Outside the door she made a face like a mischievous child who had just played a trick. Running rapidly across the long corridors, she mounted to the second storey, opened an ante-chamber which led to another room and knocked lightly. The Duke opened the door.
"You here, Jeanette! What is it?"
"My godfather," she said very low, "the young ladies are getting up now, and I think they are going to walk in the grove to the right of the Château."
"They are going … alone?"
"Certainly. No one else is awake, but they may be going to meet their lovers."
"Why did you come to tell me yourself, instead of sending my man?"
"Because he is a lazy fellow who would have taken an hour to dress and then would have told a lie and said I told him too late."
"Very well, run along now, and don't get caught."
So Jeanette sped quickly towards the kitchen to get the hot water in a great copper can, which she half emptied on the way to ease the weight.
As soon as they were dressed, Esperance and Genevieve made quick work of their chocolate, and started out. It was very still.