"Yes, Mademoiselle. Why not?"
All the white tones of her skin flushed to rose, and crept even among the tendrils of her hair and over her small ears. Had he ever remarked how perfect they were before?
"Ma fille," he responded softly. "And you will be content until better times."
"So long as I do not have to marry, yes."
"That is a good fille. I shall see you now and then. You will like M. Hébert. He has plenty of books, and it will be a good practice to read up French."
She nodded.
He took a second thought.
"You may as well go now, and I will see that all is fair sailing. Noko, thanks for keeping Rose of Quebec where neither wolves nor marauders could get at her."
They walked quietly along, she with her agile step, that gave graceful turns to her figure. She was hardly a woman, and yet more than a child. But she kept the sweet simplicity of the latter.
Madame Hébert gave her a pleasant welcome. Thérèse glanced up from her lace work and nodded, hoping in a formal and quite ungirlish manner that she would be happy with them. Rose sat down beside her, and looked at the lace. There were pins stuck in a cushion and Thérèse threw her thread over this one and that one. How queer it looked.