The Laurentiens’ grand hall was severely toned down as a reflection of the current times. Harrington and Tomryn were discussing the Fokker E.III: the most frightful plane of the war. Tomryn’s son, Kelly, had gone away with the 2nd Division. Clarence Tomryn had signed up with the 3rd Division. At the Laurentien ball, a toast was given to the 3rd Division to be formed on Christmas day. The Corps and the Princess Pat’s, who had returned to fight with the Corps, would find rest until spring.
Ottawans knew Britain’s effort would fortify the Empire and that she would emerge after the duration stronger than ever before. By the tens of thousands, volunteers donned uniforms across the dominion. One of the finest officers of the Corps, Arthur Currie, had detailed the rubbish instruction that was being taught to new troops and sent the report to London. In answer to Currie’s documentation, training extended to fourteen weeks and included all forms of waging this different war. New troops were taught that they apprehended but did not execute the captured enemy. At the same time, a briefing was given that any Tommy who attempted to remake the gentleman’s agreement of the previous Christmas would be shot.
Both Harrington and Tomryn knew Borden’s agreement concerning recruits would be lifted to five hundred thousand as of New Year’s Day. They silently wondered if the crown colony could support such a number.
In response to condolences regarding Pierre, Michel spoke to those he stood with, saying Pierre was “A prompt volunteer31. His commanding officer’s tribute was, ‘Though a boy, he played a man’s game to the finish’32. He gave his life for others, was kind, loving, and dearly beloved33. As well, a German found Pierre’s war diary on the battlefield and mailed it to Vauréal, and the diary has given Mme. Laurentien a bit of comfort.” Michel then excused himself and left the hall momentarily to attend to a servant matter concerning the dinner.
“The first telephone call across the dominion went through in 1915,” said a thoughtful Desrosiers to his lady. At the same table, Aubrey and Peter snickered over Philippa being cut from society when Auré sat down. Aubrey had always been jealous of Philippa’s beauty and had wanted to sleep with her husband. At the last Saturday-to-Monday party, Aubrey had taken care of Philippa. Name cards designated which bedroom belonged to which couple. The true purpose was to indicate where a man could find his lover at nighttime and his wife come morning. The task befell the garden boy to ring a bell at six in the morning so maids who brought morning tea to guests would happen on the rightful couple in each bedroom. A single name card had been changed by Aubrey late at night. Cast out of Edwardian society, because it was the wife who was ostracized no matter who was unfaithful, Philippa was no longer a nuisance to Aubrey. As more and more returned maimed, not an English rose would dance with Auré. The sole reason he was present was Mme. Laurentien felt comforted by male relations in her manor after Pierre’s death.
“Currie, a teacher of all things by trade turned Victoria realtor, has solely a high school education, unlike our British officers, and the only knowledge of warfare he has he taught himself from books. Oh! I still say we ought to return to one of our own leading colonials! What was High Command thinking, employing a male who is not a gentleman nor a proper officer to position of Brigadier-General!” Peter laughed.
“Eh high school education means he is amongst the most educated in Canada and makez him very qualified to be an officer. And eh woman is spear’eading ze campaign in England. I did not know eh woman could lead men into battle. Az an aside, what sort of man allows eh woman to fight for ‘im? Self-respecting men do not permit women to die before them in warfare,” Auré replied calmly, though he was tired and rather frustrated.
British Nurse Edith Cavell had been stationed in Belgium. She aided hundreds of soldiers, from both sides, in making their way to neutral Switzerland. Once Cavell was captured, international pressure was placed on Germany to set Cavell free. The enemy carried on with orders to execute. A soldier in the firing squad refused to execute her. He was shot and buried next to her. Her body was exhumed and returned to England, where thousands lined London’s streets for her funeral procession. In the handful of weeks since her death, Britain’s enlistment, which had come to a standstill, saw augmentation by tens of thousands.
“Everyone can see incomparably more Britishers have left than Frenchmen,” Peter replied pompously, while he tried not to laugh outright at Auré’s hypocrisy.
“Excuze me,” Auré said quickly and removed himself from the table. He went to fetch Michel a drink.
“The king has a high opinion of Canadians ever since Ypres, despite the fellow who shirks his duty,” said Kellynch to the Lady as he led his dance partner from the floor, seeing Auré pass by with a rum in hand.
Alcohol was not to be consumed until the war ended, out of decency to the boys. Christmas presents, too, were not to be purchased this year, as the various patriotic funds needed to be fully funded. Romance was thought to be abstained from as well because frivolous endeavors were an insult to the sacrifices shown at the front.
Auré stopped cold at the insult directed at him, turned about, and faced Kellynch. While deliberately looking Kellynch in the eye, Auré slowly consumed the beverage meant for Michel. Auré did not even drink to the toasts at either of his weddings. Still staring at Kellynch, he calmy returned the glass to his side and walked away.
“Don’t you want your son to be proud when he asks what you did in the war?” Kellynch hissed, frustrated from months of his chums being deserted in death by neutrality.
“I’ll tell my son I rezisted!” Auré roared. His anger was now coming to the surface, after more than a year of his and his family’s gallantry being questioned due to their not volunteering for the war.
Instantly, the ballroom fell deathly silent. The glass Auré held sailed inches from Kellynch’s temple. Kellynch did not even flinch.
