Then I leaned out and saw the view that Sid had been so proud of. In one direction the city sprawled out below us, its butter-yellow stone glowing in early morning sunlight, a morning mist hovering over the Seine River. I could see a large dome and maybe those twin towers were Notre-Dame? And when I looked up between the rooftops I could make out a large white building taking shape on the top of the hill. This was the new church Sid had written about. I must go and have a look for myself, I decided. The view would be spectacular.

I was already feeling better, sure that all would be explained and made right today. Sid and Gus would arrive, panting and laughing. “You’ll never guess Molly, Gus got a crazy idea to rent a motor and drive to Le Havre to surprise you only it was an awful old banger and it ran off the road in the middle of nowhere and we had to spend the night in a ditch.” Yes. That would be it. A perfectly reasonable explanation.

When I went back into my bedroom Liam was awake and playing happily with his own feet. He beamed when he saw me and tried to turn over and pull himself up, encumbered by his night-robes. I picked him up and took him to the window. The pigeons had resettled on the balcony and he clapped his hands in delight, causing them to flutter off again. I dressed us both then carried him cautiously down all those flights of stairs.

Madame Hetreau stepped out of her cubby immediately when she heard my footsteps. I wondered if she lurked there all day, waiting like a giant spider for her prey.

“They do not return, I think,” she said. Did I detect the hint of a gloat?

“No, they haven’t returned yet.” I gave her my most confident air. “I expect we’ll learn today what happened to them.”

“Perhaps they have found a wealthy benefactor and gone to live with him,” she said. “Many girls do in this city. It is hard to survive alone.”

“My friends have plenty of money and no interest in rich benefactors,” I said. “Now perhaps you can tell me where I can buy milk. I see a baker’s shop across the street but presumably the milk is delivered daily.”

“The American misses have a liter delivered,” she said. “You will find it in the wooden box beside the front door.”

“Thank you,” I said, thinking that she had probably been planning to use it herself if I hadn’t asked.

“And if I need to go out, it is difficult to take my baby with me. Do you know of a reliable woman who might watch my child from time to time?”

“Perhaps I could…” she began, her brain thinking how much she might charge me, now that she knew my friends were not without funds.