"I am alone."
"Your father?"
"Went away this morning: the calls of diplomacy are numerous, and frequently sudden, you know!"
"And Mademoiselle Berthe?"
Wilhelmine raised her beautiful bright eyes and met her fiancé's questioning glance.
"No news of her for several days. Berthe seems to have disappeared." Her tone was grave.
De Loubersac did not speak: mechanically he fitted his step to Wilhelmine's. Presently he asked:
"Where do you think of going?"
"I was going to do a little shopping ... nothing much ... there is no sort of hurry!"
She felt that Henri wished to discuss something important with her: hers was too direct a nature to put him off with flimsy excuses when he desired a serious talk.