''Yes, and her husband."

"Ursule had the courage your father lacked at the time. He broke away afterwards but he should have done so in time to live happily ever afterwards with Marie Louise. Just imagine if he had! You and I might have known each other long ere this. Ursule certainly had courage. My father helped her and Louis Sagon. He gave Sagon work restoring his pictures and they had a house which my father said went with the job. He did it all to spite old Alphonse. They are a tragic family and it can all be traced back to that old man. Then there was the matter of He-loise. That is not so long ago. She was Rene's daughter. He had two daughters-Heloise and Adele. He also has a son Patrice. Patrice is like his father, obeying the old man without question. Patrice is the heir to the St. Allengere properties . . . after Rene, of course. They have worked hard for it, which means never offending the tyrant and absolute obedience to his commands. Perhaps they think it worth it."

"Tell me of Heloise."

"She was so pretty ... a gentle girl. She drowned herself in the river. It is quite shallow so there was no question of an accident. She just gave up. It was said that she was betrayed by a lover. It was a great blow to Rene. He doted on her. She meant more to him than Adele. There was nothing gende about her. She was close to her sister . . . had always protected her. Mon Dieu, one would need protection in that household. She went away to Italy. She was very interested in the silk production. They said that although she was a girl she played a big part in the business so she went away to study Italian methods. It was while she was away that this happened to Heloise."

"And Heloise's lover?"

"There is a bit of a mystery about him. Heloise would not name him. If she had, Adele would have tried to kill him. She is a passionate woman and when her sister died she was almost mad with grief."

"And so the lover was never discovered? Surely in a place like this it would be difficult for him to hide his identity?"

He was silent and the thought occurred to me suddenly: You were the man!

I felt bemused. He was dangerous, but he was fascinating. I knew his reputation and still I was attracted to him. I thought I must go. I should be warned. He was looking at me penetratingly as though he were trying to discover what was in my mind.

I said: "It is getting late."

"The time has flown. Time is so perverse. It flies when one wishes it to stay and slows down when one is longing for it to go. This has been a wonderful evening for me."

"It has been interesting, but I must find Katie. It is long past her bedtime."

I stood up and he stood beside me. He took my hands and drew me towards him. He was standing very close. I was not short but he was some six inches taller and I had to look up to him. I was very eager to let him know that I was unmoved by his proximity.

"It has been such a pleasant evening," I said coolly. "Thank you so much."

''It is I who should thank you.'' I thought in that moment that he was going to kiss me and I felt alarmed, particularly as I realized that it was not so much of him that I was afraid, but of myself.

Impatiently I tried to shake off the effect he was having on me. I knew him for a practised philanderer. Why had I allowed myself to be attracted by him? Why was I hoping that he would kiss me and declare his passion? Perhaps I had been alone too long. Perhaps I wanted a normal married life. I had tasted that . . . and it had been taken from me. I had thought of Drake . . . but not quite like this.

He drew me to him suddenly and kissed me lightly on the forehead. I withdrew my hands and tried not to show surprise or emotion. I pretended to understand that this was a French custom for hosts to kiss their lady guests chastely on the brow.

I said rather briskly: "Now, I must find my daughter."

He took my arm, holding it lightly as he led me towards the revellers.

Katie was there with Raoul and Monsieur Grenier.

"Isn't it wonderful?" she cried when she saw us. "It's the best vendange I have ever seen."

It was clear that she had made friends with Raoul and that he was delighted by her companionship. Poor boy, I thought, no doubt he does not have a very good time with such a father. I expected that he had always to remember the duties which would be his one day. He would have to be skilled in all the manly pastimes; he would have his tutor to please. Katie's attitude to life must be a revelation to him.

Katie was over-excited. I thought: It is indeed time we left.

The Comte sent for the carriage. He himself would escort us back and Raoul should accompany us. I sat next to Katie and put my arm about her. She lay against me and I could see that her lids were forcing themselves down in spite of her efforts to remain awake. The jogging of the carriage would soon send her to sleep.

I was aware of the Comte's watchful eyes. Raoul sat rather stiffly beside his father. I imagined he was always thus in the Comte's company.

At length I said: "We're here."

Katie opened her eyes and was immediately wide awake remembering where she was.

"Raoul," she said, "may I come and see your falcon? You promised to show it to me. May I come to the chateau? I haven't seen it really."

The Comte spoke for his son. "Please come whenever you wish, Mademoiselle Katie. There will always be a welcome for you."

Katie smiled rapturously. "This is the happiest night of my life," she declared.

The Comte smiled at me triumphantly.

My father was clearly relieved by our arrival. He had rather obviously been waiting for us.

"Grandfather," cried Katie, "it was wonderful. You should have seen them dancing on the grapes. The purple juice splashed right up their legs . . . and they went down and down. ..."

"I am gratified indeed," said the Comte.

