Hunter

Chapter 25

"Voilà! We're here." Sophie exclaimed as she put down our bag of clothes in the living room.

I looked around. The living room was rather classic, two armchairs, a couch, a small table, some plants. Although Sophie clearly had a taste for decoration. The house was not as big as ours, but there was enough room for us.

"I'll go prepare dinner! Make yourself at home."

Agate pulled on my arm.

"Can I go with Sophie?"

I lowered my eyes towards her. "I don't know, it's her you need to ask."

She looked at Sophie. Sophie handed her her hand, Agate let go of mine and grabbed Sophie's and followed her in the kitchen.

I did not dare to go upstairs. Perhaps Sophie's husband was there. Instead, I took out dad's logbook I had put into my bag before leaving home, and started to read. I had taken it with as much to keep busy as to reassure me.

I allowed my reading to absorb me. Reading his words gave me the impression he was next to me. My anger against him when I had discovered what he was hiding from me felt so ridiculous now. I was so absorbed by what he said in his logbook that I barely heard Sophie call me for dinner.

Once we finished eating, Sophie took agate in her arms and went up stairs. She pushed the door with her hand and a little room appeared.

"Here is the guest room. I'm sorry, but you'll have to sleep in the same bed, you and your sister.

"That won't be a problem. We often do."

Silence fell.

"Is your husband okay with us being here?" I asked.

A wide smile appeared on Sophie's face.

"I am not married."

My jaw fell.

"Are you a widow?"

Sophie shook her head.

"Non, I leave alone, that's it."

"But... Aren't you afraid about what people say?"

"What do they say?"

Her smile got a bit wider. I stopped talking, afraid to open my mouth again.

"It's true, it's rather poorly regarded, but you know... I refuse to marry a man I do not love, only because it is what you need to do to have a good reputation. Maybe I will never get married, who knows?" She put down Agate on the bed for she had fallen asleep in her arms and sat next to her. "What about you? Has your father found someone for you?"

"Non. Everytime I try to discuss it, he avoids the question. He always answers "All in good time.""

Sophie had a little smile, then looked at me.

"Don't you think it's because he doesn't have the intention to promess you to anyone?"

I frowned. Where was she going with that? She saw my confusion and put her hand in my back and then spoke again.

"You know" she said. "I've known your father for a while now. And I know how much he loved your mother. I think that if he refuses to talk about an arranged marriage with you is because he wants you to find the right person on your own. Exactly like he did."

Surprise filled me and my eyes went wide.

"My father and my mother married out of love? Not because they had to? Did he tell you that?"

She shook her head.

"Gustave did not say anything to me. A hunch, that's it. When a person is imposed to you, you may love them eventually. But I doubt you can love them as deeply as your father loved your mother."

Sophie stopped for a moment.

"Do you want to go to bed?"

I shook my head. Too many things were spinning around in my brain for me to fall asleep.

Sophie got up and asked me to follow her. We went downstairs to the living room. Ul was sleeping on his back, his four paws in the air, in a corner of the room. Each of us sat in an armchair, then silence lingered for a long minute before Sophie took a serious face and spoke.

"Listen, Arthur. I know you and your father are in trouble these days.

My heart beat sideways.

"I have a bad feeling when I am with one of you. Then... There is Henri." I held my breath. This name now inspired me a strong fear. "I feel like he has a grudge against your father, am I wrong?

I risked a glance towards her.

"Non."

She sighed and looked at the air. The clock said 10h30 pm.

**