Thus established in his position, the young priest called Agathe Sauze into his study and told her that he no longer needed her services.

‘The girl, Annette, is perfectly able to look after me here. It doesn’t take two women to look after the simple requirements of a priest.’

Simple requirements of a priest! Apart from the general keeping of a house, Agathe thought of the large meals Father Thomas consumed without comment; the spotless vestments she was expected to provide for the church services. With Father Lenoir that had been a privilege, her pride in his pristine appearance always appreciated with a smile of recognition or word of thanks. She received no such acknowledgement from Father Thomas. Would young Annette, aged only about eighteen, be able to cope with the demands of running the Clergy House and looking after the daily needs of its incumbent? It would not be easy.

Agathe looked him firmly in the eye. ‘So, you’re throwing me out into the street,’ she said flatly.

‘Certainly not,’ snapped Father Thomas. ‘You are getting old and I am releasing you so that you may retire.’

‘But I don’t want to retire.’

‘That’s your problem, madame, not mine. I no longer require your services. You must be out of this house in two weeks’ time.’

‘But I have nowhere to go.’ Agathe heard the dismay in her voice and struggled to hide it.

‘Which is why,’ Father Thomas replied smugly, ‘I am giving you two weeks to find somewhere. It’s the Christian thing to do.’

Agathe returned to the kitchen to break the news to Annette. Over the years she had become fond of the girl. She had taught her to cook and clean properly and in the evenings she had taught her to read and write. At first Annette had dismissed ‘book learning’ as a waste of time, but Agathe had insisted, and as she came to grips with it Annette had realised that it wasn’t that difficult and had discovered a whole new world in the few books Agathe had to offer her.

‘You never know when such learning may come in useful,’ Agathe had said, ‘and in the meantime you can enjoy reading.’ And Annette had found that she did.

Now, when Agathe told Annette what the priest had said, the girl turned pale.

‘You can’t leave me with him,’ she cried. ‘Madame, don’t leave me with him.’

Agathe smiled ruefully. ‘Annette, I can’t take you with me, I’ve nowhere to go. At least you will have a roof over your head and food on the table.’ It was the best she could offer. She was well aware that if she took Annette with her and both of them became vagrant, the girl could well end up on the streets, selling her body to keep herself alive. ‘I looked after Father Lenoir for nearly thirty years, and in that time we learned to get along. You’ll get used to Father Thomas’s ways and find that you rub along together.’