Chapter 4: A Note for Eloise

The chimes at the foot of the main staircase signal that the evening meal is ready. Eloise is back to her normal composed self but she won’t reveal what was distressing her earlier. We settle into our meal which Annie serves.

“I’m going to finish sorting through the boxes in the big room at the back tomorrow. Would you like to help?” I ask Eloise.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t,” replies Eloise. “My father’s assistant is collecting me after church, and I may be gone for the rest of the day.”

Eloise suddenly becomes tense. The look in her eyes suggests she would rather stay with me tomorrow. We eat the rest of the meal exchanging idle chatter, and Eloise gradually relaxes.

Just as we’re finishing our meal, Annie enters with a note for Eloise which has apparently arrived while we were eating. Eloise reads the note, rips it into four pieces and leaves it on the table for Annie to throw away. Eloise then makes her excuses and leaves the room. I retrieve the pieces of the note before Annie returns. Unfortunately, I don’t get a chance to read it before Annie enters to clear the table. I quickly hide the pieces of the note in my pocket.

Mama returns home shortly before bedtime. The pieces of Eloise’s note are now tucked under my pillow, and I resolve to read in once it is light in the morning.

Sunday morning, and Annie has already been and left warm water for my wash. The eight o’clock bell will be rung soon, so I take the opportunity to be the first to use the bathroom. I’ve finished washing and I’m nearly dressed when the bell rings, and Eloise starts to stir. Mama won’t be up for another hour on a Sunday.

I remember the pieces of the note. I quickly remove them from under my pillow, and I finally get my chance to read the note. I put the four pieces together. The writing is hard to read and I can’t make out a couple of words. However I can understand most of the short note. It is telling Eloise to prepare for Tuesday evening, and not to trust a woman named Yvette.

There’s no signature or name on the note, and it only adds more mystery to what I’ve learned since yesterday morning. The handwriting is a woman’s, possibly Eloise’s mother’s from the familiar ‘tu’ rather than the formal ‘vous’ used in the note. I hide the pieces of the note again in case it’s needed later.

After breakfast Eloise, being Catholic, attends Mass, while Mama and I go to the local Protestant church. The sermon is the usual fire and brimstone stuff, but the preacher puts his message across better than his odious predecessor. After church we all meet back at the house. I change my clothes and go to the big room to finish off sorting through the accumulated junk. I summon Annie to help me move some of the old furniture that has been untidily deposited in the room when we moved here. Our former house in Saint Pierre was larger, and we’ve had to store unnecessary items in this room. However, until now, we’ve always found an excuse not to tidy up the room.