"Don't deny your art, Kate," he said.

"You are an artist first of all.

If you weren't you would not be a great artist. This could be your chance. Strike a blow for Art and Womanhood at the same time. Listen to me. I am going to accept this commission. We are going together to this chateau in Normandy. You are going to paint as you never did before. I can see it all so clearly. "

"There will have to be sittings .. and the sitter will know."

"That is not insurmountable. You will be there during the sittings.

You will watch. I will paint and you will do your miniature when the sitter is absent. You will have seen him and have mine to work from.

It is only the fine strokes which are beyond me. We'll work it, Kate.

Oh, this is going to be the most exciting adventure. "

"Show me the letter."

I held it in my hands. It was like a talisman, a passport to glory. I often wondered afterwards why we do not have premonitions in life. to warn us. to guide us. But no, the important moments in our life slip by with no special seeming significance. If only I had known then that this letter was going to change the whole course of my life, what should I have done?

"Shall you write?" I asked.

"Today," replied my father.

"Shouldn't you wait awhile ... consider ..."

"I have considered. Have you?"

"Yes, I have."

"It's going to work, Kate. We're going to make it work."

It was a long time since I had seen my father so happy. We were like two children preparing for the treat of our lives. We refused to see the difficulties. We preferred to live in our euphoric dream convincing ourselves that everything would work out as we had planned.

"If I saw you accepted as you should be," said my father, "I think I could become reconciled."

We talked to Clare. Did she feel capable of taking on the responsibilities of the household after such a short time?

She replied earnestly that she would do everything within her power to justify our trust in her.

"I feel I have good friends here," she said.

"They are so kind at the Manor and the vicarage, and I have the Camborne twins. Oh yes, I certainly do feel that I am among friends. I am sure that if there are any difficulties while you are away-which I don't really anticipate-1 shall have plenty of friends to help me out of them."

"We are not quite sure how long this commission will take to carry out. It depends so much on the subject. Then, when we have finished in Normandy we may have to go on to Paris."

"You can rest happy that all will be taken care of here," Clare assured us.

So in less than two weeks after my father had received the invitation he and I were setting out for the Chateau de Centeville in Normandy.

Within the Chateau -t^ sy