Page 71 of The Seven Sisters

Every day was different there, a feast for the creative senses, as artists, musicians and writers filled its tables. Only last week, she’d seen the author James Joyce sitting at a table outside drinking wine and poring over a huge stack of typewritten pages.

‘I glanced over his shoulder,’ said Arnaud, a would-be writer acquaintance of Margarida’s, breathless with excitement. ‘The manuscript was entitledFinnegans Wake. It’s the book he’s been writing for six years!’

Even though Bel knew she should be content with the fact that she was brushing shoulders and breathing the same air as these luminaries each day, Margarida and she still spent most of their walk from the school to Montparnasse hatching fruitless plots to escape during the evening, which was the time when the Left Bank really came to life.

‘Of course it’s impossible, but I can dream,’ Bel would remark.

‘Well, I suppose we must count our blessings that we have freedom during the day at least,’ sighed Margarida.

*

Bel looked at her watch, realising that Margarida’s car would be here to collect her at any moment. Dressing in a navy blue gabardine sailor dress, which she’d taken to wearing as it was the plainest item of clothing she possessed, she combed her hair, added a dash of lipstick and shouted a goodbye from the hall as she closed the door behind her.

‘You’re well this morning?’ Margarida asked her as she climbed inside the car.

‘Yes, very well, thank you.’

‘Izabela, I’m afraid I have bad news for you. Professor Landowski has confirmed that he’s prepared to offer me an internship in hisatelierin Boulogne-Billancourt. So I will no longer be attending classes at the Beaux-Arts.’

‘Congratulations, you must be thrilled.’ Bel did her best to raise a smile at her friend’s good fortune.

‘Yes, I’m delighted of course,’ said Margarida. ‘But I do understand that this puts you in a difficult position. I’m not sure that Senhora da Silva Costa will allow you to continue attending lessons at the school alone.’

‘She won’t. It’s as simple as that.’ Bel’s eyes filled with involuntary tears.

‘Bel, don’t despair.’ Margarida patted her hand comfortingly. ‘We will find a solution, I promise.’

*

Ironically, their tutor for the morning session was Landowski himself, whose rare lessons Bel was normally enthralled by, as he expanded his theory of simple lines and discussed the technical difficulty of achieving perfection. But today, Bel didn’t hear him.

The worst thing was that since the very first lunch at La Closerie des Lilas, over a month ago now, she hadn’t set eyes on Laurent Brouilly. When she’d asked Margarida as casually as she could where he was, she had said he was heavily employed assisting Landowski in producing the first prototype for Heitor’sCristo.

‘I believe Monsieur Brouilly has been sleeping in theatelierevery night. Senhor da Silva Costa is eager to be given something that he can begin to work with for his mathematical calculations.’

After the class, Landowski beckoned Margarida over.

‘So, mademoiselle, you will join us at myateliernext week?’

‘Yes, Professor Landowski, and I’m honoured to be given the opportunity.’

‘And I see you are with your compatriot, the girl with the beautiful hands,’ Landowski said, nodding at Bel. ‘Brouilly still talks of wishing to sculpt you. When this week is over and my first sculpture goes to your guardian, perhaps you can accompany Mademoiselle Lopes de Almeida to myatelierand Brouilly can have his wish? Your presence will be a prize for the long hours he has spent on theCristothese past three weeks. It will be healthy for him to study a woman’s form, after looking so long at Our Lord.’

‘I’m sure Izabela would be delighted to do so,’ Margarida answered quickly for her. Landowski nodded at both of them and left the classroom.

‘So, you see, Izabela?’ Margarida crowed as they walked from the school and commenced their daily walk to Montparnasse. ‘God, or in fact theCristo, seems to be on your side!’

‘Yes,’ agreed Bel, her heart lifting with renewed hope. ‘It seems He is.’

*

‘Bel, I have something I wish to talk to you about,’ said Maria Elisa suddenly that evening as they readied themselves for bed. ‘And I want to know your opinion.’

‘Yes, of course.’ Bel sat down, glad of a chance to be a sounding board for her friend, with whom she felt she had been spending far less time than she should. ‘What is it?’

‘I’ve decided that I’d like to begin training as a nurse.’

‘Why, that’s wonderful news,’ Bel said with a delighted smile.