The Chocolatier's Wife (15 page)

Sh
e
leap
t
u
p
an
d
opene
d
th
e
windo
w
s
o
tha
t
th
e
win
d
sprite
s
woul
d
know wher
e
sh
e
was
,
hummin
g
th
e
callin
g
song
.
On
e
o
f
the
m
fle
w
aroun
d
her, happ
y
an
d
pleased
,
an
d
the
n
thre
w
itsel
f
throug
h
th
e
curtain
s
o
f
th
e
bed.

Mayhap
s
h
e
wasn’
t
puttin
g
i
t
off
.
Mayhap
s
h
e
trul
y
ha
d
bee
n
goin
g
t
o
cal
l
fo
r
her
.
Sh
e
didn’
t
know
,
bu
t
lookin
g
a
t
th
e
exquisit
e
bed
,
sh
e
fel
t
wanted
,
an
d
th
e
feelin
g
mad
e
he
r
loo
k
forwar
d
t
o
th
e
nigh
t
whe
n
sh
e
woul
d
b
e
sharin
g
th
e
be
d
wit
h
him
.

Sh
e
looke
d
ove
r
he
r
shoulder
.
On
e
hopes
.
Sh
e
ha
d
n
o
ide
a
jus
t
ho
w
dire th
e
situ
a
tio
n
wa
s
bu
t
perhaps
,
whe
n
sh
e
joine
d
Willia
m
an
d
Andre
w
fo
r
thei
r
meal
,
sh
e
woul
d
ge
t
a
bette
r
idea.

Bu
t
f
irst
,
i
t
wa
s
tim
e
t
o
ge
t
cleane
d
up
.
Sh
e
ra
n
downstair
s
an
d
looked aroun
d
ou
t
sid
e
unti
l
sh
e
foun
d
a
youn
g
ma
n
wh
o
wa
s
willin
g
t
o
ear
n a
coi
n
b
y
fetchin
g
Ceceli
a
an
d
tellin
g
he
r
tha
t
he
r
ne
w
mistres
s
wante
d
t
o
spea
k
t
o
her
.
The
n
sh
e
turne
d
he
r
attentio
n
t
o
gettin
g
wate
r
fro
m
th
e
wel
l
i
n
th
e
courtyar
d
i
n
th
e
back
.
A
t
leas
t
i
t
wa
s
no
t
fa
r
away
;
sh
e
migh
t
eve
n
b
e
abl
e
t
o
hav
e
a
ful
l
bat
h
onc
e
i
n
awhile
.
Onc
e
bac
k
i
n
th
e
kitchen
,
sh
e
pu
t
a
basi
n
in th
e
middl
e
o
f
th
e
floor
,
decidin
g
no
t
t
o
eve
n
bothe
r
heatin
g
th
e
water
.
She undid her dress enough to keep it from getting soaked, and took the pins from her hair before kneeling
ove
r
the basin
.

“Hello
,
hello!
”
a
delicate
,
swee
t
voic
e
calle
d
out
,
an
d
Tasmi
n
grimaced. Tha
t
wa
s
fast
.
I
f
sh
e
wasn’
t
alread
y
o
n
he
r
way
,
I’
m
a
blue-winge
d
wate
r
fairy
.
Sh
e
lifte
d
he
r
towe
l
enoug
h
t
o
cove
r
he
r
bosom
,
an
d
said
,
“I
n
th
e
kitchen.”

Th
e
woma
n
wh
o
cam
e
i
n
wa
s
ligh
t
o
f
foot
,
wit
h
ski
n
th
e
colo
r
o
f
pale chocolat
e
an
d
honey
.
Sh
e
knel
t
quickly
,
s
o
the
y
wer
e
acros
s
th
e
basi
n
fro
m
eac
h
othe
r
an
d
s
o
tha
t
sh
e
wa
s
no
t
i
n
advantag
e
ove
r
th
e
othe
r
woman
.
Tasmi
n
coul
d
se
e
blu
e
an
d
gree
n
swirl
s
o
f
tatto
o
acros
s
th
e
hollow
s
o
f
her skin
,
i
n
a
necklac
e
aroun
d
he
r
neck
,
i
n
he
r
temple
s
fadin
g
bac
k
int
o
he
r
hair
.
“Wh
y
i
s
i
t
tha
t
th
e
wome
n
me
n
brin
g
hom
e
fro
m
e
x
oti
c
port
s
ar
e
alway
s
beautiful
?
”

A
sli
p
o
f
smil
e
befor
e
Ceceli
a
said
,
quit
e
seriously
,
“Becaus
e
wher
e
I
com
e
fro
m
nearl
y
al
l
wome
n
ar
e
beautifu
l
an
d
elegant
.
S
o
muc
h
s
o
i
n
fac
t
that ou
r
me
n
ar
e
quit
e
bore
d
wit
h
u
s
an
d
i
t
i
s
th
e
plai
n
wome
n
wh
o
ge
t
marrie
d f
irst.
”