The Chocolatier's Wife (71 page)

Even
though
she
loved
her
aunt
and enjoyed
speaking
to
her, it
didn’t really
help.
She
had
so
many
things
running
around
in
her
head
at
once,
she was
not
having
the
easiest
time
speaking
about
it.
She
left
as
they
gathered together
to
sing
the
spires
into
existence.
There
would
be
no
roof, but
the place
was
created
to
frame
the
sa
p
phire
and
pale
moons,
both
sharing
the sky
this night.

Willia
m
couldn’
t
possibl
y
hav
e
anythin
g
t
o
d
o
wit
h
th
e
murder
,
eve
n
i
f
th
e
Bisho
p
wer
e
goin
g
t
o
tak
e
th
e
shop
.
An
d
th
e
chocolate
s
wer
e
i
n
th
e
clear
.
Lavoussie
r
i
s
u
p
t
o
something
.
Willia
m
i
s
right
,
ther
e
ha
s
t
o
b
e
a
gai
n
fo
r
th
e
Admiral
.

Sh
e
watche
d
th
e
childre
n
playin
g
o
n
th
e
gentl
e
slope
.
Th
e
tabl
e
sh
e
ha
d
see
n
b
e
in
g
se
t
u
p
earlie
r
sa
t
directl
y
unde
r
th
e
nake
d
ar
m
o
f
hi
s
sign
.
Sh
e
watche
d
a
s
Ayer
s
poure
d
mor
e
ho
t
chocolat
e
int
o
th
e
cauldro
n
o
n
th
e
tabl
e
whil
e
Ceceli
a
f
ille
d
plai
n
cla
y
mug
s
ful
l
o
f
th
e
invitin
g
liqui
d
t
o
hand t
o
anyon
e
wh
o
asked
.

Sometime
s
sh
e
sa
w
a
paren
t
pul
l
a
chil
d
away
,
bu
t
mor
e
ofte
n
tha
n
not
,
th
e
pa
r
ent
s
woul
d
com
e
u
p
a
s
well
,
spea
k
t
o
Cecelia
,
wh
o
looke
d
a
s
i
f
sh
e
wa
s
enjoyin
g
he
r
rol
e
fa
r
to
o
much
,
an
d
tak
e
som
e
chocolate
.
Ayer
s
too
k
a
baske
t
o
f
use
d
mug
s
bac
k
in
,
an
d
doubtles
s
woul
d
soo
n
retur
n
with them
,
freshl
y
scrubbed
.

Sh
e
though
t
abou
t
turnin
g
an
d
leaving
,
fo
r
she’
d
onl
y
barel
y
managed
t
o
avoi
d
havin
g
Ceceli
a
a
s
a
chaperon
e
b
y
bein
g
extr
a
stealth
y
an
d
kne
w
sh
e
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
ge
t
a
n
ea
r
full
.
Th
e
win
d
changed
,
an
d
sh
e
smelle
d
th
e
sea
,
an
d
cloves
,
an
d
soap.

“Where’
s
you
r
sign?
”
sh
e
aske
d
withou
t
turning.

Willia
m
laughe
d
softly
.
“Ho
w
di
d
yo
u
know?
”

I
coul
d
smel
l
you
.
I
coul
d
fee
l
you
.
I
wil
l
alway
s
b
e
abl
e
t
o
fin
d
you; yo
u
ca
n
no
t
tric
k
th
e
wind
.
“Fortunat
e
guess.
”
Sh
e
smile
d
a
t
hi
m
ove
r
her shoulder
.
“Well?
”

“‘Ti
s
o
n
order
;
alon
g
wit
h
th
e
gif
t
boxes
.
I
hav
e
som
e
mad
e
withou
t
th
e
shop’
s
ful
l
insigni
a
fo
r
now
,
bu
t
i
t
woul
d
b
e
bes
t
i
f
w
e
use
d
ou
r
boxe
s
t
o
remin
d
everyon
e
wher
e
th
e
content
s
com
e
from
.
‘Ti
s
ho
w
the
y
d
o
i
t
i
n
th
e
large
r
cities.
”

“So
,
wha
t
i
s
th
e
nam
e
o
f
th
e
shop?”

“
I
haven’
t
though
t
o
f
one
.
I
suppos
e
that’
s
wh
y
th
e
sig
n
i
n
stil
l
on order.
”
H
e
o
f
fere
d
hi
s
ar
m
an
d
sh
e
too
k
it
,
allowin
g
hi
m
t
o
lea
d
he
r
t
o
th
e
shop.

“Really
,
William
!
That’
s
th
e
sor
t
o
f
thin
g
on
e
woul
d
hav
e
expecte
d
you t
o
thin
k
o
f
age
s
ago.”