Raol held out his hand to his sister. Frightened gaze intent upon his caring face, Jeanne reached out, accepting his help, using his strength to pull herself up off the floor; her own had failed her.
“What were you thinking?” A harsh whisper.
Jeanne"s chin quivered with pending tears so deplored, teeth jammed tightly together. “I cannot marry him, I cannot.”
“Run away, chère Jeanne, please.” The sobbing plea came from the dining room.
chèreBernadette sat in her chair at the table still, a table strewn with the discarded remnants of the disastrous meal, a mess awaiting the servants.
Jeanne ran to her sister"s side, kneeling down before her, wiping away the huge round tears running silently down the young girl"s splotched face.
“Where would I go, ma petite?”
ma petiteBernadette shook
