The result of this dilemma was a slightly stilted missive, offering condolences for the loss of his brother and greetings to his family, after which she went on:

Of course I understand that your duty to your family is the most important thing just now but I do miss you, Rupert, and am longing for the day you come back to me.

In a few days’ time Maman and I are going to our house in the Avenue Ste Anne in Paris. I’m not sure how long we shall stay, but you have the address and could write to me there.

She had been going to tell him about the dinner party that had been given to welcome Clarice and Lucas back from their honeymoon, but when she reread what she had written it seemed so trivial compared with the difficulties Rupert was facing at home that she discarded that page, simply saying the Clarice and Lucas were home again and her parents had given a dinner to welcome them back.

Hélène hadn’t particularly enjoyed that evening. It was lovely to see Clarice and to hear about Venice and Florence and Rome, but that had been in the privacy of Clarice’s old room, where she had laid her cloak and tidied her already beautifully coiffed hair before descending to the drawing room. Hélène had then told Clarice about Rupert’s proposal and how she had, with Papa’s qualified blessing, accepted him.

Clarice was surprised and mildly condescending. ‘Doesn’t Papa think you’re a little young to be considering marriage? I’m twenty and it was only in the last few months that Lucas and I became engaged.’

‘That’s because Lucas wasn’t here,’ retorted Hélène. ‘I bet you’d have accepted him if he’d proposed to you when you were seventeen!’

‘Perhaps,’ conceded Clarice, ‘but there’s a lot more to marriage than dancing with a handsome man.’ She patted Hélène’s hand and added, ‘I’m sure Maman will explain what I mean when the time comes. Come on, we’d better go down.’

They found the others waiting for them in the drawing room. Almost immediately Didier announced dinner and Rosalie, offering her hand to Lucas, their guest of honour, led the way into the dining room. Hélène found she had been seated between Monsieur Barrineau and Simon. She knew both of them well and it should have been an easy dinner placement, but, somehow, she found she had very little to say to either of them. Monsieur Barrineau was jocular, speaking to her almost as a favourite uncle might. Simon, on the other hand, seemed rather stiff and formal and gave much of his attention to Lucie, sitting opposite to him. How Hélène wished Rupert were there to lighten the table with his easy flow of conversation.

It was Clarice who, unwittingly, disturbed the general equilibrium by saying in her clear voice, ‘I hear that Hélène is to be married, Papa,’ before turning to her husband and adding, ‘and to that strange Englishman you invited to our wedding, Lucas.’