The Chocolatier's Wife (16 page)

Tasmi
n
laughe
d
ou
t
loud
,
an
d
th
e
woma
n
pushe
d
he
r
shoulder
s
down s
o
tha
t
sh
e
wa
s
ben
t
ove
r
th
e
basin
,
the
n
too
k
th
e
clot
h
an
d
bega
n
scrubbin
g
her
.
“You
r
husband-to-b
e
i
s
a
ver
y
goo
d
man
,
an
d
h
e
di
d
m
e
a
ver
y
goo
d
turn
,
bu
t
I
swear
,
hi
s
ey
e
i
s
no
t
o
n
m
e
o
r
an
y
othe
r
woman
. I
hav
e
travele
d
long enoug
h
t
o
kno
w
tha
t
hi
s
hono
r
o
f
yo
u
i
s
mor
e
importan
t
tha
t
an
y
passin
g
relie
f
o
f
hi
s
desires.
”
Sh
e
spok
e
wit
h
a
lil
t
tha
t
i
n
voke
d
th
e
island
s
o
f
th
e
far south
,
o
f
th
e
Selk
i
an
d
th
e
Dayne
.
O
f
exoti
c
land
s
tha
t
peopl
e
spok
e
o
f
in dream
y
whispers
.

“Wh
y
ar
e
yo
u
tellin
g
m
e
this
?
I
barel
y
kno
w
th
e
ma
n
enoug
h
t
o
b
e
jealous
,
an
d
h
e
i
s
no
t
ye
t
m
y
husband
.
I
didn’
t
eve
n
kno
w
wha
t
h
e
looke
d
lik
e
unti
l
an hou
r
ago.
”
Besides
,
h
e
trie
d
t
o
giv
e
m
e
th
e
impressio
n
tha
t
h
e
barel
y
kne
w
you
.

Ceceli
a
f
inishe
d
scrubbin
g
he
r
an
d
too
k
th
e
basin
,
dumpin
g
th
e
wate
r
in th
e
sink
.
“W
e
shal
l
was
h
you
r
hai
r
no
w
wit
h
wha
t
i
s
lef
t
i
n
th
e
bucket
.
Th
e
dus
t
fro
m
you
r
journe
y
i
s
stickin
g
t
o
it.
”
Tasmi
n
glared
,
bu
t
allowe
d
herself t
o
b
e
pushe
d
an
d
prodde
d
int
o
position
.
“Willia
m
i
s
familia
r
wit
h
th
e
way
s
of people
,
an
d
h
e
wante
d
t
o
mak
e
sur
e
tha
t
ther
e
woul
d
b
e
n
o
doubts
.
‘Cecelia,
’
h
e
sai
d
t
o
me
,
‘Cecelia
,
no
w
tha
t
I
hav
e
bee
n
s
o
kin
d
a
s
t
o
hir
e
yo
u
an
d
give yo
u
a
n
income
,
I
d
o
no
t
wan
t
an
y
doubt
s
i
n
m
y
wife’
s
hear
t
a
s
t
o
wher
e
m
y
loyalt
y
is.
’
An
d
s
o
I
promise
d
hi
m
I
woul
d
mak
e
certai
n
tha
t
tha
t
wa
s
so
.
I
nee
d
a
comb
.
I
shal
l
us
e
mine
,
i
f
yo
u
don’
t
mind
,
i
t
i
s
clean.
”
Sh
e
bega
n
t
o
d
o
so
,
an
d
the
n
said
,
“Yo
u
cam
e
her
e
fast
.
Why
,
fo
r
a
ma
n
yo
u
d
o
no
t
know
,
eh?”

“Becaus
e
i
t
wa
s
m
y
duty,
”
sh
e
sai
d
stif
f
ly
,
thoug
h
i
t
wa
s
har
d
t
o
b
e
to
o
upse
t
wit
h
someon
e
wh
o
ha
d
jus
t
washe
d
an
d
wa
s
no
w
combin
g
he
r
hair.

“Duty
,
duty
.
See
?
No
w
yo
u
canno
t
doub
t
you
r
intended
,
fo
r
a
s
yo
u
d
o
you
r
dut
y
t
o
him
,
h
e
doe
s
hi
s
dut
y
t
o
you.
”
Sh
e
wa
s
silen
t
a
moment
,
workin
g
ou
t
a
particularl
y
ba
d
knot
.
“I
t
i
s
sad
,
i
s
i
t
not
?
Tha
t
yo
u
alway
s
kne
w
wh
o
yo
u
woul
d
marry
?
Yo
u
hav
e
n
o
chanc
e
fo
r
passion
,
n
o
excitemen
t
o
f
th
e
chas
e
or th
e
capture.
”