Time for Silence by Philippa Carr

learned what had befallen one of her pupils. But she is a wise woman. Annabelinda is my granddaughter, so she sent for me. She knew she could rely on me in this little contretemps.”
    I nodded. It was all as I had imagined in that flash of understanding which came to me when I read the paper.
    “Annabelinda had dallied with one of the gardeners,” he went on. “Madame Rochère was extremely shocked that it should be a gardener, but I pointed out to her that the outcome could have been the same whatever the rank of the man involved, and we must suppress our outrage with sound common sense. The first thing was to get Annabelinda out of school. We could not have let her stay much longer. There would be gossip. We could not let it be known throughout the neighborhood that my granddaughter had committed such an indiscretion. So she went away to a clinic where she would be taken care of.”
    “In Bergerac,” I said.
    For a moment he was astonished, then he said, “I see you are fully conversant with all this. How did you know?”
    “It slipped out in conversation with Annabelinda that she had been there.”
    “She should be more careful. It is a most reliable place. I know the lady who owns it. She will be the soul of discretion. So there went Annabelinda, and later of course there arose the problem of finding a home for the child.”
    “It worked out very conveniently for you,” I said. “Of one thing I am sure. Madame Plantain will make a very good mother.”
    “Madame Rochère assured me of that. You do not think I would put my great-grandchild with someone who would not be good to him.”
    “And you were ready to put him out to be cared for?”
    “I detect a note of criticism. Dear Lucinda, could I have him here? Adopt a child, at my age? Only for one reason. I have to think of Annabelinda. What would her future be if this were known? She would be classed as a fallen woman before she had a chance to stand up and show what she has to offer. She would never have married into appropriate circles.”
    “She might have found someone to love her, and she could have her baby with her.”
    He leaned toward me and kissed my hair lightly.
    “Dear Lucinda, you see the world through the eyes of innocence. Charming…very charming. But life is not like that. I want what is best for Annabelinda. She is a very beautiful and attractive girl. I should hate to see her chances ruined at the start.”
    “What of the child?” I asked.
    “He will have the best of homes. You yourself have said so. But I confess I am a little uneasy that he should be so near the school.”
    “You think Annabelinda will recognize her son?”
    “All babies look alike. They change as they grow up, but in the first weeks they are different. They come into the world like wizened old men and in a few weeks they are plump and beautiful. But you see how careful we must be. You see how the odd coincidence can leap up to confound you. Your acquaintance with this good woman, your seeing that paper. Who would have thought that would have happened? And yet it is all so simple, so natural. Mind you, I did wonder at the wisdom of placing the child so near to the school. But Madame Rochère gave the woman such a good character reference, and she, of course, had no notion of where the child came from.”
    “You have gone to a great deal of trouble to do this for Annabelinda,” I said.
    “For her and the honor of the family,” he said. “That means a great deal to people such as I. Perhaps we are too proud, a little arrogant. Mon Dieu , we should have learned our lessons, should we not, all those years ago. But does one ever learn lessons? A little perhaps, but rarely entirely.
    “Well, now you know what happened, and I am placing my trust in you. The incident must be forgotten. I shall make sure that the child is well cared for…educated when the time comes. There is no need to fear for his future. And what I ask of you, dear Lucinda, is never to divulge to