31

Katrina found Andre a pleasant companion when he was not out looking for work. He had not had much experience with children, but she didn't mind his awkward attempts to look after her. In truth, she scarcely noticed.

The days before Jean returned passed much as they had before, only with the new man included. Stephan had been unsuccessful in finding permanent employ for his friend. Andre had never been the luckiest of men, and was glad to find one day's work for the local store owner unloading new shipments. The wage was decent, and the coins in his pocket coupled with honest labor made the world look a little brighter, if only infrequently.

Katrina and Stephan showed him the music room two days after his arrival, and he picked up the cello fondly.

"I have not played one in years." He sat gingerly on a chair, and rested the scroll against his shoulder, the instrument looked like toy in his grasp. "Do you mind?"

They shook their heads; he tuned it carefully, and then played a simple folk song. He followed it by an old chant, and then a snippet from a concerto, stopping abruptly. "I have forgotten the rest. It has been too long."

Katrina mutely went to a basket, found a few pages, and set them on a stand and moved it near him. It was the same concerto, turned to where he had left off. He finished, and shook his head. "I am rusty, the sound suffers. My, but it does feel good to try again!"

Stephan smiled at the intrigued look on the child's face. "Katrina has been trying to teach herself. I only know because Agard told me."

Andre smiled, and motioned her over. She scurried to his side, and he wrapped her small right hand in his oversized one, showing her how to grip the thing that was too large for her, too small for him. He said nothing, just guided her motions, yet she made a thousand discoveries as if by magic.

Stephan watched as she turned her shining face up to the man who was all but a stranger to her. His face seemed to light up in response to her eager innocence. Looking at the painting of his sister, young Lefevre could have sworn she was smiling broadly down at them.

A letter arrived for Katrina in Jean's pocket. He delivered it after all the greetings went around.

Andre wandered into the music room, and found the doors open to the patio. On the steps leading to the lawns and gardens, sat Katrina, one hand knotted in Tomino's ruff. Her eyes gazed flatly ahead, and she didn't respond as the man sat beside her.

"I see a girl in the sun on a fine day, but no smile. Why?"

She looked down at the letter, and a tear formed. "Aunt Helen is sick. It hurt her to have the baby."

"It hurts every mother to have a baby." He said, feeling this was not his job to explain. "But that is soon over."

The child shook her head until the multi-hued hair flew madly. "Uncle Erik would not write, so Uncle Jacques did it. Here," She gave over the single sheet scribbled on in the tight, thick letters the manager favored.

Dear Katrina,

Marie suggested, and both Madame and I agree, that you should hear this.

Helen has had her child, a boy in fine health. It was more difficult than expected, and she is
not able to leave bed.The doctor assures us that it will pass before spring ends, but Erik is not so easily convinced.He has refused to see the child, insisting that until Helen is well he will not.

Between you and me, I thought only Marie could be so stubborn.

There was a fever, but that has passed, and she is now only weak. I am not trying to frighten you, but to prepare you for the scene that will greet you when you come home. Be at rest; the woman who married your uncle cannot be brought down by so common a thing as childbirth.

It will be a few weeks before we can fetch you. Unless you have completely terrorized the kind Lefevres, wait a little longer.

Until then,
yours,
Uncle Jacques.

Andre lowered the note and studied her closely. "If you wish to be there, I am sure Stephan would let me take you. I do not think your aunt is seriously ill any longer, but I would understand."

She had rested her chin on her knees, and wrapped her arms around her ankles. Her eyes seemed to be looking into a pool that should have clear, but was instead full of refuse and shadow. "Perhaps I should ask Monsieur and Madame Lefevre."

He took her hand and they walked into the library where the family and Agard were gathered. Katrina explained what the letter said, and asked if she should go.

Jean appeared thoughtful as he said, "Wait a few days, see if something changes. Word will come if there is trouble. If not, I will be heading to Paris on business Wednesday, and you can return with me then."

Katrina thought it over to see if there was a false word, or something that didn't make sense. It fit neatly, so she gave a gesture of agreement.

And so it would have stood had not two days later a pounding on the door brought the whole family from dinner to the hall.

A slender man dressed in a strangely cut cape ducked in from the rain, followed by a flash in the sky and bellow of thunder. Katrina ran forward at the sight of his face, forgetting everyone else. There was only one reason he would have come.

"Daroga, oh what has happened, what is wrong? Why are you here?"

He drew off his cap, and bent to meet her gaze, knowing that only the truth would satisfy her, and that she would not be fooled if he should try to soften the blow. "Your uncle is going mad again; you must get your things and come with me this moment. I chanced by the Opera as things began to worsen. Marie sent me, and Darius is keeping watch."

"What happened?"

"You need to come with me, Katrina, for I cannot explain it. I believe he will listen to you."

She ran for the stairs, and vanished. Jean studied the man before him. "Shall we come? Is there something we can do?"

The dusky face shook slowly. "The presence of others would not help at all. If you wish to do something, forget this event and never speak of it." His eyes settled on Agard and hardened, as if sensing a flaw in the man. "Never."

Katrina was back, one bag in each hand, calling for Tomino though the open door. Stephan took one bag, Andre another, and in a few moments the two people and dog were loaded in the hack. As the lights from the estate faded, Katrina buried her face into the drenched fur of her pet. The Daroga waited for a while and then settled her on a blanket at his feet to sleep.

It would be a wretched morning for them all.