‘Pierre, take the guests’ luggage up to their rooms, if you pleeze.’ He turned back to Emmy and Jake. ‘I am afraid the dining room eez now closed but perhaps you would like some coffee or hot chocolate and croissants brought to your room?’
Jake thanked him and they followed the young porter up a sweeping staircase to the first floor where they were shown to two very comfortable rooms. They ate their supper together in Emmy’s room looking out of the window at the boats in the harbour and then Jake retired to his own room while Emmy took the pins from her hair and got ready for bed.
Once again the doubts set in. What if Abi wasn’t there? What if they had come all that way for nothing? What would she tell her mother if she had to go home without her? But then taking a firm grip on herself, she pulled on her nightgown and slid into bed, very aware that Jake was just a few doors away from her. She tossed and turned for some time but eventually she slept. She would know soon now and the morning couldn’t come quickly enough.
Chapter Thirty-Five
‘You look tired,’ Jake commented the next morning as they sat together having breakfast in the hotel dining room.
‘I didn’t get that much sleep,’ Emmy admitted as she poured them both a cup of tea. ‘What if she isn’t here?’
‘Where else would she be?’ He patted her hand. ‘Stop worrying, we’ll find her and hopefully persuade her to come home with us. She’s probably been staying with Hugo’s grandparents. I hope you’ve brought some strong footwear. The Medvilles’ chateau is a good step past the town from what the man on the reception desk told me and it hasn’t stopped snowing all night.’
Emmy glanced towards the window. He was right, the snow was still coming down in thick white flakes but thankfully she had thought to pack a pair of stout walking boots, although she wondered if even they would be any use in this weather. Still, her need to see Abi was so great that she would have walked barefoot if need be so she wasn’t overly concerned.
The breakfast in front of them was very different to the ones they were accustomed to back at home. There was a basket of small rolls and pastries fresh from the oven and a selection of jams and thick creamy butter to spread on them. Jake was tucking in with a will but Emmy could hardly swallow a thing and was glad when he finally sat back and rubbed his stomach appreciatively.
‘That was delicious,’ he declared. ‘But you’re like a cat on hot bricks so shall we go back to our rooms and get ready to go?’
‘Yes please.’ Emmy rose hastily and they hurried back to their rooms.
They met up again in the foyer shortly after, wrapped in layers of clothes.
‘Right, we’ll get off then,’ Jake said and taking her elbow they stepped out on to the street.
The bitterly cold wind took their breath away and as the snow was blown into their faces, they had to bow their heads as they set off for the outskirts of the town.
‘I c-can’t believe how big and how busy this place is,’ Emmy panted as they slipped and slid their way up the main street. Thankfully the traffic had flattened the snow, but it was now treacherously slippery and Emmy clung on to Jake’s arm for dear life.
‘Le Havre is a very busy seaport,’ Jake agreed and as they moved slowly along, they passed sailors of all nationalities, colours, shapes and sizes.
When they eventually reached the outskirts of the town, though, the snow deepened as the road rose through trees up a steep hill, and they passed fewer people. By now the bottom of Emmy’s skirts were sodden and they were both so covered in snow that it was impossible to see what colour clothes they were wearing. Her boots had proved to be rather ineffective and already her feet were so cold and wet that she was losing all feeling in them.
‘I h-hope it isn’t too much further,’ Emmy said breathlessly as they steadily climbed. The snow was much deeper here and they had left the sounds of the town far behind. All they could hear now was the wind gusting through the leafless trees. Then suddenly Jake squeezed her hand and glancing up through narrowed eyes Emmy saw someone heading towards them from the opposite direction. As the person drew closer, he lifted his head and Jake gasped with amazement as he dragged Emmy to a halt.
‘Jasper! What are you doing here?’
‘I could ask you the same thing,’ Jasper replied as he stared pointedly at Emmy’s arm, which was tucked through Jake’s.
‘We .?.?. we’ve come to find Abi.’ Emmy’s teeth were chattering and she was sure she would never be warm again.
‘Abi?’ Jasper frowned. ‘What would Abi be doing here?’
‘She left the club some weeks ago to come and find Hugo,’ Emmy told him, her heart thudding painfully. ‘She told Maria at the club that he was staying here with his grandparents.’
‘He is,’ Jasper agreed. ‘But we’ve seen nothing of Abi, I assure you.’
‘But you must have!’ Emmy was clearly distressed now.
Jasper shook his head. ‘I’ve been here a while and I’m sure Hugo would have told me if she’d visited him,’ he insisted, then with a guilty expression he looked back at Jake. ‘I got fed up with Father barking orders at me. I wonder what it will take for him to realise that I don’t want to be a bloody farmer!’
‘Well, you’ve got to do something with your life,’ Jake said unsympathetically. ‘How are you going to live if Father stops your allowance?’
Jasper sniffed as he swiped the snow from out of his eyes. It was almost blizzard-like now. ‘He already has,’ he sneered. ‘But thankfully, Mother is sending money out to me. But come on, I think we need to get Emmy out of the cold, she looks frozen through. Where are you staying?’
Emmy hesitated but realising there was nothing to be gained from going any further if Abi wasn’t there, she sighed with disappointment and they started the downward climb. It seemed much harder going down than it had going up and more than once she would have fallen had it not been for Jake and Jasper supporting her. At last, they reached the hotel and staggered into the foyer, wet through and gasping for breath.
‘Go upstairs and get out of those wet clothes before you catch your death of cold,’ Jake ordered, taking control. ‘Then come back down and I’ll have some hot coffee waiting for you.’
