The knock at the door startled Mary almost as much as the next thunderclap and she hurried to open the door. "Please, come in," she said in English as she held it open to the girl.
She glanced back at Evonne a little apologetically for letting the next stranger in without asking but it wouldn't do to let her stand outside and be drenched. "I am sorry, but my French is very bad," she said in stilted French. "I'm just learning. I'm Mary, and this is Evonne. We were just saying how it looks as if we might be stuck here for the afternoon."