Summary

As it turned out, the old woman staring at him from the inn was Madame Gertrude Mallory. Mallory was an innkeeper originally from Loire. She was also a chef who had lived alone in the attic of the Le Saule Pleureur for thirty-four years when the Haji family bought the Dufour mansion. As a young woman, Mallory was sent to the best hotel school in Geneva. She was a private person who was sharp-tongued and unfriendly. She liked to hike in the Alps and always did so by herself. She was able to purchase the mansion in Lumiere after she received an inheritance. She worked long hours in the kitchen to perfect her culinary skills. The Le Saule Pleureur was considered one of France’s top small country hotels.

Mallory had an extensive collection of cookbooks. Her copy of Apicius’ “De Re Coquinaria” was...