“Vous savez what to do with it. Les Anglais pas différents from the way they are in Paris.”

It was obvious the Milliner did not understand and in an amused voice the Earl said mockingly,

“What Mademoiselle means is that the spectators must always pay for the entertainment. Bring the bill to me.”

For the first time the milliner looked up at him and he saw the astonishment in her eyes.

Then Genevieve gave a little laugh.

“Tiens, Monsieur, vous êtes très gentil! It is not what I meant, mais je suis très grateful. How shall I thank you?”

She sprang from the stool where she was sitting and moving towards the Earl, bent and kissed his cheek.

He was conscious as she did so of the exotic perfume Genevieve used and for the moment the warmth of her barely covered body pressed against him.

Then she was moving towards Richard saying, as she did so,

“Have you forgotten, mon cher, Richard, that I am thirsty as well?”

“No, of course not,” Richard replied, “and I have a drink ready for you.”

“Merci, mon cher.”

He knew that she thanked him not only for the drink but also for the Earl.

He smiled at her in a slightly conspiratorial manner, studiously ignoring the fact that the Earl was counting out quite a number of guineas from his purse.

The Earl had not taken the bill, which was neatly written in a flowing hand, from the saleswoman, but had left her holding it.

She stood very straight and still beside him and looking up he could see her face clearly. He thought that she was not only very different from what he had thought a saleswoman would look like, but also unexpectedly lovely.

It was not only her large eyes in her small oval face that surprised him, it was her clear-cut features, which had an almost classical look about them.

“Do you make these bonnets yourself?” he asked her.

“Some of them, my Lord.”

“You must be very skilful.”

She did not reply, but merely acknowledged his compliment with a little inclination of her head.

“Do you enjoy your work?”

Again there was no answer, but she merely signified the affirmative.

The Earl had the feeling that she was being deliberately aloof and he was certain that she resented the fact that he was speaking to her as if it was an intrusion on her privacy.

Because he was determined to hear her voice again, he said,

“I asked you a question.”

“I – work as a necessity – my Lord.”

Her voice was still musical, but there was a note in it that told him she would have liked to tell him to mind his own business.

He now had the right amount of guineas in his hand, but he did not give them to her.

“It must be somewhat frustrating,” he said, “to spend one’s life adorning other women so that they should look beautiful.”