He put both his hands on her breasts and squeezed gently, making a little sound in his throat as he did so. She thrilled to the feeling, but it brought her to her senses. She broke the kiss and pushed him away. She was panting. ‘I didn’t mean to do that,’ she said.
He said nothing, just smiled happily.
She realized she had given him the message she had wanted to withhold. But now she did not care. All the same she said: ‘You’d better go, before I do something I’ll regret.’
That thought seemed to make him even happier. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘When will I see you again?’
‘Soon. Go and say goodbye to my mother.’
He tried to kiss her again, but she put a hand on his chest and said: ‘No more.’
He accepted that. He went into the shop, saying: ‘Thank you, Madame Palot, for your hospitality.’
Sylvie sat down heavily. A moment later she heard the shop door close.
Her mother came into the back room, looking pleased. ‘He’s gone, but he’ll be back.’
Sylvie said: ‘I kissed him.’
‘I guessed that by the grin on his face.’
‘I shouldn’t have done it.’
‘I can’t think why not. I’d have kissed him myself if I were twenty years younger.’
‘Don’t be vulgar, Mother. Now he will expect me to marry him.’
‘I’d do it quickly, if I were you, before some other girl grabs him.’
‘Stop it. You know perfectly well that I can’t marry him.’
‘I know no such thing! What are you talking about?’
‘We have a mission to bring the true gospel to the world.’
‘Perhaps we’ve done enough.’
Sylvie was shocked. Her mother had never talked this way.
Isabelle noticed her reaction and said defensively: ‘Even God rested on the seventh day, after he made the world.’
‘Our work isn’t finished.’
‘Perhaps it never will be, until the Last Trump.’
‘All the more reason to carry on.’
‘I want you to be happy. You’re my little girl.’
‘But what does God want? You taught me always to ask that question.’
Isabelle sighed. ‘I did. I was harder when I was young.’
‘You were wise. I can’t marry. I have a mission.’
‘All the same, regardless of Ned, one day we may have to find other ways of doing God’s will.’
‘I don’t see how.’
