Juliette made a face. “I shouldn’t have told you. Now when you come here you’ll be all misty-eyed and doleful instead of scared. It’s far more amusing to see you big-eyed and trembling.”
“I’m not frightened,” Catherine said indignantly, the tears vanishing. “And even if I were, it’s unkind of you to be so scornful. I don’t know why I took the time to come after you. I should have told Reverend Mother where you were so that you couldn’t hide and—”
Juliette’s gaze returned to the canvas. “She noticed I wasn’t at morning prayers?”
“Of course she noticed,” Catherine said crossly. “It was different when there were more students at the abbey. Since our number has dwindled to thirty-six, it’s obvious when one is missing matins or vespers or meals. Sister Mathilde always makes sure Reverend Mother knows when you’re not where you’re supposed to be.”
“She doesn’t like me.” Juliette paused, looking unseeingly at the painting of the abbey. “Thirty-six. There were forty-two last week. Soon everyone will be gone.”
Catherine nodded. “Cecile de Montard’s father came for her just after matins. Even now they are packing her bandboxes and loading her other things into the huge berlin drawn by four horses her fatherarrived in. Her family is leaving for Paris. She said they would go to Switzerland.”
Juliette didn’t look at her as she said in a low voice, “I’m surprised Jean Marc hasn’t sent someone for you. He must have received the Reverend Mother’s message telling him the National Assembly has closed the convents. Perhaps he has already sent for you. Marseilles is a great distance. Someone may come for you at any moment.”
Catherine frowned. Juliette was speaking very strangely. “Nonsense. Jean Marc probably intends for me to stay at the abbey for another year.”
“Things have changed. Everything has changed.” Juliette’s tone became suddenly fierce as she said, “I thought I’d taught you to rid yourself of that blind stupidity.”
“And I thought I’d taught you not to be rude to me.” Catherine held up her hand as Juliette started to protest. “And don’t tell me truthfulness isn’t rudeness. I’ve already heard it a score of times and I believe it no more now than I ever did.”
A reluctant smile touched Juliette’s lips. “Well, itisstupid of you not to realize we can’t go on forever here at the abbey.”
“Not forever. But I don’t see why we can’t stay another year. The nuns can no longer give us lessons, but I’m sure they’d let us remain here anyway. After all, I’m not of the nobility and there’s certainly no reason for me to flee the country.” Catherine glanced away from Juliette as she continued. “And you said your mother now has the protection of that wealthy merchant who can guarantee her safety in Paris. So she’ll surely not take you away either.”
“Undoubtedly, my mother has forgotten she has a daughter.”
“Oh, no.” Catherine’s eyes widened in distress. “I know she never sends for you, but perhaps it’s because she feels it wouldn’t be proper…under the circumstances.”
Juliette shook her head. “Stop looking as if you’reabout to weep. I don’t care. I’m glad she never makes me leave the abbey. I like it here.” She blew out the candle. “Let’s get out of here. How do you expect me to work when your knees knock so loudly the sound disturbs my concentration?”
“I am not afraid.” Catherine moved quickly toward the door, sighing with relief as she crossed the threshold into the sunlight. “But we’d better get back to the abbey. The Reverend Mother said she’d double your punishment if you failed to report by the time the midday bell tolls.”
“Not yet.” Juliette followed her from the crypt, closed the heavy door, and shot the bolt. She sat on the ground and leaned comfortably against the wall of the crypt. “Stay with me for a while.” She tilted her head back, closing her eyes and letting the sunlight bathe her face. “I need to garner my strength. Heaven knows how many miles of stones I’ll be set to scrub this time.”
“Perhaps Reverend Mother will let me help you.”
“Why should you want to help me?” Juliette’s eyes remained closed but she smiled. “I’m rude and sacrilegious and cause you no end of trouble.”
Juliette was obviously not going to be hurried, Catherine realized resignedly. She dropped down opposite her. “Perhaps you’ve not rid me of my stupidity after all.”
Juliette’s smile faded. “Why?”
“When I had that terrible cough last winter, why did you stay up night after night and nurse me?”
“That’s different.You’redifferent. Everybody wants to help you.”
“It’s not different. Why do you pretend to be so uncaring? When that poor peasant woman ran away from her husband and gave birth at the abbey you refused to leave her and cared for the babe yourself until she was well enough to leave the abbey.”
“I like babies.”
“And the mother? You spent almost a year teaching her to read so that she could find employment in Paris at a decent wage.”
“Well, I couldn’t let Yolande go back to her lazy lout of a husband. He would have beaten her to death within days and the baby would have starved. Then I quite probably would have stuck a pitchfork in her pig husband and the Reverend Mother would have been forced to send me away from the abbey.” Her eyes sparked with sudden mischief. “So you see I was just being selfish. Give it up, Catherine. I’ll never be the saint you are.”
Catherine felt her cheeks heat. She gazed at Juliette in bewilderment, unable to remember her ever being in such a mood as this. “I try to do what’s right. I’m not such a saint as you make me out to be.”
“Close enough.” Juliette wrinkled her nose. “But I forgive you, for you’re not at all boring.” She glanced away, her gaze fastening on the abbey looming in the distance. “I shall miss you.”
“I told you I was—”
