Josette had just exclaimed, ‘Quick – look over there. I’m sure that’s Sacha Distel,’ and turned towards Amelia to make sure she was looking in the right direction when, to her dismay, she saw Amelia was sitting there with tears running down her cheeks. ‘Que se passe-t-il?’

‘I’m pregnant.’

Shocked, Josette stared at her twin. ‘Is it Robert the sailor?’ she had finally asked. Amelia had told her about meeting a crew member from one of the expensive yachts a few weeks ago. Twenty-three years old, he was spending the summer after his finals working on one of the prestigious boats before returning home and starting his banking career.

Amelia had nodded.

‘Papa will kill you both,’ Josette had said. She was silent for a moment. ‘What does Robert say about it?’

‘Je ne lui ai pas encore dit. You’re the first to know,’ Amelia whispered. ‘I was hoping you’d help me decide what to do.’

‘When d’you expect to see Robert next?’

‘The yacht is due back in port tomorrow afternoon, so probably our usual place in the evening.’

‘You have to tell him. Once you’ve done that and we know his reaction, we can decide what you do.’ Josette had glanced at her sister. ‘Do you love him? Do you want to keep the baby? Do you want him to marry you?’

‘Yes. No. Yes. I don’t know what I want other than I don’t want to be pregnant.’

‘But you are,’ Josette had said, as a sudden thought struck her. ‘You didn’t go to Doctor Lefebvre, did you?’ The old family doctor would have gone straight to their father, she was certain.

Amelia shook her head. ‘Je ne suis pas si bȇte. I went to one in Cannes.’

Josette had caught hold of her sister’s hand. ‘If Robert is the kind of man I think he is, he’ll marry you.’

‘But his life will be in England. I don’t want to leave here and live over there. I won’t know anyone and his family will probably hate me and—’

‘Stop it. Nobody could possibly hate you. And after you’ve married Robert and moved over there, I shall be a regular visitor. Tante Josette. Imagine!’ Josette had looked at her sister and squeezed her hand. ‘Try not to worry. Whatever happens, I’m on your side.’

The next evening, a shocked Robert had immediately said they’d marry when Amelia had told him she was pregnant. Had even braved the wrath of her father, holding her hand tightly, as they broke the news together.