Chapter 16

Henri was surprised anything could bake in those clouds of minstrels and sugar. His insides twisted further, he had to stop on the road. The twinge wasn’t disgust. He gulped at the air with his hands on his knees. He looked up to the sky half expecting to see the curling chimney smoke of Le Mollusque. What Alix had described was the merriment mirrored in the kitchen of his auntie. Laughter and song? Always. Suddenly those years in Paris seemed so far away that all one could do was forget them. Henri felt a tear escape and he swiped it away quickly, praying Alix hadn’t seen.

He felt a small claw on the back of his neck and he stood up fast.

“Henri, are you all right?”

Henri blinked a few times and sniffed back the deluge, grinding his teeth. He swatted at Alix’s touch.

“The gelattoist. His name is Cosimo Ruggieri.”

“Who?” Henri turned breathless, his ears ringing from the name.