looking for you, cheri. The girls and I are going to Paris next
week, shopping.’
‘Oh no you’re not,’ Louis answered. ‘You, Solange de
Lorvoire, are staying here until after the boules tournament.
As my wife I order you to share in my humiliation.’
‘Oh, cheri,’ she grumbled, ‘do I have to? You play so badly.
That was why I put you down for the young men’s team. I
thought you would be able to use your age as an excuse.’
When the laughter had finally died down, Solange said,
‘Do you think we shall see Francois in Paris? I haven’t seen
him for so long. I do miss him, cheri.’
‘I know you do.’
‘And Louis misses his father, does he not, Claudine?’
Claudine nodded. No one ever asked her how she felt
about Francois’ absence, it was assumed that she preferred
it. But the fact was that since he had failed to return for
Louis’ first birthday, after telephoning the week before to
say he would try to come, she had hardly slept for worrying
about him. That was over four weeks ago, and as far as she
knew he hadn’t even contacted his father in that time. ‘Do
you know where he is, Louis?’ she ventured.
‘As a matter of fact, I do. He’s on his way back from
London, where I do believe he spent some time with your
father. So we might indeed see him in Paris.’ He frowned,
and peered at Claudine over the rims of his spectacles. ‘You
look a little pale, cherie, are you feeling unwell?’
‘No, I’m feeling fine,’ Claudine said. ‘Perhaps it’s your
beautiful daughter outshining me with her…’ She stopped abruptly as Monique dug an elbow in her ribs, but it was too late, Solange had remembered the engagement, and
Monique was obliged to sit her father down and tell him all
about Karol Kalinowski.
Later, after Solange and Louis had left the apartment,
Claudine said, ‘You still haven’t told me where you met
him.’
Monique seemed hesitant.
‘Did your eyes meet across a crowded room?’ Claudine
said, smiling. ‘Was it love at first sight? Come on, I’m dying
to know!’
Monique sighed. ‘I suppose there’s no harm in telling
you, I’m sure you know about her anyway. We were
introduced by Francois’ mistress.’
It was as if something sharp and burning had been
suddenly plunged into Claudine’s chest. Then, strangely, it
was as though the muscles of her face were trying to drag the
smile from her lips, and her heart started to thud monotonously
in her ears. ‘Francois’ mistress?’ she repeated.
‘Oh no!’ Monique groaned. She had genuinely believed
Claudine must know about Elise by now. ‘I am sorry, cherie. I
thought you knew.’
‘But of course I knew,’ Claudine heard herself say. ‘I was
just a little surprised … Well, surprised that you know her
well enough to…”
‘I don’t really,’ Monique answered. ‘I’ve only met her a
few times, but of course all Paris knows her.’ She winced.
That wasn’t what she’d meant to say at all.
‘And does all Paris know she is Francois’ mistress?’
Claudine asked.
Monique lowered her eyes. ‘I imagine so. But so many
men have mistresses, Claudine. It is normal. And you, you
have Armand.’
So far, Francois had been the only member of the family
openly to acknowledge her affair with Armand, and for a
moment Claudine wasn’t sure what to say. Everything
seemed to be happening rather too fast. ‘Yes, I have
Armand,’ she said slowly. And then, ‘What’s her name,
Monique? Francois’ mistress? I’ve often wondered.’
‘Elise,’ Monique answered reluctantly. ‘Elise Pascale.’
Claudine frowned ‘Haven’t I heard that name before? Do
I know her?’
‘No. But you did see her once, I believe. At the opera.’ At
once Claudine remembered. ‘You mean … ? You mean the
woman who was sitting… ? But she’s so beautiful!’
Monique’s laugh was uneasy. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘my brother
seems to have an uncanny knack of attracting beautiful
women, doesn’t he?’
After Monique had gone, Claudine sat quite still on the
sofa, saying the name to herself over and over again, Elise
Pascale. Elise Pascale. Elise … Of course, she knew now
why the woman had been staring at her during the opera.
