Emilie turned towards Jeanne.

‘We shall need two of our best gowns tonight, Jeanne,’ she said. ‘Mademoiselle will wear the grey chiffon trimmed with lace. She has not been seen in that one as yet, and I will wear the gold brocade.’

‘I will see that they are ready, Madame,’ Jeanne said. Emilie turned towards Mistral.

‘Well, have you an invitation for tonight?’

‘An invitation, Aunt Emilie?’ Mistral enquired.

‘Yes, did the Prince ask us to dinner or supper?’

‘Neither, Aunt Emilie.’

Emilie’s expression seemed to darken.

‘Strange! I should have thought that he would have suggested one or the other when he left you. Are you sure that you were nice to him?’

‘I – I think so, Aunt Emilie.’

‘Well, don’t think,’ Emilie said sharply. ‘Know one way or the other. I have told you, Mistral, what I want of you, and if you are deliberately disobeying me, you will be sorry for it.’

‘But, Aunt Emilie, I was nice to the Prince. I enjoyed the drive and I think he did too, and he said that he would be seeing me again very soon.’

Emilie seemed to relax.

‘That is better,’ she said. ‘Why didn’t you say so at once, you stupid child?’

‘It would be easier if I understood exactly what you wanted me to do or say,’ Mistral said tentatively. ‘You do see, Aunt Emilie, that I have had very little to do with men until now, in fact I have known very few of them.’

‘That is all the better,’ Emilie said. ‘You don’t want to know a lot of men, Mistral. Most of them are brutes who disguise their bestiality with words spoken in lying tongues. Women are happiest without men in their lives, but the silly fools never know it until it is too late.

Beware of men, shun them as you would shun the devil himself, for they bring you nothing but misery, heartache and unhappiness.’

Emilie spoke passionately in a low, monotonous tone. It was almost as if she were talking to herself, and she only appeared to be aroused when Mistral said,

‘But, Aunt Emilie, if men are so bad, why do you tell me to be nice to the Prince?’

‘The Prince is of importance in your life, Mistral. Do not forget that. When you think of men, remember what I have said.’

‘I – I will try, Aunt Emilie,’ Mistral replied, but at the same time something within her cried out that what her aunt had said was not true.

She was certain that all men were not brutes and beasts, not Sir Robert at any rate. She could not imagine him bring brutal or bestial in any way whatsoever. Perhaps Aunt Emilie had been unfortunate in the men she had met. Jeanne had hinted that her life had been difficult with Monsieur Bleuet.