He nodded. ‘Yes, I think I could. I could buy a van, buy stock here and take it over to the UK to sell and make a very nice profit.’
‘I know you were thinking of doing that,’ said Alexandra, ‘you told me.’ She paused. She really wanted the answer to a different question. ‘You said – I was wondering—’ She stopped. She had never asked David about his love life and he had never volunteered anything. It was an unspoken agreement that this was a forbidden topic. Now she felt she wanted to know.
‘You were wondering if, like Jack, I could find the love of my life?’ He took another slice of cheese and neither of them spoke while he ate it. ‘I think I could. In fact—’
‘Don’t tell me if you don’t want to!’ said Alexandra, thinking she may well have overstepped a line that had lain between them for years.
‘You’re being unusually tactful, Lexi. Usually you say what you think and ask any question you need the answer to.’
‘I know but – this is different.’ It was different. David’s romantic life would be illegal in England and he wouldn’t want to involve her in it.
‘I do appreciate your discretion, chicken, and there is someone here who I … like. Is that enough to be going on with?’
Alexandra smiled. ‘It’s plenty. Thank you so much for telling me.’
‘And while we’re telling each other things – is there anything you’d like to confide in me? The house is always full of people and even more so now it’s Christmas, so now might be our only chance.’
Alexandra sighed. ‘Well, I don’t suppose it’s any secret, to you anyway, that I’ve got a huge crush on Antoine. I know exactly how silly it is, how much of a cliché it is – honestly, it’s practically a direct copy of what happens in Jane Eyre, but I can’t help it. I know my crush will go away in time and I’ll end up marrying someone suitable, who isn’t older, who hasn’t got children and a rundown chateau—’
David laughed. ‘I don’t know when you last read Jane Eyre but I’m fairly sure Mr Rochester fell in love with the governess.’
Alexandra gave a little chuckle. ‘Antoine is not at all like Mr Rochester!’
‘And you’re not remotely like Jane Eyre, but I think we should check the attics for mad wives anyway, just in case.’
Now Alexandra was laughing too. ‘I don’t think we need to; we know who Antoine’s ex-wife is. And she’s not in the attic!’
‘How do we know he’s only got one? There may be a room full of bodies up there. “Anne, sister Anne!”’ he declaimed. ‘“Do you see anyone coming?’”
‘Like in Bluebeard?’ Alexandra was mildly hysterical now.
They’d taken things several stages further in which Alexandra was now Snow White, in love with all seven dwarves, when suddenly Véronique, the children hard on her heels, appeared in the kitchen.
‘You seem to be having a party all on your own,’ said Véronique, obviously wanting to object but unable to find a reason.
‘Not really,’ said Alexandra. ‘David just made a joke that appealed to me.’
‘Perhaps we could share it?’ asked Véronique.
‘Oh no,’ said David firmly. ‘Jokes never bear repeating. Have you had lunch?’
‘We went out for lunch,’ said Stéphie. ‘Maxime was there and he sent you his love.’ She rolled her eyes at this. ‘Where are the kittens? Oh, here you are.’
Véronique smiled. ‘Tell me, Stéphie. What is the name of the striped kitten? I know the white one is called Snowball.’
‘Margaret,’ said Stéphie instantly, although Alexandra had never heard her call the kitten that and was fairly sure no one else had either. Stéphie didn’t like to appear lost for an answer.
‘How charming,’ said Véronique.
‘Come up to my bedroom, Snowball, Margaret,’ Stéphie ordered, and raced out of the room, the kittens skittering after her.
Antoine appeared. ‘We must find out what sex those creatures are, before we find ourselves overrun with them.’
‘Would you like to see your room, Véronique?’ asked Alexandra.
Véronique winced slightly as if she wasn’t happy with Alexandra using her Christian name, although Alexandra had used the formal vous form as always.
‘I’m really very happy—’