She remembered too, how she had seen Francois speaking
to her after. She wondered if Elise bore her any resentment
for being Francois’ wife. She had no need to, since it
seemed Francois had remained as faithful as he could to
Elise despite his marriage. For a moment Claudine felt as
though she was drowning, then suddenly she jerked herself
to her feet, snatched up her purse and stalked out of the
room.
Later that day, as they were sitting together outside the
cottage, Claudine told Armand Monique’s news. Armand,
who had grown up with the de Lorvoire children, was
almost as pleased for her as Claudine.
‘Perhaps this time the relationship will be a success,’ he
said, stretching out on his back and holding up an arm to
shield his eyes from the sun. ‘She deserves some happiness
after being let down so many times in the past.’
Claudine hugged her knees, and stared thoughtfully into
the forest. ‘I’ve never been able to understand that,’ she
said. ‘I mean, she’s so beautiful. And she’s such a good
catch.’
‘I think it could have something to do with the fact that
she appears so desperate - it really puts men off. For some
reason, you know, she’s always been like that. There was a
time when Francois and Lucien were afraid to invite anyone
home, not only for the embarrassment it caused them later,
but because she was so hurt when she was let down.’
‘Well, let’s hope she’s found true happiness at last.’
Claudine was silent for a moment. ‘I’m envious, you know,’
she said.
‘Envious?’
She nodded. ‘Because she can announce her love to the
world and we can’t. She told me this morning that Francois
has a mistress, someone the whole world knows about. It
just doesn’t seem fair, does it? I know it sounds childish, but
it makes me hate him even more.’ She leaned forward to
pick up her wine, her eyes suddenly stinging with tears.
‘I wonder how I’m going to survive without you while
you’re in Paris? Armand sighed. ‘It’ll be the first time we’ve
been separated and I can’t say I’m much looking forward to
it. When did you say you were leaving?’
When she didn’t answer, he reached out for her hand. To
his amazement she snatched it away. ‘Don’t!’ she snapped.
He sat up. ‘What is it? What on earth’s the matter?’ But
already she was on her feet and walking back to the house.
He went after her. ‘Have I done something to upset you?’ he
asked catching her up and taking her by the shoulder.
‘No, no. It’s not you, it’s …’ She turned away, looking
back at the trees.
‘I see,’ he said, suddenly understanding. ‘You think
someone’s there?’
‘I don’t know,’ she sighed. ‘Maybe it’s just that I’ve
become paranoid since Francois told me. But…’ She
looked up at him. ‘Do you feel it too? Do you think someone
is still there?’
Slowly he shook his head. ‘Not really, no. Or perhaps I’ve
just become used to it.’ He pulled her to him and rested her
head on his shoulder. ‘Didn’t you say that you might see
Francois in Paris? You must tell him about this, Claudine.
Tell him you think there’s still someone here. Then …’ He
stopped, and to her surprise Claudine saw that he was
smiling. She turned to follow his eyes and saw walking
through the trees towards them Corinne and little Louis.
Corinne’s toothy smile was dazzling. If it hadn’t been for
that, and the yellow softness of her plaited hair, Claudine
often thought she might have found her intimidating, for
she was bigger and brawnier even than Armand, who, since
Francois had told him of her formidable skills in unarmed
combat, was forever challenging her to a fight. Her name Corinne
Pichard - was French, and she spoke the language
like a native, but with her green loden suits, feathered
trilbies and bib-front dresses she looked positively
Tyrolean. Claudine had no idea where Francois had found
her, but she was glad he had, for the nursery had become an
even jollier place since her arrival.
‘He was crying for his mother,’ Corinne said, ‘so I
thought I would bring him to you, madame. Mam’selle
Monique told me where to find you. I hope you do not
mind?’
‘Of course not, Corinne,’ Claudine smiled. She held out
her arms to Louis. ‘Hello, my darling,’ she said and for the
moment her painful preoccupation with Elise Pascale, and
dangerous strangers in the forest, was forgotten.
