‘He’s enjoying it but has reservations about the safety side because of all the conjecture about it being run anonymously. But I assured him his details are safe.’
‘Him and technology!’ I say with a stiff smile.
‘Right, he’s a luddite of the finest order. It’s not helped by every second person at the market gossiping about Paris Cupid. I suppose it’s because of Emmanuel Roux. I don’t understand why people care so much about it being run by someone who doesn’t want their name involved.’
‘I don’t get it either. Was Guillaume really worried?’ Will that stop him from writing to Clementine? I’d hate to see that happy smile of his snatched away again. All because he’s worrying about a data breach or whatever his suspicious mind dreamed up.
‘Oui. He’s worried it might have been some kind of scam, that he’d be cloned, just the usual.’
‘Cloned?’ I let out a giggle. ‘Guillaume says technology has advanced too quickly and we’re all going be replaced with robots. The cloning thing is new.’
‘I did some investigation into Paris Cupid to put his mind at ease. It looks like a legitimate site to me.’
I try my best to keep my expression neutral but to hear even Benoit is digging around Paris Cupid is alarming. ‘So you said Guillaume is in love?’ He’s been writing for well over a month, so I suppose they could have agreed to meet, but I just don’t see Guillaume going that fast with this, and to call it love, well, that’sa whole leap I didn’t expect he’d take, not for a very long time at any rate.
Benoit makes a face. ‘I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but he asked me to write one of his love letters in calligraphy.’
‘Oh…?’
‘He wanted to meet. He wasn’t sure if he was being too forward, rushing into things, hence he wanted me to use an elegant script to show her his romantic side and that he was taking their relationship seriously. After she read that letter they arranged to meet. As far as I know things progressed fast because he told me she was joining him for a few days on his buying trip to Roeun.’
‘I’m…’ Lost for words. So much for taking it slow! It hasn’t been very long and they’re going away together already? ‘I’m a little taken aback. Guillaume confided in me about Paris Cupid and I figured he was searching for a friendship more than anything else.’ First Emmanuel and Émilienne and now this. None of my matches are panning out the way I expected.
‘Apparently sparks flew. They’re both smitten.’
It’s like my brain is on overload and can’t compute the information. None of this came up when I met him at the vet but I suppose our focus had been on Minou. I consider Benoit’s job, penning the private innermost thoughts of his customers, writing their secrets, their sweet nothings onto delicate parchment, taking a love letter and making it into art with his beautiful calligraphy. It’s just like Guillaume to elevate his humble letter-writing, using Benoit to make it even more special. ‘I guess it was love at first sight for Guillaume and Clementine.’
‘Looks that way.’
Mortifyingly happy tears spring to my eyes and I hurriedly wipe them away. ‘Ignore me.’
‘You really care for him, don’t you?’ For a moment I get lost in Benoit’s deep intelligent gaze. He manages to pick up on just what I’m feeling without me having to voice it.
‘I do. I’ve been so worried about him since Mathilde passed away. Each year he gets thinner, wasting away before my very eyes, and nothing I could say or do would help. Mathilde had been adamant he should find love again, but he was dead against it. To hear this news, well, it’s a real privilege to have been…’ I stop short, catching myself before saying too much. Blame the emotions of the moment. ‘To hear this wonderful news.’
Benoit gives me a strange look. Or am I reading too much into it after my gaffe?
‘Cheese?’ I say brightly, holding the plate up.
‘Sure.’ He takes a slice of baguette and cuts a wedge of brie to place on the top.
‘It seems like everyone in Paris is falling in love…’ I muse almost to myself as we lock eyes.
‘There was something I wanted to ask you…’ Benoit says, but the thread is lost when Minou jumps up and steals the brie from Benoit’s fingers and dashes to my bedroom.
‘That cat!’
26
Minou is safely ensconced at my apartment with a cat sitter. A no-nonsense teenager who promises me she’s seen it all before and whatever the cat throws at her she’ll be able to handle. She’ll administer his medications and make sure he doesn’t escape his inflatable collar. I’ve come to learn Minou has about six different personalities and with no warning he will turn from sleepy cuddler to acrobat. Eventually his energy wanes, and I clean up the debris as if a hurricane blew through and left only destruction in its wake.
As I come to the market square, I stop at Coraline’s stall to buy flowers in the hopes she’ll share any news about her Paris Cupid match.
‘Bonjour,Lilou,’ she says, giving me a wide grin.
‘Bonjour. How are you?’ I peruse the flowers on offer, picking up a bouquet of bright yellow daffodils.
‘Daffodils mean new beginnings, Lilou. Is that what you’re after?’