We said farewell and I listened to the carriage rumbling off into the night.

"I expect you are tired," said my father.

"Very."

"I'm not," said Katie.

"Then you should be," he told her. "You should have been in bed hours ago."

"It's midnight," said Katie. "It's the first time I've been up at midnight."

"Come on," I commanded. "You're half asleep."

And she was asleep almost before I could help her into bed, but as far as I was concerned sleep was elusive. It had been a memorable night and somehow significant. This worldly French nobleman was different from anyone I had ever known before.

Then I thought of Heloise who must have been led through ecstatic weeks . . . perhaps months . . . before she knew that she had placed her trust in a faithless lover.

I tried to remember his face when he had talked of Heloise. Could he have been the man? He would have been at hand. I knew I must be very careful.

The carriage came for Katie the next day. Madame Le Grand arrived with it. She assured me that my daughter would be well looked after. Monsieur le Comte had instructed her that she was to take care of her so mat I need have no qualms.

I said: "I am not sure whether I should allow her to go."

"Oh, Mama," protested Katie, "I want to go. I want to see Raoul. He's promised to show me the chateau and his falcon and dogs."

"I personally will see that no harm befalls your daughter, Madame," Madame Le Grand assured me.

I thanked her and I did not see how I could protest after that.

When she had gone my father came to me.

"This is so strange," he said. "Our families have never been on these terms."

"Isn't it rather foolish to keep up these old feuds?"

"My dear Lenore, the Comtes of Carsonne have kept up the feuds as firmly as any of us. It is this change of front that I do not like. It is since you came across him riding."

"There is this friendship between his son and Katie."

"Which he has contrived."

''But they are two children. It is good for them to be together. They liked each other at once. Poor boy, I don't suppose he has many companions of his own age."

"They are no doubt bringing him up to be like the rest of them-to think they are divine beings set there to rule over us all."

"That seems to be what he thinks of the St. Allengeres. Oh really, Father, these family feuds went out with Romeo and Juliet."

"I think we should return to Paris. I daresay they can do without us here. It is not fair to leave everything in the salon to the Countess. When the barrelling is done and everything is safely in the first cellar, I shall be ready to leave."

"When will mat be?"

''At the end of the week, I should think. We'll go back then.''

I agreed that we should.

In the late afternoon Katie was returned. She was full of the day's adventure.

"They have a keep, Mama. Do you know what a keep is?"

I said I did.

"We explored the chateau with Monsieur Grenier who told us a lot of history . . . but it was interesting because it was all about the chateau. Then he took us riding. They have an oubliette. Do you know what an oubliette is?" She did not wait for my reply, for she was eager to tell me. "It means forgotten. They used to push people down there . . . it's like a dark, dark cave. . . . There is only a hole in the floor above. . . . They are left down there ... to die . . . forgotten, you see."

"What a gruesome place it must be."

"Oh it is," said Katie delightedly. "Raoul has a falcon. He is going to teach me what has to be done. We went to the parapets. You can see right across to the mulberries and those buildings by the little river. St. Allengeres live there. It sounds a bit like us."

Halting the flow, I said: "Katie, we are leaving at the end of the week.''

"Oh no, Mama . . . just when I am having such a good time."

"All good times come to an end, Katie."

"They don't have to ... if you don't let them."

"We have to go, Katie."

"The end of the week," she said blankly; and was downcast for about five minutes.

The next day the carriage came to take her to the chateau again.

That day I went out riding myself. I thought: Two more days and I shall be away from here. I had expected it to be a memorable experience. I had thought so often of my birthplace where my mother had lived and died giving birth to me. But it had been complicated by the Comte. He had cut across my expectations and added something to the adventure.

I was not surprised that day to meet him. I had a fancy that he had lain in wait for me, certain that he would catch me some time.

He rode up to me on his big horse which he had been riding in the woods on the first day we met.

"Good day, Madame Sallonger," he said. "What a pleasure to find you."

"Thank you."

"I heard you are leaving soon."

"My daughter must have mentioned it."

"Raoul is desolate."

"Oh, he will find another playmate."

"How could he find another Katie? I, too, am desolate."

"You will soon forget we ever came here."

"That statement is completely false and you are aware of it."

"I think you flatter us both."

"I speak from the heart." I smiled lightly and he went on earnestly. "I feel we could be good friends ... if you would allow that. I have thought a great deal about you since we have met."

"I am honoured but it seems strange that I should have given you such food for thought."

"It is quite natural when you consider that you are different from anyone I have ever met.''

"Well, no one person is absolutely like another."

"Most of them arouse little interest in me."

"That is because you are self-absorbed."

"Do you really think that?"

"Perhaps I speak rashly. I know so little of you."

"I think you would find it interesting to discover more."

"What a pity I shall not be here to make those discoveries."

"You could stay, I suppose."

"I do have my business to attend to."