The Shopping Spree Begins
Moonette heard the door to her beach house creak open and then click closed. Was it six o’clock already? She glanced at the clock, then quickly took her arm and swept the several miniature silver credit cards off of her desk top and into the top drawer before....
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He fumbled the final pass of his silk tie but a solid six hours sleep had sharpened Hazel’s insight again. “I think you’re more interested in seeing Lorizelle.” She grinned. “There wouldn’t happen to be a dealer in exotic timber there, would there, man chièr?”
Marcus reached for his tailored jacket and shrugged it on. “What’s that expression Nicky picked up? Ah oui-‘busted’.” His smile was sheepish as he turned. “Yes, there would, and Jimce is always regaling me on the excellence of the restaurants there. Did you read the brochure?”
“All I have is this.” Hazel held up the miniature dragonhide case that contained the Portkey. “Moonette says it’s all very top-drawer and expensive but it’s for Amamama so…” She smiled. “I like window shopping anyway. Easier on the bank account.”
Marcus shook his head tolerantly. “I’ll remind you that you said that when you see the cloth shop, the wool boutique, the pâtisserie, the joaillier, les confiseries, les chaussures.”
“Watch it,” Hazel said with a playful smile. “Or I might decide I need a man’s opinion on certain items from Cornubia’s latest owl catalogue.”
Marcus laughed. “I’m half French, ma chiéthe. As a threat, that’s a failure! Tu es prêt?”
“Parfaitment!”
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“It reminds me of somewhere but I can’t pin it down.”
Marcus smiled at his author, enjoying the sight of her bright and interested gaze roving over everything as they strolled along one of the wide, cobbled alleys in the pale sun. Hazel had asked him to deal with the currency exchange, claiming her French wasn’t up to it, and now they were exploring. “Is it giving you ideas, ma chiéthe?”
“Oh, heaps! ‘Cartographie’-that’s maps, isn’t it? I didn’t know there were wizarding maps. Let’s look!”
“I thought you were here to meet Amamama,” Marcus said, allowing the smartly dressed woman to lead him to the window nonetheless.
“Now that she has wings and can come and go as she pleases, she’ll probably find us first. Wow-it’s three-d! Amazing!”
After a cursory glance Marcus turned his attention down the alley and towards the square. Marett’s was located on La Rue de la Fôret and they had to pass several shops that Hazel would not be able to resist exploring. He would have to be patient until Amamama arrived. Hazel took his arm again.
“So where’s this exotic timber place, then?”
“Pardon?” She had to be humouring him. He fell in step beside her but she wasn’t distracted by the sparkling jeweller’s window, nor the window crammed with handbags.
“What makes them special? Are there wizarding woods that we Muggles don’t know about? Do they seal the cross grain with wax or use special charms?”
Hazel smiled through the torrent of explanation that poured forth, filing it all away, as they wove around the others everyone moving at a sociable pace. Hopefully, inspiration would strike on a gift before the birthday girl arrived.
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