Commandant Fleurier and Anne, Judge LeBec and Vivienne, together with a number of military personnel. At the conclusion of the ceremony, six officers in full dress uniform formed a guard of honour as Satine and Germond walked under their two lines of crossed swords. An afternoon tea was provided in the private garden of the commandantâs house. Adjoining it was a small, well-furnished cottage where Satine and Germond would stay until their ship left for Tahiti two days later.
Before the wedding, Clotilde was invited to visit Satine in her room. They enjoyed a long final visit together and shared many memories of their lives, from their days at Mater Dei until the present.
âCome and look at my wedding gown,â Satine called out as she led Clotilde to her adjoining small sitting room. âYou are the first to see it.â Draped over a chair was an exquisite dress and veil.
âOh, Satine, itâs absolutely beautiful,â Clotilde remarked. âWhere did you find all that white satin and the long lace veil? I thought you would be wearing the gown and veil from your trousseau?â
âAnne wanted me to look more stylish since so many of the guests were connected to the commandantâs military personnel. I didnât feel that I could disagree with her as she has shown me such kindness. As you may have guessed, Madame LeBlanc designed and made the dress. This is my wedding present from Anne and the Commandant.â
âHow kind of them both, Satine. They must think so highly of you. But what will become of Empress Eugenieâs dress and veil?â asked Clotilde.
âAh, one of the maids in Anneâs household has requested leave to marry. She didnât have a suitable wedding dress and veil so I offered my ensemble from the trousseau to her. It fitted her perfectly and she looked lovely in the outfit. Annette was beside herself with joy. I did find a way to make another happy with the gift from the empress, so all has ended well.â
Satine would always be her dearly-loved friend, but of late she had also become a very grand lady, thought Clotilde. I only hope she and Germond will find happiness together in Tahiti. Days later as their ship sailed away from Noumea, Clotilde watched from the shore until it was only a speck on the horizon.
On returning to her cottage, she discovered a note from Vivienne, asking if she could speak with her on Friday afternoon. Perhaps there is something she wants me to prepare the children for. We have already planned our final Christmas presentation for the parents of the school children, so it must be an important event she wants to discuss with me. On Friday, Vivienne appeared and asked Clotilde to sit with her in the empty school room.
âYou may have noticed that there are many ships arriving with new settlers. Noumea is going to become a large village next year, instead of a small settlement. As more children arrive we will need places in the school for them. Already you have squeezed a child into every possible space in your classroom and next year I will have four more children for you to teach.â
âVivienne, I donât know where Iâll be able to put them. We are already so crowded. Is there a chance that the little ones can receive special teaching from another place?â
âWe will try to accommodate this as you should now be teaching only 8 to 12 year old pupils, before they leave to continue their education in France. When you open the school next January in 1868, I have been asked to tell you that this will be the final year the Government School will be operating. Already there is a large School of Saint Joan being planned and a group of teaching nuns from Paris will be sailing here next year to staff the school. The building of the new school will commence in March.â
âI am not surprised as Noumea needs many new services. Already the settlement has accepted a hundred new settlers and homes must
Before the wedding, Clotilde was invited to visit Satine in her room. They enjoyed a long final visit together and shared many memories of their lives, from their days at Mater Dei until the present.
âCome and look at my wedding gown,â Satine called out as she led Clotilde to her adjoining small sitting room. âYou are the first to see it.â Draped over a chair was an exquisite dress and veil.
âOh, Satine, itâs absolutely beautiful,â Clotilde remarked. âWhere did you find all that white satin and the long lace veil? I thought you would be wearing the gown and veil from your trousseau?â
âAnne wanted me to look more stylish since so many of the guests were connected to the commandantâs military personnel. I didnât feel that I could disagree with her as she has shown me such kindness. As you may have guessed, Madame LeBlanc designed and made the dress. This is my wedding present from Anne and the Commandant.â
âHow kind of them both, Satine. They must think so highly of you. But what will become of Empress Eugenieâs dress and veil?â asked Clotilde.
âAh, one of the maids in Anneâs household has requested leave to marry. She didnât have a suitable wedding dress and veil so I offered my ensemble from the trousseau to her. It fitted her perfectly and she looked lovely in the outfit. Annette was beside herself with joy. I did find a way to make another happy with the gift from the empress, so all has ended well.â
Satine would always be her dearly-loved friend, but of late she had also become a very grand lady, thought Clotilde. I only hope she and Germond will find happiness together in Tahiti. Days later as their ship sailed away from Noumea, Clotilde watched from the shore until it was only a speck on the horizon.
On returning to her cottage, she discovered a note from Vivienne, asking if she could speak with her on Friday afternoon. Perhaps there is something she wants me to prepare the children for. We have already planned our final Christmas presentation for the parents of the school children, so it must be an important event she wants to discuss with me. On Friday, Vivienne appeared and asked Clotilde to sit with her in the empty school room.
âYou may have noticed that there are many ships arriving with new settlers. Noumea is going to become a large village next year, instead of a small settlement. As more children arrive we will need places in the school for them. Already you have squeezed a child into every possible space in your classroom and next year I will have four more children for you to teach.â
âVivienne, I donât know where Iâll be able to put them. We are already so crowded. Is there a chance that the little ones can receive special teaching from another place?â
âWe will try to accommodate this as you should now be teaching only 8 to 12 year old pupils, before they leave to continue their education in France. When you open the school next January in 1868, I have been asked to tell you that this will be the final year the Government School will be operating. Already there is a large School of Saint Joan being planned and a group of teaching nuns from Paris will be sailing here next year to staff the school. The building of the new school will commence in March.â
âI am not surprised as Noumea needs many new services. Already the settlement has accepted a hundred new settlers and homes must
Similar Books
