“Definitely!” Nora agreed. “We’re quickly running out of days. It will soon be time for Giselle to return, and I will go back to Canada. Gosh, I’ll miss all of this.”
“Well,” said Marie-Louise, “we never know what might happen. Plans often change in an instant.”
The rather cryptic reply startled Nora, but before she could question her friend’s words, Marie-Louise rose and Yvette appeared, as if by magic, at her side to help her say goodbye. Atticus was on his feet as well.
Nora touched her cheek subconsciously and wondered what the quick goodbye had been about as she and Atticus walked down the street.
ChapterThirty-Six
Late in the evening,Nora took Atticus for his bedtime walk. She was bundled up with a toque—a wool scarf wrapped around her neck—and her hands were tucked into warm mittens. Snow drifted gently over Montmartre, coating the crooked rooftops in a thin, shimmering veil.
The usual buzz of cafés was subdued. Inside, people huddled over glasses of vin chaud, their breath fogging the windows. Outside, life seemed to pause, wrapped in white.
The lamps along Rue Lepic glowed amber through the flurries, flickering like candlelight. Once again, Nora had an image of Vincent shuffling along ahead of her. She shook her head to clear it and hurried Atticus along, carefully watching her step on the slick cobblestones. It was time for bed.
Not only was she emotionally drained, but in a good way this time, from her afternoon with Marie-Louise, but the evening had taken its toll too. She’d given Cynthia and her friends the quickie tour of Montmartre. They’d ended up in the cozy atmosphere of Nora’s favorite wood-fired pizza place, known for its fresh ingredients. There was no lingering, as they had decided to drive back to Lyon that night rather than pay for another night in a hotel.
After endless hugs with Atticus, they left in a flurry of grazies, arrivedercis, and bisous, exclaiming they were in love with Paris and vowing to return. They invited Nora to visit them in Italy, and she promised she would. Cynthia assured them she would make certain Nora kept her promise.
Luc had called late in the afternoon to confirm he would collect her in the morning for a special tour of the newly reopened Notre Dame Cathedral. Nora was excited to see the amazing restoration, which had been completed on schedule—a miraculous feat in itself. But she had to admit she was even happier at the thought of spending time with Luc once again.
She fell into bed and chuckled as she listened to Atticus snoring lightly before her eyes were closed.
The words of Marie-Louise filtered into her mind. Nora always had so much to reflect upon after their visits. Usually she thought about the horror the war had inflicted on that little girl as well as the entire country. She had so much more to process than she’d anticipated. Of course, everyone in her generation was aware of the history of that time, but Marie-Louise had been taking her back to it in almost real time. It was a lot.
And then, on a completely different topic, which always made Nora smile inside, she recalled Marie-Louise’s words of encouragement to let love into her life again. That was something completely unexpected, but not easy to ignore, coming from this wise woman.
And those cryptic words when they had parted, about plans changing. Did she know something Nora didn’t?
* * *
By morning, Nora hadn’t stopped thinking about Marie-Louise’s last words, but now she set them aside. She looked forward to being surrounded by peace and beauty at Notre Dame, and she felt blessed to live in a time where those options were available to her. More than ever, it was not lost to her.
Punctual as always, Luc texted to say he was just minutes away. Nora replied she would meet him outside so he wouldn’t have to park. The snowy weather had left cars in disarray as people parked more chaotically than usual. She chuckled thinking of the heavy snowstorms she was used to and how one of those would have spelled disaster in Montmartre.
Luc had left the engine idling and stood at the door of her building when she reached it. His lightly tanned face lit up when he saw her. His stunning hazel eyes held hers.
Nora’s smile unfolded slowly and with a sensation she felt down to her toes as he approached. Her breath caught at the intimate way he looked at her. She leaned into his tender, lingering bise. The kiss to her cheeks, as well as his sensuous, citrusy scent, still warmed her skin after he stepped back.
Even though it had only been ten days since she’d last seen him, Nora was instantly pulled into his orbit. He did make her happy.
They chatted nonstop, trading stories of their experiences over the holidays, as Luc guided the car through the slushy streets. His descriptions of the property and villa where Giselle was staying created sumptuous visuals of lush gardens with birdsong and trickling fountains, terra-cotta-colored adobe walls, and mosaic tiles hand-painted with jewel-tone glazes.
He asked about Nora’s fête de Noël in the heart of Provence, and she kept him laughing with tales of the food and the goats and chickens, and of her efforts to speak French every day.
She dramatized the story of the dogs’ disappearance, which shocked him greatly until she reached the happy ending.
“Honestly, Luc, I can’t recall ever being so frightened. I was so worried Atticus was lost for good. Knowing there were hunters and wild boar out and about had really gotten into my head.”
He reached over and lightly squeezed her hand. “I can well imagine what a fright it was. Grâce à Dieu, everything worked out. What good luck that Pierre thought to call his friend.”
They reached the cathedral in what seemed like minutes. A private guide greeted them at the front façade and pointed out the immaculate Gothic carvings and statues of saints, as well as the restored rose windows. As soon as she entered, Nora gasped. The change between the time she had visited Notre Dame with Jeremy on their honeymoon and now was so dramatic.
Instead of the old dark, muted interior, everything had been cleaned to a soft limestone glow. The whole space felt lighter, brighter, and more open. After years of careful restoration by the caring hands of specialists, the sculptures had emerged from centuries of grime with more clarity.
The guide’s words carried such meaning as he said, “These once-darkened saints, angels, and prophets are not just preserved, but reawakened. The Cathedral of Notre Dame has been revived, and our hearts beat with pride.”
Two hours after they’d entered, Luc took Nora’s hand as they stood outside taking a last look.
