‘I should—’
‘No, you shouldn’t,’ he said. ‘This is your time off. I’ll ask one of the children if I need help.’
A little later she was aware of having drifted off to sleep, affected by her early start, a lot of fresh air and exercise, and a large measure of cognac. She was also aware of someone putting a cushion under her head and rearranging the blanket. She could easily have stirred and done these things for herself but while she had her eyes shut she could pretend that Antoine was doing it because he loved her and not just because he was a kind man who cared about his employees.
The next two days would always be special, Alexandra felt. She wasn’t allowed to cook or wash up (although she did sneak down and tidy up early one morning). The washing was piled up in front of the new washing machine, waiting for the young woman who usually came in daily but was currently on holiday. During the day, they skated, rambled in the woods, read, painted or played instruments. In the evenings, Antoine taught them card games on which they gambled with matchsticks. Stéphie couldn’t have been happier.
‘It’s as if you and …’ Stéphie paused, obviously having been told she mustn’t say anything to embarrass Alexandra. ‘It’s like having two very kind parents.’
‘Maybe,’ said Alexandra. ‘Now, who would you like to read you a story? Me or Papa?’
‘I’d like you to, Lexi. You won’t be here forever.’
Alexandra followed the little girl up the stairs with a lump in her throat.
Next day, the weather was suddenly warmer and the ice on the lake had melted. Luckily, later in the morning, when Stéphie announced this sad fact, Penelope and Jack arrived. They were a little bit breathless and excited, holding hands and giggling. It was very endearing, Alexandra thought. Penelope was naturally a rather serious person.
‘We’ve come to talk about our wedding,’ said Penelope.
‘I found out from my brother when they’re planning to emigrate – they’ll be Ten Pound Poms!’ said Jack. ‘Which means the Australian government will let you emigrate for only ten pounds, subject to certain conditions. Emigrate means leaving your own country to go and live somewhere else,’ Jack explained to Stéphie, who had her mouth open to ask the question.
‘Has Lexi emigrated, then?’ Stéphie said.
‘Not really,’ said Alexandra quickly. ‘I’ve just come to live in France for a bit. It’s not quite the same thing.’
‘But my brother and his wife are leaving for Australia quite soon,’ said Jack. ‘We have to have the wedding by the first of April at the latest.’
‘And you have very kindly said we can have it here, in the chateau,’ said Penelope, smiling firmly at Antoine, who was looking taken aback.
‘We were also wondering if it might be possible for you to put up some family and friends in your outbuildings,’ said Jack.
‘Really?’ said Antoine. ‘Don’t you like your English guests? Have you seen the outbuildings?’
‘The thing is, Antoine,’ said Penelope, now more like her usual brisk self than she had been at first. ‘If you got a move on, you could have some of those buildings ready, and we would pay for people to stay in them. After that, you can hire them out to les Anglais for the rest of the year. They would pay lots!’
‘It would be a great deal of work,’ said Antoine, considering the matter.
‘Although of course the building I am most interested in is the orangery, for the reception,’ said Penelope.
‘Penelope,’ said Antoine. ‘I would love to help and had we more time I would be delighted, as I said before …’ He paused. ‘But we have just a couple of months—’
‘Three months. And Alexandra will help you,’ said Penelope. ‘The children will go to school in the New Year—’
‘Actually,’ said Antoine. ‘The school – I mean the progressive one that Philippe’s children go to – can’t take them until the following term. I haven’t had an opportunity to discuss it with Jack and David yet. Let alone Alexandra.’
‘Oh,’ said Penelope.
‘I heard just before Christmas and I didn’t want to talk about school during the holiday.’ He seemed embarrassed not to have told the family sooner. ‘I know Henri and Félicité were looking forward to going.’
‘It’s OK, Papa,’ said Félicité after a moment. ‘We understand.’
‘Well,’ Penelope went on, ‘if Alexandra is here, but isn’t really needed to look after the children all the time—’
Alexandra opened her mouth to say that if the children didn’t need her, she would have to leave. But she didn’t want to. Nor, it seemed, did Penelope want her to speak.
‘No, Alexandra, just a moment. If the children aren’t going away to school until after the wedding, they will be taught by David and Jack,’ said Penelope. ‘So although Alexandra will need to be here, in case Antoine has to go away, she will have time on her hands.’
Alexandra felt she should object strongly to having her time allocated without her being consulted but as the thought of overseeing the building work thrilled her, she merely gave a little grunt of agreement.
