring the ornate tracery and pattern. ‘They are nice, aren’t they? David will admire them. He’s an antiques dealer as well as a teacher.’ She put down the fork. ‘Shall we eat in here tonight? What do you think?’
Stéphie jumped up and down. ‘I think it’s a lovely idea. We can celebrate Papa coming home. Usually we only eat in here when we have Grand-mère and it’s all rather stiff and we’re not allowed to talk much, but I like the plates and the forks.’