Rudolf von Liebermann heaved his bulk from the chair and
moved across the barren room to the window. Through the
grime he could see the blur of red lights and winking signs in
the street below. The depressing sound of a languid female
voice chanting ‘Lili Marlene’ drifted through the night. He
rubbed a circle in the grime, and followed the progress of a
huddled figure shuffling through the rain until it disappeared
around the corner. ‘When did he leave England?’
he said eventually, without turning round. Behind him,
Bruning and Grundhausen sat stiffly in their chairs. Max
Helber was in Paris.
‘He left four days ago,’ Walter Bruning answered.
‘And no one knows where he is now?’
Silence.
‘You mean to tell me he has disappeared from the face of
the earth?’
Again silence.
Wiping his finger with a handkerchief, von Liebermann ;
turned back into the room. ‘Where is Halunke?’ he snapped.
‘At Lorvoire.’
‘And he doesn’t know the whereabouts of the Wine
Supplier either?’
‘No,’ Bruning confirmed. ‘But as we know, it is the Wine
Supplier’s family he is after, not the Wine Supplier himself.’
‘Then he must be stopped!’ von Liebermann roared.
Nobody spoke. After a while, von Liebermann said more
calmly, ‘This is a crucial time for the Fatherland. We need de
Lorvoire, and if Halunke harms his family we shall lose him.
Have we discovered anything further about this nanny?’
Bruning and Grundhausen appeared uncomfortable. As Bruning loosed his collar, von Liebermann’s piercing eyes fell upon him. ‘Well have we?’
‘Not yet, Hen General. Max has spoken with both
Halunke and the Pascale woman, but neither has been able
to throw any light on the nanny’s true identity.’
There was a long silence. Bruning and Grundhausen
glanced at each other several times, then Grundhausen
said, ‘The Pascale woman is threatening to stop supplying
information if we don’t do something about the Wine
Supplier’s wife. She says we made a bargain, that she is
keeping to her side but we are failing…’
‘Instruct Halunke to pay her a visit,’ von Liebermann
snapped. Then his gruesome, wart-infested face broke into
a smile. ‘That is a good idea,’ he chuckled. ‘It will keep them
both quiet for a while - Halunke will enjoy raping de
Lorvoire’s mistress a second time. But my concern now is
the whereabouts of de Lorvoire himself. How long ago did
he warn the French High Command of our prospective
operations against Belgium and Holland?’
‘In January of this year,’ Grundhausen answered.
‘And the French still disbelieve him? That is good. But
what I want to know is, do the British disbelieve him too?
Have we any reason to think that he might have gained the
information we asked of him from the British?’
The information regarding the Royal Air Force?’ Bruiting asked.
‘Of course regarding the Royal Air Force! Hermann Goering needs to know its strength before we make an attack on Poland.’
“Then you think the Allies will stand by their promise to defend Poland?’ Grundhausen asked - and immediately wished he hadn’t.
‘You stupid dog!’ von Liebermann snarled. ‘They are on the brink of signing a formal alliance with Poland. If they do that, they won’t back down.’ He wiped the saliva from his lips with the back of his hand. ‘Find the Wine Supplier! If we need to bargain with him again, give him details of the euthanasia plan for the Gypsies and the insane. No one will come to their rescue, any more than they have with the Jews. And remind Halunke that if he wishes his identity to remain secure, he will do nothing to harm the de Lorvoire family
until I have the information I require. Then, he may do as he
pleases. Unless, of course,’ and here his thin mouth broke
into a smile, ‘de Lorvoire succeeds in proving his fealty to
The Reich.’
He paused for a moment, then looked at Grundhausen.
‘Tell Halunke not to hold back with the mistress, and this
time to leave his calling card. It will do de Lorvoire no harm
to understand what lengths we are prepared to go to to get
him.’
Paris hadn’t been so hot for years. The grey stone buildings
shimmered in the heat like desert mirages, insects swarmed
over the declining waters of the Seine, and pavement cafes
had never seen so much trade or so many lovers. With all the