Alexandra was missing female companionship and she longed to share her feelings for Antoine. David was a close friend and she could tell him anything but she felt this needed another woman. Possibly if her feelings were brought out into the open, they’d melt, like snow in the sunlight.
‘Shall we go for a walk in the garden?’ suggested Nicolette a little later, as people got up from the table. ‘We can meet the children in the barn.’
‘I miss my women friends,’ said Nicolette as they stood at the end of the garden and looked at the distant hills covered with scrubby pine and oak forest and the mountains beyond. ‘Before I was married and had all these children, I had a job I loved and I worked with women. I don’t regret giving it all up for this’ – she made a gesture towards the view – ‘or for my husband. But I miss other women.’
‘I do too. I’ve lived most of my life in a fairly solitary way but recently I shared my house with girls my own age. I miss them now.’
‘And you’d have told them if you were in love with your boss?’
Alexandra smiled. ‘Yes. And I hope they would have told me how ridiculous I was being.’
‘I don’t suppose they would. Falling in love is very annoying. It’s not always possible to choose the right person to do it with. Although Antoine is a good man, and of course very handsome. It’s natural you should find him attractive.’
‘I think I am too young for him.’
‘Which is not to say that he is too old for you.’
Alexandra nodded. ‘No. And in any case, when the children are settled, in one way or another, I will have to do my family’s bidding and join them in Switzerland. I think they’d like me to marry my cousin Hubert.’
Nicolette was very amused. ‘Does Hubert not take your fancy?’
‘No, and more to the point, I don’t take his. David, who is tutoring the children now, is of the opinion – and I believe him – that Hubert is … of the other persuasion.’
It took Nicolette a couple of seconds to interpret this and then she laughed. ‘Don’t give up on Antoine,’ she said. ‘Love has a way of getting what it wants in the end. Shall we find the children now?’
Getting the children to leave took some time. It was only when Antoine had been persuaded to let them take two kittens, pressed on them by Sandrine, that Félicité and Stéphie got into the car. Félicité also had a book, lent to her by Léo, the eldest boy. She’d blushed but taken the book willingly. Alexandra decided it wasn’t her job to check the book was suitable. She’d recently discovered a stash of Angélique novels on a bookshelf in one of the bedrooms that she had recommended to Félicité, although Lucinda would no doubt be horrified. Alexandra felt no guilt; they were full of French history, which made them educational.
The first part of the journey was taken up with the kittens, who objected to being put in a box. It was only when they became tired, and accepted that sleeping on a warm lap being stroked by a gentle hand (the girls had a cat each) was an acceptable way to travel, that Antoine could really relax.
‘It’s a shame you were persuaded to promise everyone ponies when you could have got away with kittens,’ said Alexandra quietly to Antoine.
He took his eyes off the road long enough to give her a look that made her stomach flip with desire. ‘I hold you entirely responsible for the ponies.’
Alexandra suppressed a smile and looked out of the window. Perhaps Nicolette was right and there was a spark between them. Even the possibility made her very happy.
‘I hope Milou will be kind to the kittens,’ said Antoine as they approached the entrance to the chateau. ‘You’ll have to be very careful in the beginning. He’s a big dog.’
‘It’s all right,’ said Stéphie, full of confidence. ‘Sandrine told me the kittens are used to dogs.’
‘They have a dog that comes into milk when the cat has kittens,’ said Henri. ‘They’ll be fine.’
Antoine and Alexandra exchanged an anxious glance. The kittens were tiny compared to Milou. They would have no chance if he decided he resented their presence.
The front door to the chateau was unlocked and a welcome warmth greeted them. Although it was warm enough when it was sunny, it was much cooler in the evenings now, and Antoine had begun to light the fire in the hall. David had lit it now and Milou was flat out asleep in front of it.
Before anyone could say or do anything, Stéphie put down the kitten she was holding. ‘There you are, Snowball, that’s Milou. He lives here too.’
Antoine put an arm round Alexandra’s shoulder and clutched it, obviously terrified at the potential disaster.
The kitten, spotting the dog, jumped on all four legs towards him, every hair on end, looking like an angry feather duster made of swansdown. Milou, who had raised his head, hadn’t taken in what was attacking him until the kitten gave him a biff on the nose. Then the ball of fluff ran up the dog’s side and settled on his groin as if it were an established favourite spot. Milou looked at the little creature in utter amazement.
Félicité, seeing that Milou had yet to harm the little white kitten, set down the tortoiseshell kitten, as yet unnamed. This ran over to the dog in a much less aggressive manner, and the dog and the kitten sniffed each other’s noses before this less assertive little animal snuggled in the dog’s neck. Milou looked up at Antoine, obviously wondering what on earth had just happened.
‘It’s going to be fine,’ said Stéphie as if this was never in doubt. ‘Hello, David. I’m starving. Is there supper?’
‘There’s soup,’ said David, looking at the kittens and the dog in amusement.
‘What kind of soup?’ asked Félicité.
