“How is it possible,” said Dollard, carefully modulating his voice, “that I see you here, Mademoiselle Laval!”
“The Sieur des Ormeaux takes me for a king’s girl! How is it possible I see you here, monsieur?”
“I came to keep my man in countenance, while he picked himself a wife. This instant is a drop from Paradise!”
“Monsieur is easily satisfied if he can call such surroundings a paradise,” said Claire, smiling at the grim hall.
“Mademoiselle, when did you come from France?”
“Yesterday we arrived, Sieur des Ormeaux.”
“Then you came in the king’s ship?”
“Without a doubt.”
“This is wonderful! I thought you three thousand miles away from me.”
“Did you honor me with a thought at the other extremity of that distance?” she asked carelessly, pushing towards the fire with the point of her foot a bit of bark which its own steam had burst off a log.