His face lit up. ‘I’ll buy it,’ he said happily, and gently squeezed my arm. ‘Thank you. You’re brilliant.’
***
Now, as we finished our oysters and waited for the main course, he asked me what I thought of the restaurant.
‘Oh, it’s wonderful,’ I said, looking round. And it was. Tucked away in an arcade opening onto a small square with a crumbling church at its end, the exterior was in the Italianate style, so Italianate, in fact, that it reminded me of that scene inThe Godfatherwhen Michael Corleonemarries Apollonia. As we went in, I had half expected to be accompanied by two guys in black suits and caps, clutching rifles. ‘I love the way they’ve hung the walls with paintings by local artists.’
‘Do you think the artists get a free lunch for their pains?’
I smiled. ‘Like Picasso and the rest of the gang at La Colombe d’Or handing over their masterpieces in return for a square meal when they were starving?’
He chuckled. ‘That’s right, if that story is not apocryphal.’ Then he seemed to think for a moment. ‘Tell me,’ he said abruptly, ‘how are you getting on at the Villa Matisse? Leaving aside the fiasco of yesterday evening’s dinner, which was due to absolutely no fault on your part and quite disgraceful.’ He went on, ‘Are you enjoying yourself, enjoying the job?’
Enjoying myself?Enjoying… now, there was a word. I looked levelly at the man in front of me.
‘The answer to your question is, quite frankly, no, I am not enjoying myself. In fact, this is turning out to be by far the mostunenjoyable job of work I have ever taken on in my life.’
Jules didn’t seem at all surprised. ‘I surmised as much,’ he murmured thoughtfully.
‘But listen.’ I wished I’d kept my counsel. ‘Itisa job of work. I am employed by a member of the Mandeville family even if I’m not certain which member and therefore, at the risk of sounding like some pompous old fart in Westminster trying to defend himself against the latest sex scandal, I don’t think it appropriate for me to comment further. I’ve already said more than I should,’ I finished, adding, ‘sorry, but there it is.’
Jules waved a hand as if to dismiss my apology. ‘No, no, I quite understand.’
Our main courses arrived and we both sat back to allow the waiters to put the plates down. I picked up my fork.
‘So, please, let’s talk about something else.’
There followed a short pause while, staring down at hismarmite de poisson, he seemed to be considering what I had said. Then all at once, he leant forward again.
‘You know, Luc is a very nice man.’
‘Really.’
‘Yes, really. I don’t want you to think badly of him.’
‘I don’t want to thinkanythingof him,’ I said sharply, which, the moment I’d said it, I realised wasn’t quite true and therefore added to my rising feeling of irritation.
‘It’s just the poor guy’s got a lot on his plate at the moment.’
‘Yes. I know. Iknow. Jess told me. In fact, I’d swear she used exactly the same words.’ I looked challengingly at Jules. ‘Are you two in cahoots or something? Witnesses for the defence of Luc Mandeville? Getting your story straight in case I play good cop-bad cop and start interrogating you?’
Jules gave an uncomfortable little titter. ‘No, of course not.’
‘Then let’s drop the subject.’ Looking down at my plate, I forked up a morsel ofsole à la Normandeand put it in my mouth. It was overcooked, a bit like the conversation. ‘And your fish stew is getting cold.’ I nodded at it, but Jules just continued to sit there, staring so sorrowfully at me I relented. ‘Look.’ I put my fork down. ‘It really doesn’t matter. In fact, I don’t know what all thefuss is about.’
‘You are not being treated with courtesy,’ Jules said gravely.
‘Well, I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you,’ I said, affecting nonchalance. ‘I’m much tougher than I look.’
He looked interested. ‘Are you?’
‘Yes, and I’m having a very nice time today with you. Are you having a nice time?’
He nodded.
‘Good. So let’s not spoil it. Let’s eat up and then afterwards, if you fancy it, I’d love to see the famous Fernand Léger museum up the road. We could walk round the gardens – if you’re not busy this afternoon, that is?’
‘No.’ He shook his head, spreading his hands. ‘Today I am devoted to you.’
