299 Third Stage of the Competition (9)

"If Pierre had been here, he would have smacked you!" Cora scolded Dmitri. "You are behaving like a spoilt little brat!" 

Ed was stunned when he heard the name "Pierre"? He stared at her as though she had grown two horns on her head. His brain had started producing sparks, desperately trying to connect the dots. However, all that was happening was mini short circuits. He was looking like pop-eyed toy that you see in the claw machines in the fun fair. He was speechless. His brain stuttered for sometime as he thought he would ask her how she knew Pierre. Obviously that must have been her husband with the way she spoke about him. Ed's mind couldn't take more information and every part of his body went into a pause mode. 

"I am leaving now," said Cora as she got up. Then she looked at Ed and said, "Is it okay if you sleep here in the palace along with us?"