Chapter 10
Paris
Duncan stood in the office of the headmistress of Academie de Sacre Coeur examining the artwork as he waited. Finally an elderly nun entered and smiled at him pleasantly.
"I am so sorry to have kept you waiting monsieur. Now you are... please remind me... "
"MacLeod... Duncan MacLeod." Duncan offered his hand. After shaking it, the nun motioned him to take a seat while she thoughtfully moved behind the desk.
"MacLeod? Now why does that name seem so familiar?"
"One of your students came to see me the other day... I decided to stop by and make certain she was all right."
"Ahh... MacLeod of the book. Yes... of course." Mother Magdelena smiled and pulled Blade of the MacLeods out of her desk drawer. She flipped through it and smiled at him. "Thank you for being a decent man and sending Alisaunne back to us. She is often a trial. But God gives us trials to keep us humble." Mother Magdelena's eye seemed to be caught by something she saw in the book and her flipping of pages stopped. She did a double take at whatever she was seeing and then closed the book and replaced it in the drawer. Her red face betrayed embarrassment. "Alisaunne is currently on kitchen duty for her little escapade... and I have obviously confiscated the novel."
"I wasn't put out by her... I was just concerned..." MacLeod began.
"As well you should be. We do not approve of our young ladies traipsing all over Paris. We are an old and well-regarded school. Such behavior is not approved. If Alisaunne were not a month from graduation and a month from leaving us... she would be more severely chastised."
"She mentioned an uncle..." MacLeod waved one hand at his words.
"Yes... he used to visit occasionally before his death."
"Who is her guardian now?"
Mother Magdelena looked at him narrowly. "Why do you ask that, monsieur?"
"I was curious how her guardian feels about her activities."
Mother Magdelena leaned back in her chair and regarded the handsome Scotsman evenly. Finally she shrugged, "Truthfully... she has no family left. There is an avocat who manages her inheritance and pays the bills. I believe I have his name. As for Alisaunne herself... I suppose the other sisters and I are her only real family now. She has been with us since her days in the lower school. There was a time we had hoped she would remain with us... as one of us."
"What happened to her uncle exactly?" Duncan asked.
"Ahh... I am not certain. We received word he had died but wished the girl to remain here in school. He even left us a sizable donation from his estate for our help in raising her. Payment dependent upon her eventual graduation."
Duncan chuckled. "In other words... she has to graduate for you to get your money!"
Mother Magdelena shot him a look and then smiled. "Yes... so we put up with her escapades. But she will graduate next month and then go to univesite' and be someone else's little problem. I am sorry if I do not sound as I should regarding the girl... but sometimes she has been a handful. Now... is there anything else?"
"Would it be possible to see her?"
The nun smiled and nodded, "I thought as much. She should arrive shortly." She looked up at the timid knock on the door, "That is likely Alisaunne now... Entree'."
The door slowly entered and an apparently chastised Alisaunne entered the office... Duncan almost grinned at the girl's downcast eyes and solemn expression. He had a feeling it was all for show.
"Alisaunne... Monsieur MacLeod has come to see if you arrived home safely."
The girl glanced over at Duncan and gripped her hands together tightly. "My thanks monsieur for your kindness." Her voice was low and contrite... barely a whisper.
"Quite all right. I just wanted to check on you." Duncan tried to keep his voice even and pleasant... betraying nothing.
"I apologize for putting you to any inconvenience."
"It was not an inconvenience but I was concerned about you."
"Yes, monsieur, but it will not happen again." Tears were brimming in the girl's eyes.
"God, she's good," Duncan thought. As Mother Magdelena placed her hands within her habit and turned to look out the window at a passing group of girls... Alisaunne quickly gave him a wink and a smile before she was all contrition once more as the nun turned back.
"Well..." Duncan finally said with a paternal air that hid his amusement, "I hope you will be more careful in the future. And I trust your graduation will be a day to remember."
"Could you come?" The girl looked at him almost pleadingly. "I have no family to come... I would be honored."
"Send me an invitation." Duncan said with a reluctant smile. "You do have my address."
"Oh yes... monsieur... and your friend as well... the one who knew of my uncle."
Duncan grinned broadly, his brown eyes twinkling with amusement, "Of course... Monsieur Pierson will be glad to attend. I'll see to it personally."
Mother Magdelena cleared her throat and the girl bowed her head and curtsied. "My thanks monsieur," she mumbled and then quietly exited the room.
Duncan bowed slightly to the headmistress, "You will be certain I get an invitation?"
Mother Magdelena nodded. "I suppose if I refuse... you and possibly this friend of yours will show up anyway?"
Duncan smiled and made a small shrugging gesture. "If it makes the child happy... what's the harm?"
The nun nodded and crossed herself, "I pray I am not setting a bad precedent with this decision. And it is only because the child has no one else to come. Despite everything monsieur, I am fond of her. And... once she has left... I will miss her."
Duncan glanced at the now closed door. "Yes Sister... I think you will... she is a most intriguing young lady."
Alisaunne almost skipped on her way back to the kitchen. She quietly signaled Marisol who was also doing kitchen duty for her part in the deception. "The MacLeod is here! He's coming to our graduation... everyone will get to meet him."
Marisol's eyes widened in anticipation, then looking around she returned to her duties with a broad smile. She would miss Alisaunne once graduation happened... life was always more exciting with her friend around... yes... exciting and unexpected.
