Will You Love Me in September

"Why, yes, indeed. I bought it as I do so many of my pieces. Most of them are not new, as you know. When something goes back into time it increases its value. So it is with this. I bought it from a French lady.”

My heart sank. It seemed as though Jeanne's guilt was being proved.

I said, "I have reason to believe that this ring was once mine. It was stolen.”

"Oh, my dear lady, I do not deal in stolen goods.”

"I am sure you would not knowingly ... but if someone comes into your shop and tries to sell you something, how are you to know how it was come by?”

He looked apprehensive.

"She was a very respectable lady. She had some fine emeralds too, which I bought.”

"May I see the emeralds?”

"A necklace and a brooch," he murmured, frowning.

"Yes," I said. "That is right. Please let me see them.”

"They were sold some weeks ago. A lady and a gentleman came in and he bought them for her.”

"Tell me about the woman who sold them to you.”

"She was French. She said she had to leave England in a hurry. She was going to catch the Dover coach. She had to return to France unexpectedly, and being short of money temporarily until she could settle her French estates, she was disposing of some of her jewelry.”

Oh, Jeanne, I thought, how could you?

I didn't want to hear any more. I asked if he would deliver the bezoar ring to Albemarle Street, where he would be paid for it.

He promised to do so.

Menace in the forest

Lance was very interested to hear that I had found the bezoar ring and that the jeweler's story had confirmed the fact that Jeanne had sold them and gone to France.

"She should have waited until she got over there," said Lance. "She might have been caught disposing of them in London. But I suppose she didn't like carrying them on her person. Although, of course, the money would be equally tempting to a thief.

Anyway, I'm glad you have your ring back.”

"I'm delighted to have found it. It's rather a special one, having been in the Hessenfield family for generations. Our baby shall have it.”

"It will be a long time before he can wear it," said Lance.

"She shall have it in good time," I retorted.

Lance laughed. "All right, darling," he said, "I shan't grudge you your girl any more than you will grudge me my boy. I bet if it is a girl it will turn out to be exactly what I want, and if a boy, just your desire.”

"That is the sort of bet you can always make with certainty," I said.

I was indeed happy during those early days of my pregnancy. It was only now and then, when I thought of Jeanne, that the shadow would fall, and every time I looked at the bezoar ring I imagined her going boldly into that shop with the tale she had prepared about hurrying to France and needing the money urgently.

Sabrina was not sure whether she wanted a baby or not. Sometimes she talked about it excitedly and what she would do when it came. She would teach it to ride and tell it the stories I used to tell her, she decided.

"It will be a long time before the baby is able to ride," I warned her.

"Oh, you can't start too young," said Sabrina with an air of wisdom.

Then at times she was jealous of it. "I believe you like this baby more than you like me. And it's not here yet.”

"I love you both.”

"But you can't love two people the same.”

"Oh, yes, you can.”

"No. You have to love one more, and this one is your own.”

"So are you, Sabrina.”

"But I wasn't born yours.”

"It makes no difference.”

"I wish this one wasn't coming. I know it will be silly ... sillier than Jean-Louis.”

"He's not silly.”

"And I don't like her either.”

"Who is that?”

"His grandmother. I don't like her.”

"I thought you liked to listen to her.”

"Not anymore." She brought her face close to mine. "I don't like her because she doesn't like me.”

"Of course she likes you.”

"And she doesn't like the new one either.”

"You're not telling the truth, Sabrina.”

"It is the truth. I know it.”

"She didn't say so.”

"She looks it. I don't like her. I don't like Aimee, and I don't like Jean-Louis.”

"Oh, you are in a disliking mood.”

"Uncle Lance likes Aimee, though.”

"Of course he does. We all do-except you, of course.”

"He likes her-kind of special." She hunched her shoulders and looked mysterious.

"Who told you?”

"I saw them.”

"What do you mean?”

"I saw them talking.”

'^Why shouldn't they talk?”

"I saw them. I know. He likes her and she likes him ... a lot.”

It was silly to listen to Sabrina. She told wild stories, and if she saw that she had caught my attention her stories would become wilder. All she was doing was calling attention to herself, for she had an idea that now the baby was coming she was being set aside.

I tried to be extra loving to her. She responded, but the suspicious jealousy was there and I felt it growing.

After the first two months of pregnancy I began to feel quite ill.

Aimee soothed me. It had been the same with her, she told me. She had been wretchedly ill during the first months. But it had passed. What was that tisane Jeanne had made?