“They might burn their tongues,” said Kate huskily.
Emmie wasn’t amused. “I put you into danger.”
“We’re in danger simply by virtue of being here,” said Kate desperately. “We all knew that when we signed up.”
“Yes, but I didn’t need to make it worse. Every time I’ve tried to do something for the Unit, it’s gone so horribly wrong. Maybe if I knew how to drive—but I don’t. I can’t even do that.”
“The children—” Kate began.
Emmie shook her head hopelessly. “Zélie still won’t even look at me. Our very first event and I scared a child into hysterics. And then I sent Margaret into a nervous breakdown—”
“Margaret sent Margaret into a nervous breakdown,” said Kate harshly. “She was miserable from the moment we got there. Remember how we had to haul her out of that hospital room?”
“And met Captain DeWitt.” Emmie’s face softened for a moment, but then she remembered herself, looking down at her clasped hands. “It’s no good, Kate. I’m no good.”
“You’re—how can you say that? You’re nothing but good. Everyone loves you.” Yes, Kate had said those things, but she hadn’t meant them, not really. All right, maybe a little bit, but not like this. “Do you think Alice would have told me about her sister? Not in a million years. You’re our conscience, Emmie. You’re our heart. We need you.”
“To be angel of the barrack? I don’t even know what that means. You don’t need to worry I’ll abandon the Unit. I’ll—I’ll tell everyone about the wonderful work you’re doing and get them to send money. . . . Real money, not someone’s grandmother’s shawl.”
She can’t help herself, you know, Julia had said. She just likes to give things to people. She thinks it will make them like her.
“Please,” said Kate, wanting to take it all back, make it all go away. “Don’t make any decisions right now. Not because of ridiculous things I said in the snow weeks and weeks ago.”
“Kate? There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere.” Nell hurried into the Orangerie, tripping over one of Dr. Clare’s duffels. “Ouch! You’ll never imagine— Mrs. Barrett’s here—and she’s brought a house! Well, bits of it.”
“But she’s not supposed to be here until tomorrow!” Kate was on her feet before she knew it, reaching automatically to check that her hair was straight. “Did you say a house?”
Nell gestured wildly with her hands. “Didn’t you hear the truck? She’s brought it in pieces. She’s got some Red Cross men measuring for it behind the chateau. They’re to put down the foundation tomorrow. It’s to be a mairie-école when we leave, but a house for us and a place to hold our classes in the meantime.”
“That will make Anne happy,” said Emmie in a slightly wobbly voice. “She’s so wanted a better place for her classes.”
“I’d best go see—” Kate paused, looking anxiously at Emmie. She couldn’t just leave things like this. Not when she’d made Emmie feel horrible and hadn’t even realized it.
Or maybe she had. Maybe she’d wanted to punish Emmie for paying her way and not telling her.
“Go on.” Emmie smiled at her, the sort of smile that didn’t reach her eyes, which were still terribly, heartbreakingly sad. “You’re the assistant director. They need you there. I’ll go help Alice with sorting what’s left in the cellar.”
It was hard to go greet Mrs. Barrett with the requisite enthusiasm, Mrs. Barrett in her sparkling new uniform that was the color their uniforms used to be, which Kate had nearly forgotten. Mrs. Barrett with her chestnut hair beautifully dressed under a Paris hat and a deep dimple on the left side of her mouth. She put her bags in Dr. Stringfellow’s room and assured Kate and Nell with a twinkle and a flash of that dimple that these accommodations were only temporary—had they seen the house going up?
They held a Unit meeting after supper, in a dining room that seemed much smaller and shabbier with Mrs. Barrett in it.
She’d brought fresh uniforms for everyone.
“I guessed at your sizes based on the pictures,” she said, heaping fabric into their arms. “You can’t uphold the honor of Smith looking like you’ve come out of the rag bag.”
“Is this what a garment looks like when it hasn’t been bathed in mud?” said Nell wonderingly, holding up the gray expanse of a skirt.