“You look ill, too, Mademoiselle Rose.”
“Never mind,” cried the baroness joyously, “you will revive them both.”
Raynal made no reply to that.
“How long do you stay this time, a day?”
“A month, mother.”
The doctor now joined the party, and friendly greetings passed between him and Raynal.
But ere long somehow all became conscious this was not a joyful meeting. The baroness could not alone sustain the spirits of the party, and soon even she began to notice that Raynal’s replies were short, and that his manner was distrait and gloomy. The sisters saw this too, and trembled for what might be coming.
At last Raynal said bluntly, “Josephine, I want to speak to you alone.”
The baroness gave the doctor a look, and made an excuse for going down-stairs to her own room. As she was going Josephine went to her and said calmly,—
“Mother, you have not kissed me to-day.”