Serena took the newspaper cutting. "'Parlezvous franchise?"' she read the heading. `Well, you can certainly do that, Kate!

A bilingual PA is required for dynamic director of this successful company. Fluent French required, plus excellent secretarial skills, preferably with director-level experience. Must be confident, super-efficient and free to travel.

`Kate, it sounds perfect!' Her eye fell on the salary quoted at the bottom of the advertisement and she whistled. `I wouldn't mind pay like that!'

'I know.' Kate took the cutting back and they walked slowly down the platform. `It sounds a bit too good to be true, doesn't it? But I need to get something soon. If I'd realised how difficult it would be to get a good job here I don't think I'd have given up my job in Dijon quite so quickly!'

'You're not regretting coming back to England, are you?'

`No.' Kate shook her head. `I'd been in that job four years. It was time to move on. Solange coming to school in England gave me the impetus to make the break.'

`I do think it's a bit of cheek for Veronique and Alain to go swanning off to the Ivory Coast and expect you to look after their daughter for them,' Serena said, indignant on Kate's behalf.

`They'd have had to send Solange to boarding school anyway,' Kate said mildly. 'Veronique always had this thing about making sure Solange is bilingual by sending her to school in England for a year, just as she had to do. It just seems a convenient time when Alain's job takes him to Africa for a year.'

`Convenient for them that you're prepared to give up your job to be near her,' Serena commented tartly.

`Oh, Solange is just an excuse, really. I could hardly tell my mother that I can't stand her new husband, could I? It was all getting rather uncomfortable with Thierry and me being extra polite to each other, and poor Maman stuck in between.