“Yes, but that doesn’t help the present parting.”
“But think what pleasure we shall have in looking forward to seeing them again. Some day we shall be going over to my old home and there you will find Miss Lowndes transformed into a new aunt. That should make you very happy, as it does me.”
“Yes, I shall like that.” Lucie brightened a little, though she said rather mournfully, “I’m afraid I shall appear very ignorant to those relatives over there. Miss Lowndes knows such a lot about everything.”
“Well, dear, we know your education has been neglected of late, but we shall find a good school for you. Those four years your father spoke of, they will have to be made up, though we shall not be satisfied to send you too far from us after this long separation.”
“But why at all? Cannot we find a teacher here?”
“We shall see; we shall see. The main thing is to make up for lost time. There are many girls like you who will be wanting to begin their studies where they left off four years ago, and the opportunities will come. It is wonderful what has been done already for the children orphaned or stranded.”
Lucie did not reply to this, but presently she said: “I suppose the time is coming when I must give back Pom Pom, that hurts dreadfully, and there is Odette going to marry.”
“But you are delighted at that. You wouldn’t alter that fact, I am sure.”
“No, no. And Annette—”
“But Annette is no new grievance; that has become quite an old story, hasn’t it?”