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Authors: Philippa Carr
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not there, of course, but I heard about it immediately.
She was taken to her room and the doctor was sent for.
I was worried about her. I knew she was not herself. I was beginning to think that it must be more than the melancholy over a lost lover.
The doctor was closeted with Madame Rochère for some time after he had seen Annabelinda. I went along to her room, but was stopped by Mademoiselle Artois as I was about to enter it.
“Where are you going, Lucinda?” she asked.
“To see Annabelinda. I have heard that the doctor has been to see her.”
“Annabelinda is not to be disturbed.”
“I shan’t disturb her. She is really like my sister. We have been together a great deal…always.”
“That may be, but Annabelinda is not to be disturbed. Now, go to your class.” She looked at her watch. “Or you will be late,” she added.
I could not concentrate on anything. She was ill. I wanted to be with her. However much we sparred, she was still a part of me…like my parents…and Aunt Celeste. I could not bear to be shut out.
For two days she remained in her room and I was not allowed to visit her. I began to think she was suffering from some infectious disease.
Then Jean Pascal Bourdon arrived at the school with the Princesse . He was taken straight to Madame Rochère and stayed with her for a long time.
During the day I was sent for by Madame Rochère.
“The Princesse and Monsieur Bourdon are here,” she told me—as if I did not know. “They would like to speak to you. They are waiting for you in my sitting room. You may go along to them now.”
I wondered what this could mean, and I hurried along.
The Princesse kissed me on both cheeks. Jean Pascal was standing a few paces behind her; then he came forward and, taking both my hands in his, kissed me as the Princesse had and smiled at me tenderly.
“My dear Lucinda,” he said. “I can see that you are anxious about Annabelinda. The poor child is quite ill. We are going to take her back with us to Bourdon. We shall look after her there, and we hope that in a few months she will be her old self.”
“Months!” I said.
“Oh, yes, my dear,” put in the Princesse . “It will be several months.”
Jean Pascal went on. “I am telling her parents that she will need special care, which naturally she cannot get at school. After all, it is a school, not a hospital. I am asking my daughter and her husband to come over to Bourdon, where we shall be. So they will soon be there, I hope. You will miss Annabelinda, I know. But you have settled in now, have you not?”
I murmured that I had. I felt bewildered. I could not believe that Annabelinda was so ill that she had to leave school for several months.
He was watching me covertly. He said suddenly, “Has Annabelinda talked to you?”
“Well…she did a little.”
“About…how she was feeling?”
“Oh, er…yes. We did talk in London before we left. She was upset about…er…”
“About…er…?”
“About a friend of hers.”
“She told you that, did she?”
“Yes.”
“This friend of hers?”
“He came here as a gardener.”
“I see,” said Jean Pascal abruptly. “Well, she is ill, you know, and she will need some time to recover.”
“Is she coming back to school?”
“I daresay she will when she is well. I wouldn’t say anything about this gardener, if I were you.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t. I thought Annabelinda didn’t want me to.”
“I am sure she wouldn’t. She just spoke to him in the gardens, of course.”
“Oh,” I began, and stopped abruptly. Jean Pascal gave me an intent look; then he was smiling.
“I hope you will come to the château sometime,” he said. “Perhaps before you go home for the summer holiday. That’s a good time of year…when the grapes are nearly ripe, you know.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“We are leaving today and taking Annabelinda with us. I hope you won’t be lonely without her.”
“I have Caroline, Helga and Yvonne and
She was taken to her room and the doctor was sent for.
I was worried about her. I knew she was not herself. I was beginning to think that it must be more than the melancholy over a lost lover.
The doctor was closeted with Madame Rochère for some time after he had seen Annabelinda. I went along to her room, but was stopped by Mademoiselle Artois as I was about to enter it.
“Where are you going, Lucinda?” she asked.
“To see Annabelinda. I have heard that the doctor has been to see her.”
“Annabelinda is not to be disturbed.”
“I shan’t disturb her. She is really like my sister. We have been together a great deal…always.”
“That may be, but Annabelinda is not to be disturbed. Now, go to your class.” She looked at her watch. “Or you will be late,” she added.
I could not concentrate on anything. She was ill. I wanted to be with her. However much we sparred, she was still a part of me…like my parents…and Aunt Celeste. I could not bear to be shut out.
For two days she remained in her room and I was not allowed to visit her. I began to think she was suffering from some infectious disease.
Then Jean Pascal Bourdon arrived at the school with the Princesse . He was taken straight to Madame Rochère and stayed with her for a long time.
During the day I was sent for by Madame Rochère.
“The Princesse and Monsieur Bourdon are here,” she told me—as if I did not know. “They would like to speak to you. They are waiting for you in my sitting room. You may go along to them now.”
I wondered what this could mean, and I hurried along.
The Princesse kissed me on both cheeks. Jean Pascal was standing a few paces behind her; then he came forward and, taking both my hands in his, kissed me as the Princesse had and smiled at me tenderly.
“My dear Lucinda,” he said. “I can see that you are anxious about Annabelinda. The poor child is quite ill. We are going to take her back with us to Bourdon. We shall look after her there, and we hope that in a few months she will be her old self.”
“Months!” I said.
“Oh, yes, my dear,” put in the Princesse . “It will be several months.”
Jean Pascal went on. “I am telling her parents that she will need special care, which naturally she cannot get at school. After all, it is a school, not a hospital. I am asking my daughter and her husband to come over to Bourdon, where we shall be. So they will soon be there, I hope. You will miss Annabelinda, I know. But you have settled in now, have you not?”
I murmured that I had. I felt bewildered. I could not believe that Annabelinda was so ill that she had to leave school for several months.
He was watching me covertly. He said suddenly, “Has Annabelinda talked to you?”
“Well…she did a little.”
“About…how she was feeling?”
“Oh, er…yes. We did talk in London before we left. She was upset about…er…”
“About…er…?”
“About a friend of hers.”
“She told you that, did she?”
“Yes.”
“This friend of hers?”
“He came here as a gardener.”
“I see,” said Jean Pascal abruptly. “Well, she is ill, you know, and she will need some time to recover.”
“Is she coming back to school?”
“I daresay she will when she is well. I wouldn’t say anything about this gardener, if I were you.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t. I thought Annabelinda didn’t want me to.”
“I am sure she wouldn’t. She just spoke to him in the gardens, of course.”
“Oh,” I began, and stopped abruptly. Jean Pascal gave me an intent look; then he was smiling.
“I hope you will come to the château sometime,” he said. “Perhaps before you go home for the summer holiday. That’s a good time of year…when the grapes are nearly ripe, you know.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“We are leaving today and taking Annabelinda with us. I hope you won’t be lonely without her.”
“I have Caroline, Helga and Yvonne and
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