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Show - 124 - like pale gold in the light. The ringlets fell in a mass on her shoulders and she smiled and chatted with me." Not a word from Penny and Vicky. They waited for Maddie to go on with her story. "Time was of the essence since the Mexican ship could stay out beyond the shore of Half Moon Bay no longer than a few hours. It was already hardpressed to evade the authorities, but because of the huge bribe Dirk had had paid the Captain he agreed to remain a little while longer. "Claudine put on a gray dress and a long black evening cloak with a hood. I remember tying a kerchief around her hair to cover its sparkling lightness. She waited in the darkness of her room because we wanted the rest of the household to believe she was asleep. I left her and went downstairs in order not to create any suspicion. Even Tom knew nothing of this at that time. He would have prevented me from going to the gardens with Claudine if I told him. "Later that night when everyone was in bed, I crept back up the stairs to the very room that you both occupy now. I never go into it without looking at the portrait of Claudine. I remember how Andre' insisted she be painted in her wedding dress. "Maddie, she said to me as we prepared to leave, please tell Ma Mere and Mon Pere that I love them dearly, but there can be no other life for me without Dirk. Almost too late I realized this. Tell them I tried, believe me I did. I will, somehow, write to them as soon as I can. The tears streamed down Claudine's face as she spoke to me and my heart cried out for her." The lump in Penny's throat was so large by now she could hardly breathe. When she tried to swallow the pain was excruciating. She could see that Vicky was just as emotionally stirred. Nothing could stop Maddie now. She had held the secret too long within her breast and now that she was finally able to speak out, it was like a dam that had burst its wall. She rushed on. |