Hélène felt her cheeks grow red. She could hardly believe her mother was encouraging her to go into the garden with a man she’d only just met. Still, there could be no impropriety in it if she took him out to meet her brother and sister-in-law. She got up from her chair and accepted the arm that Rupert offered. Together they walked away and out into the garden.

Suzanne watched them go with satisfaction. At least he was nowhere near her beloved Lucie, and very soon, after the ball tomorrow night, he would depart and the danger would be over.

Rosalie also watched them leave the pavilion. ‘He seems a charming young man,’ she remarked. ‘Has Lucas known him long?’

‘He met him on a recent visit to London, ’ replied Suzanne. ‘He’s the son of a baronet.’ However, she didn’t feel it was necessary to mention that he was only a younger son. After all, as he would be gone in a couple of days, that was of no consequence.

When they emerged from the pavilion into the cool of the evening, Hélène saw Georges and his wife, sitting in an arbour that overlooked the rose garden.

‘I must introduce you to my brother,’ Hélène said. It was the first time she had spoken since they had left her mother and Madame Barrineau at the table.

Must you? Must you really? Rupert didn’t speak the words, though they were fighting to be said; he simply allowed her to lead him over to the couple seated in the arbour. He had seen them in the church and had seen the two small attendants being passed back to them once their train-carrying duties were over. He had noticed outside the church that the man had a decided limp and walked with a cane.

As they approached, Georges stood up to greet them and Hélène made the introductions. Rupert smiled and very soon they were all four seated in the arbour, the conversation flowing easily enough.

Better to have them here too, Rupert thought. It saves any embarrassment, and they’ll have to get used to me!

As dusk turned to darkness, a small breeze blew up and Sylvie shivered. ‘I think I’d like to go back into the pavilion now, Georges,’ she said. ‘It won’t be long before Clarice and Lucas leave, will it?’

‘Well, at least they haven’t far to go,’ Georges reminded her.

‘They’re moving into the west wing of Montmichel until they find a suitable house of their own,’ Sylvie told Rupert.

Rupert already knew this, but he said, ‘How convenient it must be that the family has enough space to accommodate them.’

‘Yes, for a short while,’ Sylvie agreed cautiously. ‘But there’s nothing like your own home, is there, Georges?’

‘Even if it is officers’ quarters?’ teased her husband.

‘Even if,’ Sylvie responded firmly as together they made their way across the lawn to the lights of the pavilion.

Hélène watched them go before she said, ‘We should go too, monsieur.’