Noelle was tremendously excited to be returning at last to Paris, her birthplace, for the first time since her childhood. Although she would be working there and not enjoying a holiday like most English people, she was determined to get the utmost out of her stay.

At first sight her job as nanny to the children of an English diplomat would not seem to offer much scope for any social whirl, and indeed she got off to rather a bad start and a cold reception from her employer, Lady Tregan. Almost the only person to show her any friendliness was Mark Fielding, a friend of the Tregans.

Then things cheered up when she met Alain de Bressac, a charming Frenchman much attracted to her, but Mark Fielding soon took it upon himself to warn her off Alain. But if Noelle gave Alain up, was there any guarantee that Mark would then take an interest in her?