“I will tell ‘im I fought for those who were publicly ‘arassed and ostracized by your white featherz! Propaganda! And insults ‘urled across Parliament for not enlisting in eh war that had nothing to do with them!”
As Canadians were British subjects, Kellynch replied, his jaw clenched, “This is every Englishman’s war.”
The flag unfurled. Auré took one wild look at Kellynch. Then, Auré advanced. Screams and shrieks came from ladies. Gentlemen removed themselves from their places of seating in a call to arms. Westbrook, Lawrence, Harrington, and Tomryn surrounded Kellynch. Edmund, Herbert, Ernest, and Gavin gathered behind their fathers. Frédéric Laurentien stood to one side of Auré and Desrosiers the other. Jean-Pierre, Jean-Luc, Jean-Ives, and Jean-Marie took their places behind the trio.
“This iz ze war of those European generals ‘o will not fight their own battlez, so they call on ze Empire’s men and let uz call our men what they really are: mere boyz ‘o are ordered to walk shoulder to shoulder acrozz No Man’z Land to be mowed down by the Germans with their machine gunz!” Auré yelled.
“It takes character to traverse No Man’s Land,” stated Kellynch, his eyes angry slits of fury at his friends’ characters being assaulted.
“It takez character for one province to take eh stand against the ‘ole Empire!” shouted an irate Auré.
“We are waging war on the very earth of and are brothers-in-arms with your ancestors—,” cried Harrrington.
“—Who deserted us on the Plains of Abraham!” spat Desrosiers.
“With double duty to the two mother countries, you ought to be offering more sons than we!” Lawrence stated, pointing his finger down on an imaginary desk, bent over between Kellynch and Westbrook, though still taller than either.
Two of Lawrence’s sons of military age were at the front. All Desrosiers’ sons of military age stood behind their father.
“A just crusade is being led by Hughes—,” said Tomryn while he glared at Auré.
“—Orangeman!” shouted Desrosiers.
“The last time our leader fought for our rights, you ‘anged him! Give us our rights back and we will aid you in attaining yours!” retorted Frédéric.
“—And you’re doing everything in your might to lead our sons astray!” A livid Tomryn finished.
“Duty called and he answered promptly34!” Desrosiers practically snarled in retort at Tomryn.
“I will be equal to any duty required of me no matter what it costs35!” Auré shouted in response to Tomryn.
“Gentlemen unfraid36! We are proud to have him fight for us!” said Frédéric with one hand on Auré’s arm.
“Equally ready at the call of country and at the call of God37!” Desrosiers yelled as he cut off Frédéric, yet again in defense of Auré.
“Be ashamed to die until you have gained some victory for humanity38!” Kellynch answered furiously.
“We will not stand idle when England’s freedom needs to be defended!” interjected Lawrence.
“Defend your kinsmen before mother countries who treat us both as savages!” roared Desrosiers.
“If Germany is to be defeated, British honour demands—,” commanded Kellynch.
“—French Canada has sacrificed enough of—,” hurled Auré.
“—And upon my honour—,”
“—Her citizenz—,”
“—Before the crown—,”
“—Her ‘eart and her soul—,”
“—And on my word as an Englishman I will safeguard my people—,”
“—For England!” both cried in unison.
“GENTLEMEN!”
The hall fell into a muted hush. Michel had been retrieved. He came striding towards them, positively shaking with fury.
“Make firm, O God, the peace our dead have won39!” he ridiculed them. “And there are ladies present!” he spat. A few ladies had fainted. He stood in between the two parties. “I will thank you to remember yourselves!” he shouted, beside himself.
Auré looked as though he would strike Kellynch.
“Remember your cousins on the front lines,” Michel said quietly to his nephew, speaking in French. For one horrid moment, it appeared Michel might break down at the memory of Pierre. “They do not understand us. I will thank you to leave.”
Though Auré towered over Michel, he was given a command by an elder of the family and had to obey. Auré blinked, and the expressionless mask adopted since the commencement of the effort fell over him once more.
The room was reduced to all sorts of undress. The servants, too shocked to move, were told to clean the shattered glassware and reset the strewn tables and chairs. A violinist was instructed by the conductor to lead a waltz, at Michel’s insistence. Smelling salts and brandy were given to ladies who had been overcome with fright. Peter explained repeatedly that he stayed seated to calm the ladies.
Westbrook wanted to challenge Richardieux to a duel on The Hill with the Governor General presiding. “If only duels were not disallowed here! They only recently became illegal at home, after all!” he said, nearly shouting. “We have lost our way, criminals are allowed to go too far to-day, I say! And that vermin would not have the decency to present himself in tails!” sneered Westbrook.
Herbert and Edmund muttered Field Punishment No.1 was too good for Richardieux. “Crucifixion” was the pet name the Corps gave this castigation, which involved the regular publicly having his hands and feet tied to a post or a wheel and being left to demeaningly serve his punishment for a two-hour period daily.
“No, he has forgotten where he comes from. He is a traitor to his countrymen. I petition a vote! Right here, right now, dear gentlemen! Out of respect to our boys who are fighting for the Empire at this very moment—” Kellynch protested.
“Here! Here!”
“In haste, do we enter into a gentleman’s agreement,” stated Kellynch.
“—I second this!”
“—Disgraced the Mounted Force—”
“Cast him out,” Kellynch said quietly, and turned to the entryway that Auré and, consequently, Aubrey were headed towards.