Time for Silence

“We’re going to need all the men we can get,” said Marcus, and then the talk turned to the war.

After dinner, when we had all retired to the drawing room, Marcus was beside me once more.

He asked about Annabelinda. I told him she was in Hampshire with her family and, as he had joined the army, I had not seen her brother since my return to England.

“He’s training on Salisbury Plain,” I added.

“It must be the Royal Field Artillery.”

“Yes, it is. I expect he’ll come and see us as soon as he can.”

“He’s a favorite of yours, is he?”

“Oh, yes. He’s one of the nicest people I know.”

He nodded. “I did not expect to see Miss Carruthers here tonight.”

“She is going to teach me. My parents think I need a governess for a while.”

“Yes, of course. You are very young.” He grinned at me. “Don’t be downcast on that account. It is something which will quickly be rectified, you know.”

“I suppose you will be going away soon?”

“At any moment, by the look of things.”

“I heard the Germans were close to Mons. How close…do you know?”

“Only that it is too close.”

“It’s hateful. I can’t stop thinking of Madame Rochère. What will she do? She will be so haughty and unrelenting.”

“I daresay she will have to submit to the conquerors. She would have been wise to get away.”

“I can’t believe she will ever leave La Pinière of her own free will. Just imagine how it must be for her! Losing her home.”

“Still, better than losing one’s life.”

I was somber and he put a hand over mine. “Don’t be sad, Miss Lucinda. I hate to see you sad.”

“It’s a sad time for so many.”

“Nothing is entirely bad, you know. There is always some little bit of good lurking among the troubles. Just think! But for all this, we should never have met.”

I smiled at him and he went on. “I hope you will think of this meeting as one of the good things in all this.”

“My mother has told you many times how grateful we all are to you, so I won’t repeat it. But I mean it just the same.”

“You overrate what I did. Never mind. I like it. I shall take the first opportunity of coming to see you again.”

“Oh…shall you?”

“It is what I shall look forward to most.”

“What of your family?”

“Ask me what you want to know.”

“Where do they live? Have you a big family? Have you a wife?”

“Sussex. Parents, brother and sister. Not yet.”

I laughed. “You’re very laconic.”

“You asked for answers and you got them.”

“Why did you say ‘not yet’ about being married? It sounds as though you might soon.”

“I shall have to wait until I find the perfect woman…and then would she have me?”

“I feel sure she would.”

“Nothing is sure in this life, but it is nice of you to say so. I fear the perfect woman would look for a perfect man.”

“When people are in love, the ones they love seem perfect in their eyes.”

“How comforting. But the imperfections come to light later. Perhaps after all, perfection is a sort of compromise.”

“Are you a little cynical?”

“Me? Never for a moment. I am a romantic. An optimist. Probably a very unwise man.”

“Well, I hope you find the perfect woman.”

“I shall. Even if I have to wait until she grows up a little.”

He was looking at me, smiling, lifting his eyebrows a little in a quizzical way. I was disconcerted but happy.

Andrée was coming toward us.

“Major Merrivale,” she said. “I have heard the Germans are advancing across Belgium and that they are almost at the borders of France. Is it true?”

“It is not wise to listen to rumors, Mademoiselle Latour. But I fear the advance is rapid.”

“Shall you be going overseas again soon?”

“In a few days, I expect.”

“How I wish it were all over!”

“You can be sure we are all with you in that.”

Miss Carruthers joined us.

“It has been such a pleasure to see you, Major Merrivale,” she said. “I shall never forget how you looked after us.”

“Like the good shepherd,” added Andrée.

“Don’t say that,” I protested with a laugh. “It makes us all sound like sheep. I always think that ‘shepherd’ in that respect is not a very good analogy. After all, the shepherd looks after the sheep to prepare them for the slaughter house.”

“Some die of old age,” said Miss Carruthers.

“But even they are kept just for their wool.”

“What about the Pied Piper?” suggested Miss Carruthers, with a rare look of roguishness.

“Well, he led the children into the mountainside, didn’t he?” I said.

“Ladies,” said Marcus. “I am no shepherd and no piper…just an ordinary fellow who was overjoyed to be of service to you. What I did was something anyone could have done.”

“Well, I think you were very resourceful in a difficult situation,” declared Miss Carruthers. “It was an experience I shall never forget and will always be grateful for.”

My mother joined us with Aunt Hester and the conversation became general.