The Child Left Behind. Anne Bennett

we should be grateful to him and men like him because he is fighting for France,’ Gabrielle said, lifting her chin in the air. ‘I’m proud of what he is doing.’

      ‘You can take that haughty look off your face before I take it off for you,’ Bernadette said sharply. ‘You have nothing to be so high and mighty about, and the idea that he and his kind are fighting for France is nonsense. They are fighting for themselves. But that is neither here nor there. He has got you in the family way and he must be made to marry you.’

      ‘We wanted to marry,’ Gabrielle said. ‘I said I would wait for him, but he might not be at St-Omer now.’

      ‘Why not?’

      ‘Because they were awaiting orders for moving out when I came to Paris.’

      ‘Well, if they are gone someone will know where. He will have to be found and made to do his duty,’ Bernadette said. ‘We must make plans to return as soon as possible. Raoul will go to find out when the next train is and we must send a telegram to your parents so that they will expect us.’

      A shudder went right through Gabrielle’s body and she said to her aunt, ‘I’m afraid of facing Papa.’

      ‘I’m not surprised,’ Bernadette said. ‘You have done your best to shame him—shame the whole family, in fact—but you should have thought of that sooner.’ As she got up she looked at Gabrielle disparagingly. ‘I will tell my maid that there is sickness in the family and you are needed at home, and send her in to help you pack. And we won’t bother taking any of the fancy gowns I bought for you. You will hardly fit into them for much longer anyway.’

      They travelled to St-Omer that same day and arrived in the evening. The Joberts had already eaten, but when Mariette offered to make them a meal, Bernadette shook her head.

      ‘We had something before we left and I have news that cannot wait,’ she said.