Page 58 of The Seven Sisters

‘Time for bed, Bel. I’m exhausted from all the travelling.’ Maria Elisa broke into her thoughts as she entered the bedroom. ‘Please can you shut that window? It’s freezing in here.’

‘Of course.’ Bel pulled the sash down and went to the bathroom to put on her nightgown.

Ten minutes later, they lay side by side in their twin beds. ‘Goodness, Paris is so cold,’ said Maria Elisa, physically shivering as she pulled the sheets up to her chin. ‘Do you not think so?’

‘No, not really,’ Bel replied as she reached to switch off the bedside lamp. ‘Goodnight, Maria Elisa, sleep well.’

As Bel lay there in the dark, she was gripped by a restless anticipation of what this city, and the crowd across the river, whose lifestyles so excited her, could hold. And she felt very warm indeed.

*

Waking early the following morning, Bel was up and dressed by eight o’clock, so eager was she to go out and do nothing more than walk the streets of Paris, inhaling the atmosphere. Heitor was the only member of the family in the dining room when she arrived for breakfast.

‘Good morning, Izabela.’ He glanced up at her, pen in hand as he sipped his coffee. ‘Are you well?’

‘Yes, very well indeed. I’m not disturbing you, am I?’

‘No, not at all. I’m glad of the company. I was expecting to breakfast alone as my wife is complaining of a sleepless night due to the cold.’

‘Sadly, your daughter too,’ reported Bel. ‘She’s asked for the maid to take her breakfast to her in bed. She thinks she might have a chill.’

‘Well, from the look of you, it’s good to see that you’re not suffering from the same affliction,’ Heitor commented.

‘Oh, even if I had pneumonia this morning, I would still be up,’ she assured him as the maid poured her some coffee. ‘How can one feel sick in Paris?’ she added as she reached for an unusual horn-shaped pastry from a basket in the centre of the table.

‘That is a croissant,’ Heitor informed her as he saw her studying it. ‘Delicious eaten warm, with fruitconfiture. I too love this city, although sadly I’ll have little time to explore while I’m here. I have many meetings to attend.’

‘With possible sculptors?’

‘Yes, which of course I’m excited about. Also, I have an appointment with an expert on reinforced concrete, which may not sound so romantic, but for me, it may provide the key to my project.’

‘Have you ever been to Montparnasse?’ Bel ventured as she bit into the sweet pastry and her taste buds offered their approval.

‘Yes, but not for many years. I went when I was a young man on my classical tour. So, the idea of the Left Bank and its . . . unusual inhabitants appeals to you?’

Bel saw Heitor’s eyes were twinkling. ‘Yes. I mean, it was the birthplace of some of the greatest artists of our generation. I like Picasso very much.’

‘So, you’re a Cubist?’

‘No, and no expert either. I simply enjoy great works of art,’ she clarified. ‘Since my art history instruction in Rio, I’ve become interested in the artists who produce them.’

‘Then no wonder you are eager to explore the Bohemian quarter. I warn you, senhorita, it’s very . . . decadent compared to Rio.’

‘I imagine it’s decadent compared to everywhere!’ Bel agreed. ‘They are living in a different way, trying out new ideas, pushing the world of art forwards . . .’

‘Yes, they are. However, if I decided to make Picasso’s style of painting my inspiration for theCristo, I think I would have a problem,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘So, sadly, my search will not be leading me to Montparnasse. Now, I’m afraid I must be rude and leave you. I’m due at my first meeting in half an hour.’

‘I shall be quite content by myself,’ Bel replied, as she watched Heitor stand and gather up his papers and notebook.

‘Thank you for your company. I enjoy our conversations very much.’

‘As do I,’ Bel said shyly, as he gave her a nod and left the room.

*

Maria Elisa’s chill developed into a fever by lunchtime and the doctor was called. Her mother looked little better than her daughter, and both were prescribed aspirin and bed rest until the fever had passed. With all of Paris beckoning, Bel roamed the apartment like a caged animal, her frustration making her less sympathetic towards Maria Elisa than she knew she ought to be.

I am a terrible, selfish person, she scolded herself as she sat beside the window, longingly watching Paris living beneath her.