I laughed and said, “But I don’t think you can.”
“Please ask me to tea anyway and please Madame de Joigny don’t laugh at me. Love at first sight is sometimes true love, you know.”
I asked him to tea, and he put us into our car.
Jinny wrapped in grey furs, her face flushed palest pink, her eyes shining, snuggled up to me and took my hand.
“What a nice lunch party, Mummy.”
“Did you enjoy it, darling?”
“Yes. I talked to the American with red hair. He has a face like a sky terrier—he was very amusing.” Then with a little sigh, “Darling Mummy, I do love you so.”
When Sam came to tea—he had seen Jinny twice in the meantime—he wasted no time.
“I do seriously and truly want to marry your daughter, Madame de Joigny.”
“But you can’t, she’s a Roman Catholic.”