Her mother had been gentle in her persuasion. ‘I know you say you don’t love him, but you don’t dislike him either. I know he’s not Rupert, but no one is going to be, are they? You have to set aside any feelings you still have for him and look forward to the rest of your life. You’ll have your own establishment in the Gavrineau Garden House, your own staff. And, sometime in the future, you’ll move into Gavrineau itself as one of the most important hostesses in the area. Simon loves you and wants you as his wife, but if you turn him down you may lose him completely; a man won’t wait for ever for a capricious bride. Think before you throw all this away, chérie.’

Her father was altogether more forthright. ‘If you’re still languishing for that Rupert Chalfont, it is time you faced facts. He is no gentleman but a dishonourable man who doesn’t stand by his given word. The sooner you get him out of your head the better it will be. Simon Barnier is first and foremost a man of honour and he expects everyone else to have the same standards.’

‘You thought that of Rupert once, Papa,’ Hélène said hesitantly.

‘Maybe I did, but I was entirely wrong, wasn’t I?’ Emile retorted. ‘He had us fooled. I should have suspected he was after your money all along. He admitted he knew that you came into your grandmother’s money on your marriage, but he assured us he would not touch a penny of what would be yours. And we believed him! We hardly knew the man and yet we believed him and allowed him to court you. We were wrong. We should never have allowed such a thing. As soon as he discovered he’d become his father’s heir, he no longer needed any money of yours and he was off back to England without a backward glance. I blame myself, Hélène, and I’m not going to make the same mistake twice.’

‘Simon might be after my money as well,’ Hélène pointed out.

‘Don’t be ridiculous, child,’ snapped her father. ‘We’ve known the family ever since they came to St Etienne. We all move in the same circles and have the same standards of behaviour. You will be marrying into your own kind, which is the best kind of marriage.’

‘But I don’t love him,’ Hélène said flatly.

‘My dear child’ – there was a pitying note in Emile’s voice – ‘what has that to say to anything? Simon Barnier is an excellent match and should you turn him down, I wash my hands of you.’

Simon himself was far more subtle. ‘I’ll give you all the time you need,’ he promised. ‘After all, that gives me time to teach you to love me.’

When Hélène told Annette that she had finally given in and agreed to marry Simon, she said, ‘But you will come with me to Gavrineau, won’t you? I couldn’t go without you.’