Lost in Quillan

Hello Gaius! said The VeloDrone, when Gaius walked in. How was your holiday in France?

Wonderful, said Gaius. But we have lost Baby Pierre.

Where? asked The VeloDrone. Not in Quillan?

How did you know it was Quillan? asked Gaius.

It was the last we heard of him, said The VeloDrone. We were following Margaret's blog. You were in Carcassonne. It was cold and wet. You and Margaret were going to get coffee, but Baby Pierre decided to take the bus to Quillan. Then there was silence. And no more blog.

Oh Margaret gave up , said Gaius. It was very hard to get wifi.

Yes but what about Baby Pierre? said The VeloDrone.

Indeed, said Gaius. However, he was only a stone.

A stone that read Joyce, said The VeloDrone. You ought to have sent out a search party.

Funny you should say that, said Gaius.

So you did send out a search party, said The VeloDrone.

No, said Gaius, but funny you should know what he was reading. He never finished the Joyce, by the way. He went into a tabac in Agen one day, and came out with La Princesse de Babylone.

La Princesse de Babylone! cried The VeloDrone. But that is by ME! Tell me, how did he like it?

He liked it, said Gaius, as far as I know. He was reading it in the bus on the way up to Quillan.

What a coincidence, said The VeloDrone. My book is about two cousins. And Baby Pierre was missing his cousin.

He was, said Gaius. The headstrong and beautiful Lavender. I imagine he got off the bus at Quillan, and it would have been raining.

And he thought to himself, I wish Lavender were here, said The VeloDrone.

With some milk, and some nuts and some raisins, said  Gaius.

And an umbrella, added The VeloDrone.