I disembarked with a light heart, and, guided by Gabriel, climbed the steep ascent to the Haute Ville, at the head of which stood the Sarennes house, there to receive a welcome from Mme. de Sarennes and Angélique, for which none but a daughter and a sister might look.
[CHAPTER XX]
AT QUEBEC
When our first greetings were over, I asked eagerly for Lucy.
“She is not with us at the moment, my dear,” said Mme. de Sarennes; “but we look for news of her soon now.”
“Where is she?” I asked, dreading to discover the hand of M. de Sarennes in the matter.
“When you left with le père Jean, she was much distressed, for she had not the same reliance on his assurance of your safety as we, and at first insisted that you would never have willingly gone without her, but after a while she seemed to be content. I did not know, until Angélique told me later, that she was possessed with the idea of her son being in Quebec, or I might have persuaded her of its folly. But I knew nothing of it, and thought she was quite content to await your return, when we were astonished by her disappearance. She left a note behind, which, however, did not tell us anything beyond the word Quebec, as it was, of course, in English. Angélique, fetch the note; it is in my red box. We had search made for her as soon as possible, and heard of her along the road as far as Beaumont, but there all trace was lost. Here is the note, my dear,” she said, as Angélique entered.
The poor little letter was not addressed, and was written in a trembling hand.
“I am going to Quebec to find my son” [I read]. “M. de Sarennes tells me he is there, and I need not stay from him now my mistress is gone. I am thankful to every one who was kind to me, and I will pray for each one every night. LUCY.”
“It is as I thought,” said Mme. de Sarennes. “Poor soul, I am more distressed at the thought of her unrest than for her safety, for our people are very good, particularly to any one they see is not of strong mind. She had some money, Angélique tells me. I have sent her description to the different convents, where they are likely to know of any one in want; and in a small place like this it will not be long before we hear of her.”