The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni

Author:Cristina Caboni
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-07-08T12:33:24+00:00

Fifteen

THYME: clarity. Energizing, invigorating.

The fragrance dispels confusion and opens the mind to logic.

Deciphers the uncertainty of dreams. Restores mental stability.

Since she had started taking her vitamins, Elena had been feeling better; even the sickness had passed. Her pregnancy had turned into something that filled her with wonder and fear in equal measure. She would start talking to the baby, then stop and listen, almost as though she expected a response. It was still too early to feel it move—the doctor had told her that wouldn’t happen until the fifth month—but Elena didn’t care; she knew her child could hear her. Talking to the baby had become vital to her. Susanna had never talked to her much, and that always saddened her. She was going to be different, Elena vowed: she would tell her child everything.

She started out with short phrases, then moved on to whole conversations and real secrets. At last, Elena had someone to confide in.

“Who were you talking to?” Cail asked one morning, as he came into the apartment.

“The baby, of course.”

He stared at her and then, without saying a word, went over to give her a hug. He liked touching her, holding her close to him, keeping her safe. It was something he couldn’t understand, this attachment: but he had a bad feeling about it. Look at the past, he reminded himself bitterly; it was best to bear that in mind.

The pain was still there. If he thought about it, if he looked for it, he could find it—and with it, memories of the young love that had come to a tragic end. He shouldn’t be throwing himself into a complicated relationship, and with Elena things would certainly be complicated. He’d even thought about leaving. But he couldn’t; it was a matter of honor. And Elena needed someone to take her out, someone to make her laugh.

He asked her to go and get ready, trying to restore a bit of normality, create some distance. He took her to the flower-market to pick up the rosehips that were waiting for him, the ones that would produce the seeds for his new plants.

Elena loved the market, the flowers, the perfumes, and the respect everyone had for Cail. All apart from the woman who served them, who was apparently called Liliane. She was constantly smiling and flirting. Elena hadn’t warmed to her at all.

Everything in Elena’s life seemed to be going well now. Even at Narcissus things had improved. Philippe had never properly apologized for his appalling behavior, but he’d kept his distance and let Claudine deal with her. Fortunately, shortly after that nasty little episode, Philippe had to go away for a while. Montier wanted to open a branch in London and he needed Philippe to handle the logistics and find suitable premises.

• • •

It was almost closing time when Adeline Binoche came into the shop, followed by a woman in her fifties with very short red hair and an intense expression. She reminded Elena of summer: bright and golden.

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