“If we come, my dear Hadley, you’ll be the first to know,” said Jules.

His interview with Marie was not so easy.

“It’s my fault you’re going, isn’t it?” she said.

“No it isn’t. Not at all.”

“What did Gérard say to you?”

“Not much. He was quite friendly, in fact. But he wants to protect your reputation. Rightly so.”

“Your father is really sick?”

“I’m afraid he is.”

“Will you come back when he is well?”

“I haven’t even thought of anything, except getting to him as quickly as I can.”

She nodded, and held out her hand.

“Good-bye Hadley,” she said.

After he had gone, she told her parents that she was going to take a little rest. Then she closed the door and quietly locked it, and pushed her face into her pillow to muffle the sound and, knowing that she had lost him, wept for over an hour.

Two days later, she departed for the family vineyard, to take part in the vendange.

It was a week after her return to Paris that James Fox came to see Jules Blanchard.

“I have come on a personal matter,” he explained.

“My dear Fox, what can I do for you?” Jules replied.

“I have to tell you something which you may not like. I am entirely in love with Marie, and I wish to ask your permission to let her know that this is the case.”

“Has she any idea of it?”

“To the best of my knowledge, none. I came to see you first.”

“You certainly behave well. But that is no surprise. How long have you loved her?”

“Since the first day I met her. It was a coup de foudre. But since then I have come to know her and to love her for all her qualities of character and mind. Otherwise I should not be here to ask for her hand.”

Jules considered.

“Fox, we like you, and it is my opinion that you would make a very good husband. I do not know what Marie’s feelings might be about your proposal, and that will be for her to decide.”

“I have not the least wish to marry a woman who doesn’t want to marry me.”

“Of course. But I must tell you that there is the problem of religion.”

“It is a problem for me as well. I have had a long discussion with my father, whose wish is that I should marry a Protestant.”

“Ah. That’s the thing.”

“However, my father is a realist, and because he understands the strength of my desire, he has made a concession which may shock you, but which is the only way that I can hope to marry, without causing deep distress to my own family.”

“I’m listening.”

“I should myself remain a Protestant, while my wife remains a Catholic.”

“That might be acceptable. But what of the children? That’s the question.”