Teddy came to Louis's office with me and stood with me through the whole session. There were a lot of arguments from the parents of the other girls, especially when Louis imposed his sentence on us.
"I hereby order that each girl serve, every Saturday for the next two months, at the home of an elderly woman who needs help. Either by reading to them, writing letters, having a midday meal with them, or being a companion to them in some way. From the hours of ten in the morning to four in the afternoon. Each girl will be assigned to her woman. By doing this we can hope they will learn compassion and consideration for others, which seem to be lacking in their present makeup."
There was a considerable uproar in the room at that pronouncement. But the parents eventually accepted it and left. After they went out, Louis looked at me.
"I've got more in mind for you," he said. "I want you to bake a cake for Mr. Roche. Then you and I are going to pay him a visit. And you are going to apologize."
"Why must I when the other girls don't have to?"
"Because I said so," he told me mildly.
I didn't protest. He didn't expect me to.
I baked the cake for Theophile Roche that evening. I made my favorite, pound cake with vanilla icing.
Louis came into the kitchen.
"Your elderly lady is Mrs. Stapleton. She lives across town. Tomorrow is Saturday, but your assignment doesn't start until next week. So we'll take the cake to Mr. Roche tomorrow morning. Be ready."
"I can ride my horse to Mrs. Stapleton's," I said.
"No. Teddy and I don't want you coming home in near dark. It's winter, remember. Jon will take and fetch you."
I made a face. "Does it have to be Jon?"
He eyed me wisely. "Teddy says you don't like him. Is there a reason?"
I couldn't lie to Louis. With his Indian powers he saw through lies.
"He touched me."
"Where?"
I blushed. "On my bottom."
Louis's eyes got red flames in them that I'd never seen before. "I'll give him a sound beating."
"No, no. It's why I never told Teddy. Please, Louis, if you love me, please listen before you beat him."
"What is there to listen to?" But he listened.
"I know Teddy would duel him. But in Florida, where Jon comes from, he's the best duelist there is."
"How do you know?"
"He told me and—"
"He told you?"
"Yes. He said he dueled and killed three people there. And that's how he got his bad arm. And that's why I wouldn't tell Teddy about it, because I knew Teddy would duel him and he'd kill Teddy. So I told him if he touched me again I'd get a bad root from Cannice and poison his food. And I will if I have to."
"He's lying. He isn't a gentleman. Only gentlemen of honor duel. And Teddy wouldn't stoop to duel him. And neither will I. But to protect your honor I must give him a sound whipping."
"Oh, Louis!"
He swore. My brother took the Lord's name in vain. Twice. He said, "I'm sorry, little sister mine, that you have to put up with all this. He'll never touch you again when I get through with him."
He held me to him. He kissed the top of my head and prayed right there in the kitchen that God would wash him thoroughly from his wickedness and cleanse him from his sins. He acknowledged that his sins were forever before him.
What sins does he have? He was the most sinless person I knew.
I had never seen or heard Louis pray before. He never spoke about God. I was so touched by his reverence and humility that I was afraid to interrupt him. When he finished I looked up at him. "Those are the words Mother made me memorize when she kidnapped me."
He tweaked my nose. He kissed me. "Check the cake. It must be done. Then go to bed. I have an affair of honor to attend to."
After I iced the cake I went to bed, but before that, I peeked out the upstairs hall window in back of the house just in time to see Louis attending to his affair of honor.
He was dragging Jon by one arm out to the barn. Primus had the other arm. Of course, I thought. Louis could not do this without help. He walked without crutches now, but he still limped, and in a fracas he would lose his balance. I watched as they brought a struggling Jon into the barn. Then I went to bed.
Jon was not at the breakfast table serving Pa the next morning. Teddy did not ask why. Viola did.
"He's got the measles," Teddy told her. "He's recuperating in the groom's room in the barn. Stay away from him. Primus's wife, Eulah, is caring for him."
We took the cake to Mr. Roche's.
In the carriage, which was driven by Primus, Louis said that he had something to tell me.
"The truth of the matter is that Teddy has been wanting to invite Theophile Roche to dinner," he said, "but he has not found the man approachable."
"Why does he want to invite him to dinner?"
It was then that Louis told me, swearing me to secrecy. "Teddy 'imported' Theophile Roche for a special reason. Not to be a weaver at the mill. But to help out if and when the Yankees come, because Roche is a French national. Teddy has plans for him. That's all you need to know now. But what you and your friends did has made Roche less approachable. This morning you and I are supposed to help mend things."
I nodded. "Should I invite him?"
"Depends on how he receives you. I'll give you a signal if I think so."
Louis was holding the cake, but he gave it to me when we got out of the carriage. When he knocked at the front door it was answered immediately, and when it opened, Louis said, "Enfin nous sommes arrives!" That meant, as he told me later, "Finally we have arrived."
Louis knew French. I wished I did. Louis introduced me immediately as his sister and one of the girls who had broken into his home. And I was here now to apologize.
I curtsied. And told Mr. Roche I was sorry, that I knew I had done wrong. I handed him the cake, prettily wrapped and tied with a ribbon.
He set it down and stared at me. At first I thought he was going to send me from the house. But he took my hand and kissed it and said, "Oh, my sweet."
He took our wraps. He made us sit on the one couch in the room and offered Louis some French wine and made me a cup of tea. He sliced the cake and served it on plates that looked as if they had come from France. He gave us delicate napkins that were embroidered with his initials.
He was dressed in regular trousers, suspenders, and boots, but his shirt was of the whitest cotton, with ruffles at the wrists and the neck. I could see how broad his shoulders were. And how strong his neck muscles.
On the wall hung a sword in a scabbard. A sword for dueling. I stared. Louis nudged me.
"Do you like it here in America?" Louis was asking him.
"Ah, yes. So much land."
Then he fell silent.
"Well, I hope you'll accept my apology, too, for what my sister did," Louis said.
"Of course, of course." Mr. Roche shrugged. "I do not press charges. Children." More shrugging. "The cake." He put his fingers to his mouth and made a kissing gesture. "It is delicious. Tell your cook I send my compliments."
"She's right here," Louis told him. "Leigh Ann made it."
"Ah!" He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That you should have such a sister! And so pretty, too. Do you take exception that I say it?"
"No, don't mind at all," Louis said.
Mr. Roche nodded wisely, all the time looking at me.
Louis nudged me and I knew it was the signal.
"Mr. Roche," I said quietly, and with dignity, "my other brother, Teddy, who is night manager of the mill, wants us to invite you to our house for dinner some Sunday in March. Would you like to come?"
"Mr. Teddy," he mused. "Yes, I know him. He hired me. A good man. A good man. I would be honored to come. What is the day and the time?"
"My brother Teddy will work that out with you. It will be at your convenience," Louis said.
When we left, with Louis's permission, Mr. Roche gave me a book, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
And so it was that I met Mr. Theophile Roche, who was to play an important role in trying to save our mill when the Yankees came. And whom, as it turned out, I helped, trying to save it.