‘It’s probably my bad influence,’ said Jack, looking pleased.
‘We don’t often have an official birthday to celebrate,’ said Penelope, appearing from the salon, formal but obviously happy with the effect her efforts had produced. ‘We also wanted to give Antoine a little party as he’s going away tomorrow.’
Everyone was ushered through to the salon. Jack was opening a bottle of champagne seeming very at home when Alexandra caught a look Penelope gave him which he couldn’t see. She was obviously very smitten. Alexandra felt a rush of joy at the prospect of Jack and Penelope finding love after being apart for so long.
She wondered if anyone else had noticed and was looking around to see when Lucinda came into the room. With her, arm in arm, was Véronique.
Just for a second, Alexandra was too shocked to move. She wasn’t expecting to see Véronique and she had no idea that she and Lucinda knew each other. Seeing them together almost took her breath away. She was very grateful when David appeared at her side.
‘I know they’re looking as if they’re bosom pals,’ he said, reading her mind in a way that only he could. ‘But they have only just met,’ he breathed into her ear. ‘I found out earlier. Véronique has an old friend in the area she’s been staying with.’
Véronique having to stay at the chateau before with hardly any notice flashed into her mind. She could have stayed with her old friend and not made life so difficult for everyone in the chateau. And now she’d chummed up with Lucinda. Alexandra felt suddenly depressed.
‘Antoine, darling,’ said Véronique, leaving Lucinda’s side. ‘Surprise! I’ve been staying with my friend in the town and I met Lucinda and her mother in the pâtisserie, ordering her cake. I discovered that little Stéphanie was having a party and I thought, if I come, I can travel with you back to Paris. Won’t that be fun?’ She enveloped Stéphie in a hug which meant the little girl was crushed to Véronique’s ear and smothered in silk jersey.
Alexandra longed to rescue Stéphie from suffocation, and was just about to cross the room to her side when Penelope put out a hand to the little girl and released her from Véronique’s grip.
‘Now, it is your party!’ she said to Stéphie. ‘Do you want to open presents? Or shall we have tea and eat cake first?’
‘Cake! The obsession with cake!’ said Lucinda, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Stéphanie looked at the mother of her siblings for a moment. ‘Let’s have cake first!’ she said, sounding very English. ‘I’m jolly hungry!’
Alexandra nudged David. ‘That’s my girl!’
Chapter Twenty
There was a long table set up in the dining room covered in party food and in the very middle was a horse made from choux pastry. It was sitting in a field of spun sugar and was very like the horse that Alexandra had repaired when she’d first arrived in France. Two large ovals held together by cream created the body and two smaller ovals made the neck and head. Cream exuded from the pony’s sides, and all the details were in piped chocolate.
‘Penelope had that made,’ said Jack proudly to Alexandra while people were deciding where to sit. ‘And while it does have a faint look of a very large swan, I think it’s a really splendid effort at such short notice.’
‘It’s brilliant! I love it!’ said Alexandra.
‘Penelope made the Victoria jam sponge and I helped David make the chocolate cake. We wanted bridge rolls or little sandwiches but they’re tricky in France so we have tartines instead. You see? Little slices of a flûte with butter and a bit of pâté on it. We all craved fish paste but actually the pâté is much nicer.’
‘I’m sure!’
‘And then we have a selection of gateaux from the bakery.’ He smiled at Alexandra, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ‘And now I’m on tea-making duty. You need an Englishman for that.’
‘Can I help you?’ asked Alexandra, falling on an excuse to leave the room.
‘Of course,’ Jack said.
But it was not to be. Véronique came bearing down on them. ‘Alexandra!’ She smiled. ‘I’m going to be begging a room for the night. Antoine and I will be driving to Paris tomorrow but, naturally, we will need to leave early. It’s more convenient for the main road from the chateau, rather than him having to drive into town and pick me up from here, so I will come home with you all later.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘Too much perfume, darling. Far better to be more subtle about it. But you’re very young, you’ll learn.’ Then she clicked her way across the parquet floor.
Alexandra didn’t move.
‘Penny for your thoughts,’ said David, appearing from behind her.
‘I’m just wondering if there’s a more patronising person in the whole of France, or if she takes the prize.’
‘Hm, well, she’s certainly the most patronising person in this room. But I do see her point about the cologne.’
Alexandra regarded her old friend. ‘I know, but eau de cologne is better than eau de brocante,’ she said. ‘Although I am so extremely grateful you bought me this wonderful jacket.’
His shout of laughter was loud enough to make everyone look at him. Alexandra went to stand by Félicité, who was keeping an eye on Stéphie. Not, Alexandra was sure, because she might misbehave but because she might be enveloped by an adoring female who really wanted her father’s attention.
‘Can we all sit down?’ said Penelope. ‘Stéphie needs to blow out her candles and make a wish. And cut the cake,’ she added, sending her daughter a look.
