Not knowing where to look, Jane kept her attention focused on the glass of port, and how the light shone through the deep ruby liquid. She tried to think of how she would create that heavy shade and the faint greenish tinge where it touched the wall of the glass, but her attention was pulled – all unwillingly – back to the conversation.

‘I see no reason to be upset by any of these changes in rulers, as we have been passed back and forth between France and the Netherlands for almost as many years as there have been people living here. As long as they leave us to our own devices, let the “heads of state” play at ruling us. It makes no difference. We still have to pay taxes.’ Mme Meynard inhaled deeply on her cigar.

‘But taxes to whom, and to what purpose, and how high?’ M. Chastain drummed his fingers on the table. ‘All of these questions are dependent on who sits on the throne.’

‘Which, again, is why I find it curious that you are not more of a supporter of the Bonapartists than you are. Since Napoleon was such a great patron of the arts, it would seem natural for a glamourist to favour him.’

‘He was never a patron of mine.’ M. Chastain snubbed out his cigar. ‘Was he a “patron” of yours?’

‘It is possible,’ M. Archambault ventured, ‘to accept patronage from someone without agreeing with their politics.’

‘Only to your folly. You might begin by not agreeing, but time and habit will eventually cause you to mask your true feelings and, eventually, to forget them. Wiser to remove yourself from the influence of those with whom you cannot agree.’ M. Chastain slid his chair back. ‘Shall we adjourn and indulge in some shadow-play?’

The rest of the evening passed in a tolerable approximation of post-dinner hours in England, yet, to Jane’s surprise, she did not find it as interesting as the dinner conversation. Shocking though the behaviour had been, she could not help but appreciate that the ladies’ opinions appeared to have as much value as the gentlemen’s.

NINE

Blowing Glass

A week after the party, the Vincents finally located a glass maker with the skills they thought they required for their experiment. M. La Pierre was accomplished in creating sheets of glass as well as blowing, cutting, and grinding lenses. More than that, though, he had a natural reclusiveness which left him little inclined to gossip.