every other minute she must fling her arms round my neck to make sure.

Then up she jumped and set food before me, in quantity equal almost to the
time I had been away, as though she feared I had eaten nothing since I left
home. And I had an appetite that almost justified her, for the night had
been a wasteful one.

And while I ate, I told her briefly where I had been, and what had kept me
so long, and touched but lightly on the matter of Torode, for I saw that
was not what she would care to hear.

"And Carette?" I asked. "I know she is well, for Aunt Jeanne told me so;"
and she looked up quickly, and I hastened to add,--"We had to pass
Beaumanoir, and I left Helier Le Marchant there. I only stopped long enough
to ask if you were all right--and Carette." If I had told her I had kissed
Aunt Jeanne before herself, I really believe she would have felt hurt,
though I had never thought of it so when I did it.

But her nature was too sweet, and her heart too full of gratitude, to allow
long harbourage to any such thoughts.

"Carette," she said with a smile, "has been much with me. But"--and her
face saddened--"you do not know what has befallen them."

"Helier feared they were wiped out."

"Almost. Monsieur Le Marchant and Martin, the eldest boy, got home sorely
wounded. They are still there on Brecqhou, and Carette is nursing them back
to life. But I think"--and there was a touch of pride in her pleasure at
it--"she has been here every time she has come across to see Jeanne Falla.