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“You went to Swiss school?”

I watch his nape as he nods His tricep flexes as he swings the hammer

“Where was it located?”

“Near Geneva”

“Do you speak French, then?”

“I do”

“Parlez-vous aussi Italien et Allemand?”

He turns around to smirk at me “Oui, oui Et vous parlez Francais”

“Yes, I had several years of French, and for a year we had a tutor I do believe you paid for it”

He shakes his head “I didn’t pay for it I didn’t even knoe still brought stuff out to the island—” he falters, his gaze veering away from mine for just a moment— “until my cousin told me”

“Why Tristan?” I know the answer, of course, but I’ him to see if he does

My heart pounds as he says, “My father caot it”

The ache in h me I remember Mummy as alked to the post office I reht no one was looking I re my hand to hers—to her hand that held the letter

“What’s that word mean, Mummy?”

“Which one, darling?”