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served my wife. I am not asking you to be disloyal to the lady, but to extend the devotion you have shown since his birth to my son. For that, I am prepared, as I have said, to improve your fees and maintain your conditions of service. If you wish anything more, you must tell me.’
    ‘Thank you,’ had said Mistress Clémence, in the bold way that Pasque would have called cheeky. ‘A little clarification, perhaps? We are still, so far as I know, in the dame de Fleury’s employment. When the child returns to her care, she may well accuse us of breaking a contract.’
    ‘The child will not return to her care,’ said M. de Fleury. Pasque shuffled.
    ‘I see,’ said Mistress Clémence. ‘Then, monseigneur, I have to ask you what prospect we have for the future, with a broken contract behind us? What are your plans for the boy?’
    ‘To rear him myself, with your help,’ said M. de Fleury. He paused. He added, ‘It is even possible that the lady my wife may join us one day. Should that occur, I am sure she would feel nothing but gratitude for your continuing care of her son.’
    Mistress Clémence said nothing. Sometimes her silences maddened Pasque. M. de Fleury waited and then produced a curious smile. Two dents appeared in his cheeks. Pasque stared at them.
    He said, ‘I am buying your commitment to Jordan de Fleury, not to me, Mistress Clémence. Be his friend, and when the day comes to part, I shall see that you both lack for nothing. I shall write it into your contract, if you wish.’
    Be his friend . Pasque grinned to herself, even as Mistress Clémence narrowed her gaze. Mistress Clémence said, ‘I am a nurse. I train a child in my own way. The dame de Fleury has been pleased to support both me and my methods. I should expect the same freedom at least.’
    ‘You would have it,’ he said. The two dimples had gone.
    Then Mistress Clémence glanced round for Pasque’s nod, and said in her firm voice, ‘In that case, monseigneur, we agree.’ And just asshe spoke, they both heard a high voice outside: a child’s voice; the voice of a child calling their names.
    Upon that, M. de Fleury had opened the door, and there stood Jordan de Fleury, thumb in mouth, his upturned eyes swimming about like two fish-floats until he saw his own Clemme and Paque . The thumb trailed down at once over the sopping wet chin, and there were the two shining front teeth and the dimples, growing deeper and deeper just like the father’s. And now there was no doubt about it. Here was a man and his son, and whatever was to come, Pasque and Mistress Clémence were contracted to serve them.
    Although she had exacted the best terms she could, the decision, for Clémence de Coulanges, had been unavoidable. She owed it to the child she had reared for two years, and who still required her protection.
    Against what, she was not as yet certain. Her view of the Lady differed slightly from Pasque’s. Every nurse knew what reliance to place on the claims of quarrelling parents. Consistently the mother had hidden the child – perhaps from fear; perhaps because of threats from the father. Or perhaps from nothing but shame, because the boy had been conceived far too soon.
    Naturally, as the child grew, its precise age was no longer apparent. Yet it had remained out of sight, however far off its father might be. And this frightened lady had abandoned her son for four months, for six months at a time.
    Mistress Clémence did not believe in according blame lightly. She could judge the depths of anguish to which M. de Fleury had now subjected his lady. She saw that there was some sort of battle engaged between husband and wife. It was for her, with Pasque’s help, to ensure that the child came to no harm from it all.
    She did not realise, at the start, that M. de Fleury intended to keep them at sea for five weeks. Fortunately, she was impervious to the motion of vessels, nor could she complain of her quarters or treatment. A meeting was called, at