‘I know.’ Alexandra sighed. ‘I’m not sure who I’m most worried about, Félicité or Stéphie. Although maybe it will all go over Stéphie’s head.’
‘I don’t suppose it’ll be a barrel of laughs for you, either,’ he said.
‘But I don’t really matter!’ She laughed. ‘I do matter, of course I do, but this lunch – the children having both their parents in the same place for the first time since I don’t know when – is going to be tough. And their grandmother, who is – well – you’ll see.’
‘I’m looking forward to it. In my line of work any extreme sort of person is an opportunity to study character. Now, shall we have a little stiffener? Just us?’
Alexandra laughed. ‘Go on then. I’ll have a tiny glass of rosé and then not drink later. I just want everything to go well! For – well, for the children.’
‘And you don’t care about how it goes for the children’s father?’
Alexandra couldn’t stop herself blushing and so busied herself with tidying up the bunches of grapes that filled a huge platter. Stéphie’s grape scissors were proving a godsend. ‘I want it to go well for him too, of course, but he can look after himself. The children need me.’
‘Although Antoine would do a perfectly good job of—’ David stopped suddenly.
‘What would I do a perfectly good job of?’ asked Antoine, arriving in the kitchen, his arms full of bottles.
‘I was just reassuring Lexi here that she needn’t worry about this lunch. And that no one will be unkind to the children when you are here.’ David was very firm.
Alexandra blushed some more and trimmed a perfectly good bunch of grapes.
‘David is right, Alexandra,’ said Antoine. ‘I am well able to protect my children. But I appreciate that their happiness concerns you so much.’
Bravely she looked up at him. ‘You know I take my duties very seriously.’ She picked up the platter and fled.
They’d set up a serving table under a fig tree and she put down her burden there, putting a napkin over the grapes to keep off the flies. There was already a bowl of figs and some late peaches, very nearly past their best.
As she tweaked what was on the table, she wished she didn’t feel so embarrassed whenever she was in Antoine’s presence. It was so unlike her! The fact he was her boss wasn’t really relevant. They both knew she was doing a good job, so why did he make her feel so unsettled?
‘I do hope Maxime comes early,’ she said to Félicité, who’d appeared by her side. ‘Everything always seems more relaxed when he’s here.’
‘Don’t I make you feel relaxed?’ asked Jack, who had arrived with Henri.
‘You do, but Henri’s grandmother is terrifying. And so is his mother. I need lots of protection.’ She smiled, making out she’d been joking all along. ‘When are you going to play your piece, Henri? Can I suggest you do it before lunch? Otherwise people will sink into the wine and the food and then all remember the time and rush off.’
‘I’m not sure it’s quite like that in France,’ said Jack. ‘But do let’s do your piece first. It’ll put the terrifying grand-mère in a good mood. You play so well.’
Alexandra gave Jack a warm smile. She deeply appreciated how good he was with the children. ‘I’m so glad you decided you wanted to visit France, Jack.’
‘Well, I’ve always had a longing to go back to Saint-Jean-du-Roc so when David told me he was going there, or very nearby, I couldn’t resist.’
‘Why have you always wanted to see it?’ asked Henri. ‘It’s not a famous Provençal town, like Aix-en-Provence or those other places where famous artists painted.’
Jack shrugged. ‘I was here for a brief holiday once. I wanted to see if it had changed because of the war.’
‘Oh, look! Maxime’s coming,’ said Alexandra. ‘The terrace is very well placed, isn’t it? You can see people arrive from a distance.’
‘It’s a pity we can’t slam down a portcullis, and repel marauders, eh? Félicité?’ said Jack.
Félicité giggled.
Because they could be seen coming, everyone was at the front door to admit Grand-mère, her friend Hortense and, of course, Lucinda. Only Jack was absent. He was preparing the music room, which included dusting the piano, something no one had thought to do until Stéphie wrote her name on it with her finger.
Alexandra didn’t need to be part of the welcoming committee and she had things she could be doing, but she didn’t want to miss the moment and wanted to be able to scoop up Stéphie if she felt left out.
‘Ah! Penelope!’ said Antoine. He kissed his mother-in-law three times. ‘Hortense …’ She also got three kisses. ‘And Lucinda.’ His ex-wife got a kiss on each cheek.
‘Now,’ he said, speaking English, ‘Let me introduce Mr David Campbell, who is teaching the children English with an emphasis on Shakespeare.’
