‘Because you’re not here very often,’ said Félicité.
‘Yes, when will you come home and live with us all the time?’ asked Henri.
Antoine didn’t reply immediately. ‘When I can,’ he said, a little bleakly.
‘Can I propose a toast?’ said Maxime. ‘To the return of the conquering hero!’
‘What’s a conquering hero?’ Stéphie whispered to Alexandra.
‘It’s someone who is very successful and probably rather warlike,’ her papa replied. ‘And I’m afraid I’m not one.’
‘Just as well!’ said Jack. ‘The young people want peace these days. There’s been enough war.’
There was a murmur of agreement.
‘Is there a piano in this establishment?’ Jack went on.
‘Oh yes,’ said David, considerably relaxed by the success of his dinner and the very good wine that Antoine had provided. ‘We love a sing song round the old Joanna.’
‘He means piano,’ said Alexandra to Félicité, who also seemed happier now, having been made to laugh several times.
‘There is a piano in the music room,’ said Antoine. ‘But I don’t know if it’s fit to play. It was my wife’s. It was too expensive to ship it to Buenos Aires when she left.’
‘She tried to make me learn but I don’t have her gift,’ said Félicité.
‘Chérie, you were only five! Not everyone is a musical genius,’ said Antoine, patting his daughter’s hand.
‘Your mother was musical, was she?’ asked Jack. ‘That’s interesting.’
‘But I can’t play the piano,’ said Félicité, a touch defiantly. Alexandra couldn’t tell if she really minded about this or not.
‘You mean, you couldn’t when you were five,’ said Jack. ‘I’m here to teach maths and music and some kind of instrument would be helpful but we don’t all have to learn to play the “Moonlight Sonata”.’
‘That is a shame,’ said Maxime. ‘It is the only thing I can play.’
‘I like playing the piano,’ said Henri. ‘But I prefer the cello. A friend of Papa’s gave me his, when he no longer wanted it.’ Then Henri blushed scarlet and tried to bury his head in his food.
Jack glanced at Henri. ‘The cello is a wonderful instrument. Do you read music, Henri?’
‘A little,’ said Henri, addressing the plate in front of him, still bright red. ‘There was a book that came with the cello.’
Félicité broke in, rescuing her embarrassed brother from being the focus of attention which he so obviously hated. ‘I can pick out a few tunes on the piano.’
‘That’s called playing by ear,’ said Jack. ‘And it’s very useful. But I can teach you how to read music, which means you can play things you’ve never heard before.’
‘Although the piano will need tuning. I’m not sure—’ began Antoine.
‘I may be able to sort it out a bit myself,’ said Jack. ‘If not, we’ll find a tuner, won’t we, Alexandra?’
Alexandra smiled and shrugged. ‘I’m just the nanny, I’m not sure I’m qualified to find a piano-tuner.’
‘Sweetheart, you’re not qualified to be a nanny,’ said David cheerfully and then stopped. ‘Forgive me,’ he said to Antoine. ‘I’ve known Lexi for a long time. I’ve always teased her. I’m quite sure she’s a perfectly splendid nanny.’
‘She is a perfectly splendid nanny,’ Stéphie repeated.
‘Thank you, darling,’ Alexandra whispered to her. Louder, she said, ‘Would you like me to help you with the next course?’
‘I’d like help as to which it should be,’ said David, looking at Antoine. ‘Cheese or pudding? Are we being English or French?’
