'The look' increased when Chéri exposed the wound and the doctor moved over and crouched down to get a look. The pity was mixed with horror, though, at the clearly intentional injury. He looked up at the young courtesan's face. "Who did that to you? How long ago was this?" Months possibly. And the wound had clearly not been properly disinfected or treated. The poor kid could have developed sepsis or gangrene, and these were still on Tristan's radar as his eyes moved back down to the disturbing pattern.

There was more than horror and pity now. There was anger as well. Pierre was just a kid.