‘You used to be much more fun when you weren’t interested in boys,’ said Stéphie to her sister.
‘She’s still fun,’ said Alexandra. ‘And you’ll be interested in boys too, soon.’
‘Are you interested in them, Lexi?’ asked Stéphie.
‘Lexi’s just interested in Papa,’ said Félicité, making Alexandra wish she hadn’t stuck up for her.
Alexandra sighed and rolled her eyes. ‘Your papa is my boss,’ she said calmly. ‘It would never be appropriate for me to think about him like that.’
‘Now you sound like Véronique,’ said Félicité. ‘And even if you’re not interested in him, like every other woman who ever comes near him always is, everyone here will assume you’re sleeping together.’
‘Please don’t talk like that in front of your sister. And why don’t you think about your own love life and stop concerning yourself with mine?’ said Alexandra.
Jules did indeed steal a few glances at Félicité, with her pretending not to care. Then his family got up to go and he paused at the table to say hello and goodbye. Alexandra made sure not to look at him and trusted he wouldn’t recognise her. She didn’t want him referring to the party. While she still felt she’d done what was best, she wasn’t sure if Antoine would see it that way and she was having such a nice time, she didn’t want it spoilt. But when Jules finally left, Félicité turned her attention back to Alexandra.
‘Don’t you care what people think about you, then?’ she asked.
Alexandra considered for a moment. She had to make sure she was teaching the right lesson here. ‘Well, I know I’m doing nothing wrong, which is the most important thing. Although I would care a lot more if these people were part of my community. But when you children go to school, I’ll go to Switzerland and never see any of them again.
‘Oh,’ said Stéphie. ‘That’s sad.’
‘Not really,’ said Alexandra, not believing what she was saying. ‘You won’t miss me when you’re at school, having fun. And I’ll send you postcards with pictures of the snowy Alps on them.’
‘But will you miss us?’ asked Henri.
‘Yes,’ said Alexandra. ‘Of course I will. I’ve very much enjoyed looking after you.’
‘Then you should stay!’ said Stéphie. ‘You could look after Papa!’
‘Your papa doesn’t need me or anyone else to look after him,’ said Alexandra. ‘Is that not true, Antoine?’ she added as he joined them to say it was time to go.
‘That’s quite true,’ said Antoine. ‘Now let’s go home.’
Chapter Twenty-nine
The following morning, Alexandra was wakened early by Stéphie, quickly followed by Antoine, who was carrying a tray. On it were coffee, rolls, butter and fig jam.
‘Breakfast in bed,’ he stated, settling the tray on her knees. ‘And then you must get up. The lake is frozen and we’re going skating.’
‘I haven’t got skates …’
‘There are dozens of pairs here,’ he said. ‘It’s been a pastime at the chateau for years.’
‘So don’t take too long eating,’ said Stéphie, in case Alexandra hadn’t got the message. ‘I’ll teach you to skate. Don’t worry.’
Alexandra didn’t dawdle. She put on as many of her clothes as she could get on at the same time, ending with one of the boiler suits she had bought at the market, and then presented herself downstairs.
Antoine regarded her critically, made her put on a battered leather flying jacket, a scarf and an extra pair of gloves. ‘You will soon get warm but at first it is cold. What size are your feet?’
There was a bit of confusion because she was uncertain what her continental shoe size was but eventually she was found a pair of skates which nearly fitted when a pair of socks had been added to the two pairs she was already wearing.
‘Apart from looking like Bibendum – or a Michelin Man,’ she said, ‘I can hardly walk, I’m wearing so many layers.’
‘You can take things off when you’re warm,’ said Stéphie. ‘No, kittens, you can’t come with us. You’ll get cold.’
Although Stéphie had strong maternal instincts, the kittens didn’t recognise her authority and insisted on dancing out of the door behind Milou.
‘Are you sure the ice won’t break so we’ll fall into the freezing water and drown?’ Alexandra said to Antoine.
