David was there, frying sausages. ‘I’m starving,’ he explained. ‘After you went to bed no one wanted any supper. Jack seems to be sickening for something and Antoine has taken the children out, so I’m making breakfast for whoever’s left to eat it. Which I think is just us.’
There were fresh baguettes and a basket of croissants on the table. ‘I am jolly hungry.’ She picked up a croissant and put it on her plate. ‘Did you go out for bread too? You must have been up very early.’
‘I do wake early, as you know, but Jack went to the village. He wanted to take my car somewhere later and so bought bread and viennoiserie before he left. That translates roughly as croissants, by the way.’
Alexandra reached for the butter. ‘Stéphie called me Lexi this morning. I like it. Did the children have any breakfast?’
He nodded. ‘Croissants and hot chocolate. With Antoine and the children away it means we’ve got the day to explore the chateau.’
‘Oh, that would be so much fun! After all the dramas of yesterday it’ll be lovely just being with you and not having to think what I’m saying all the time.’ She paused. ‘But I’d feel awkward snooping around the chateau without asking.’
‘Me too,’ said David triumphantly. ‘So I asked Antoine if we could. He said, “Help yourself and don’t overlook the cellar and find something nice to have with your lunch. We’ll be out all day.”’
‘Oh, that is nice!’ She finished her croissant and reached for the bread.
‘Leave room for the sausages, they’re local,’ said David, getting up to fetch them. When he’d put one on Alexandra’s plate he said, ‘You know, not long ago you wouldn’t have needed to ask permission to explore an empty house. You’d have just done it and trusted you wouldn’t be found out. Why the change, I wonder?’
‘Oh. Well, I expect it’s just because I’m a bit more mature than I used to be,’ she said. ‘And maybe being a nanny has given me a sense of responsibility.’
‘Maybe,’ said David, after a pause, obviously not convinced.
The chateau was bigger than Alexandra had realised. There were rooms at the back she had never needed to go into. And outside there were disused buildings: a wash house and what looked like a dairy as well as a house next to the stables where presumably the grooms once lived. There was a pigeonnier too, a little way away from most of the buildings and two storeys high. Its past was clear from the bird droppings, obviously accumulated over many years, but, as David said, it would make a perfect house to rent.
‘It’s like a village, with houses clustered round the big house,’ said Alexandra. ‘Only instead of the cottages just belonging to the big house, they’re there to service it.’
‘It’s a rather disturbing thought, isn’t it?’ said David.
A little bit separate from the house, across a lawn, was another building that David said was probably an orangerie. ‘Imagine, growing your own citrus,’ he said. ‘Your own lemons for your gin and tonic.’ He shook the door. ‘It’s locked. Do you mind if we have another look at the stables?’
‘They were so grand, weren’t they? I’d happily live in them myself!’
Later, as they walked back to the house, David said, ‘There is a lot of potential here. If Antoine really wanted to, he could have these buildings done up and rent them for the summer. Or even year round. Artists would come to paint, writers to write, and les Anglais to be objectionable and loud on their holidays.’
Alexandra laughed. ‘You’re not very kind about your fellow countrymen.’
‘They’re not very kind about me,’ said David.
Alexandra didn’t speak immediately. She was aware that there were things that went on in David’s life that he would never tell her about. ‘But I’d forgive them if they brought in enough money so Antoine didn’t have to go away all the time.’
‘I agree, it’s not good for the children being without a parent,’ said David. ‘And now Lucinda’s here, determined to take over Félicité and Henri’s lives, that leaves little Stéphie even more parentless. Just as well she’s got you, Lexi.’
‘I do feel quite maternal about her, I must say.’
‘She loved the little stove. Did you buy it for her?’ David asked.
‘Yes. I knew it would appeal to her. I do wish Lucinda would be a bit more thoughtful. Those children all think of themselves as true siblings. It’s not fair of her to treat them differently.’
‘I think Stéphie will be all right, with you fighting for her, Lexi.’ He paused for a second. ‘Do you want to tell me how things went between you and Antoine yesterday?’
Alexandra had known David would ask this so wasn’t unduly surprised at his change of subject. ‘Well, he knows how old I am and that I’m an heiress but that I’m not due to inherit until I’m twenty-five.’ She didn’t tell David about her getting it sooner if she married; she was still getting used to that idea herself. ‘And although he did originally say he should send me away, he realised it wasn’t really a good idea.’
‘Quite right too! You’re the lynchpin of this family,’ said David. ‘Now come on, let’s go to the cellar and find an amusing little bottle of something.’
‘And after lunch, I’ll make a cake,’ said Alexandra. ‘I think I’m missing Meggy and Lizzie from when we lived in London. Mme Wilson didn’t do cakes really, but Meg did.’
‘I’m sure a cake will go down well.’ David patted her on the shoulder. He understood her feelings without her having to go into too much detail. ‘And why not send Meg and Lizzie a postcard? Let them know how you’re getting on.’
Alexandra had just added a dusting of caster sugar to the top of her cake when Lucinda came into the kitchen.
