‘This is afterwards,’ said Rosalie. ‘I’m telling you now.’ She fixed her eyes on Hélène’s face and added, ‘Who did tell you, anyway?’

‘Annette.’

‘Annette?’ echoed Rosalie. ‘When? I mean, how could she have?’

‘I went to see her,’ answered Hélène. ‘I wanted to see the baby.’

‘You went to see her? In the village? How did you…? I mean, where did you…?’

‘Everyone in the village knows where Madame Leclerc lives,’ Hélène said truculently. ‘She isn’t hard to find. You said that was where Annette had gone, so I went to see her.’

Rosalie could hardly believe what she was hearing. ‘You just went there and knocked on the door?’

‘Of course,’ said Hélène. ‘Madame Leclerc was very pleased to see me. She said Annette was feeling very low and needed to see a friendly face. I went up to her room. She was still in bed, just lying there. She hardly knew I was there. Madame Leclerc says she’s been like that ever since she realised Léon was dead. She’s afraid that Annette will die too.’

‘Léon?’

‘The baby, Maman. The baby was called Léon.’

‘Hmm.’ Rosalie couldn’t see the point of giving a name to a stillborn baby. She certainly had not done so to the one she’d lost between her second son, Marcel, and Clarice. She had mourned him privately but had never mentioned him again. ‘Well, you should have asked me if you might go and see her,’ Rosalie said, ‘instead of just taking yourself off without a word to anyone.’

‘You’d have said no,’ Hélène answered.

‘And I shall say no again,’ said her mother.

‘Well, I shall visit her again.’ Hélène spoke without emphasis, simply stating a fact. ‘I promised her I would.’

‘But Hélène, darling, it’s not fitting for you to go into the village entirely on your own, without a maid or someone to attend you. I don’t know what your father would say.’

‘I’m sure Madame Sauze will be going,’ replied Hélène. ‘I shall go with her. Or Pierre can drive me in the chaise, that would be perfectly proper.’

Her mother sighed. ‘You can be very obstinate at times,’ she said.

For the first time there was the trace of a smile on Hélène’s face and she said, ‘I think I take after Papa.’

‘Hélène!’ exclaimed her mother. ‘You should not say such things!’

But it was true, Rosalie acknowledged to herself when she thought back on the conversation later that evening. Emile had a very stubborn streak.

In an effort to change the subject, Rosalie said, ‘Georges and Sylvie have to return to Versailles in a few days’ time. I thought perhaps we might have a small farewell dinner for them before they go. Just the family and a few good friends.’ She looked enquiringly at Hélène, hoping to give her thoughts a more cheerful turn. ‘What about Simon Barnier? Shall I ask him? He would like to be included, don’t you think? And Lucie, if her parents will allow? And what about Lucas’s English friend, Monsieur Chalfont? He seems a charming young man; I know Georges thinks well of him. We could ask him too, as he’s alone in the area.’