Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke

Author:Cathy Gohlke [Gohlke, Cathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Christian / Historical, FICTION / Romance / Historical / 20th Century
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2018-01-09T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

CLAIRE COUNTED THE SOBER, sleepy heads of ten children at breakfast. She wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d slept in, if last night’s news had kept them awake until the wee hours. But they were all there, as much because they needed one another more than ever as because they needed sustenance, she thought.

Only Aimee seemed animated and hungry beyond her usual self. Claire was glad the little girl knew nothing of last night’s broadcast. Whether Aimee’s parents were French or foreign Jews, life in France these days did not bode well for them. It was not something for one so young to know or worry over. There was nothing any of them could do. The truth would out in time, and they would face it then.

It wasn’t until luncheon that Aimee was missed.

“I’ve no idea where she’s gone,” Mrs. Newsome confessed to Claire. “She asked for a tea party for the dolly I made her and said she’d like to play in the orchard this morning. I was glad for her to be out in the sunshine, and in truth, it gave me a moment’s peace.”

“I can’t imagine she’d miss lunch with the other children, even so. She must have heard the outdoor bell.” Claire felt more annoyed than worried. Aimee had never wandered far.

“I will see if she is in our room,” Jeanine offered.

“She’s not,” Elise said.

“How do you know?”

“I just came down from there. I saw her go out soon after breakfast. I think she might have run away.”

“What?”

Elise shrugged. “I’ve heard her talking about it with her doll for ages. But I didn’t think much of it. We’ve all run away, haven’t we? She’ll come back when she’s hungry. I did.”

Claire looked at her aunt, helpless. Do all children run away? Where would she go? Will she know her way back?

Aunt Miranda set down her teacup, which had frozen in midair all the while Elise spoke so philosophically. “I think, just as soon as we’ve eaten—as quickly as we can—that we should all search for Aimee. She’s too young to be wandering around unchaperoned.”

“Oui, madame!” Gaston asserted. “We will miss the school today and form a search party! Not a problem, as Monsieur David says.”

Claire and her aunt made eye contact again. Claire feared turning Gaston and Josef loose to search posed a greater threat than Aimee’s disappearance. “No, I’m sure that’s not necessary, Gaston. We’ll find Aimee and make sure she’s safely home before you return. You can all keep an eye out for her on the way to the village. If you see her, bring her directly home. In the meantime, we’ll look here. Before you go, each of you search your room.”

“Bertram—” Lady Langford took the reins—“if you will, please check with Mr. Dunnagan. See if he’s seen her about the stables or gardens, or if she’s been in the orchard this morning.”

“Oui, madame.”

“Look under the beds,” Josef dictated. “That’s where I go when I want to be alone.”

“A very good idea,” Gaston approved.

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