Page 71 of Whispers At Dawn
‘Whilst that sounds enticing, I’m unsure how long I will stay in Toulouse. Therefore, I would rather have a quick tour this evening than no tour at all.’ His words were spoken in a charming tone but held a determined undercurrent, and it was clear he would not be dissuaded.
Jack gave Lizzie a furtive nod. ‘Very well, I’m sure my wife would love to join us for a walk to the cellars, wouldn’t you, Isabelle?’
Lizzie smiled and said that, of course, she would join them if that was their wish. They agreed they would meet in the courtyard at nine and catch the last of the daylight.
The men walked out to the terrace and Lizzie left the room sedately, the sound of her heart drumming in her ears. Once in the corridor, she raced downstairs to alert Suzanne.
It was a blessing the housekeeper had discovered them on their recent nighttime sojourn, and after today’s visit to the doctor’s house, she had made it clear she would assist them in whatever way she could. Lizzie hadn’t told her more than she needed to, but it was comforting to know they had another ally in the château.
She entered the kitchen, and several of the staff looked at her, surprised by her sudden arrival, before hastily continuing their duties.
‘How may I assist you, madame?’ Suzanne asked as she led Lizzie out of the kitchen and into her small private sitting room.
‘The Gestapo officer intends to visit the cellars this evening,’ Lizzie said.
Suzanne’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, my God.’
‘Did the doctor leave already, do you know?’ Lizzie asked, speaking close to the housekeeper’s ear.
‘I haven’t seen him, but then, I wouldn’t. It’s been such a hectic evening I haven’t checked how they are getting on.’
During their drive back from the village, Lizzie had explained that they needed the doctor urgently to treat a wounded man they had hidden in the cellars. Suzanne didn’t know more than that, but the little she knew was enough to get them all shot. Lizzie and Jack had agreed they had no choice but to hope Luc was right and they could trust Suzanne.
The doctor had hidden in the back of the car, covered by a blanket, and Lizzie smuggled him into the cellar where Billy was still burning up and had begun hallucinating. She had no choice but to leave the doctor there when she had to rush to dress for dinner.
‘Dinner is finished now. The others can clear up. Do you want me to go over?’ Suzanne asked, concern etched on her face.
Lizzie’s mind raced with potential scenarios. ‘Thank you, yes. Go there discreetly, as quickly as you can. Take a different route so the men won’t spot you from the terrace. Check if the doctor is still there. If he is, tell him to get away immediately. He can’t be seen here.’
At nine on the dot, the men assembled in the courtyard and Lizzie arrived just in time to meet them. Beau left Luc’s side and ran to Lizzie, his tail wagging furiously as he nuzzled against her legs.
Von Schneider once again insisted on Lizzie’s company, and they walked across the gardens and towards the undulating vineyards.
The sun was still high in the sky, casting a golden glow across the hilltop. ‘Isn’t the lavender beautiful?’ Lizzie pointed into the distance to the swaying purple haze, desperate to steer the conversation away from anything that could endanger them further.
They reached the edge of the vineyards, and Von Schneider admired the glossy grapes on the vines, bathed in the evening sun. ‘They look like they are almost ripe.’
Lizzie said she thought the harvest would be in the next few months, and the hard work would begin. She sidestepped more detailed questioning about the vineyards by assuring him she was no expert.
‘I understood your husband’s family own a wine business in St. Malo?’
Here he was again, prodding and probing. They had modelled Michel Dubois’s background on a real Frenchman. They had chosen his name because his family owned a wine business. Val’s reasoning was it made a plausible cover in case anyone checked, but it was highly unlikely they would meet someone from St. Malo who knew the real Michel Dubois.
Lizzie raised her chin. She’d had enough of the Gestapo bully’s polite insolence. ‘Yes, they do, but I’m not involved in the day to day running of the operation. Honestly, I’ve learnt more about wine since we arrived at the château, and that isn’t very much at all.’ Lizzie played on the stereotype of a young woman’s ignorance, and she giggled prettily as if her head was full only of hot air. ‘I confess I don’t find business interesting and leave those matters to my husband.’
Von Schneider seemed more than satisfied with her vapid response and applauded her. ‘It is rare to find a beautiful and charming woman who truly knows her place. We have a motto, perhaps you have heard it:Kinder, Küche, Kirche.’
The memory of the German born Hannah sharing the Nazi motto:Children, Kitchen and Church, rose in her mind.
Lizzie nodded and feigned enthusiasm in her green eyes. ‘Oh, but yes, of course, I have heard of it. And a fine motto it is—I believe in traditional values myself and can’t wait to start a family.’
The Gestapo officer sighed and turned to face Lizzie, his lascivious gaze devouring her. ‘It has been a pleasure to meet you, madame. I hope one day to have the good fortune of finding such a fine and obedient wife like you.’
Lizzie fought to keep a pleasant expression on her face with great effort, but she felt physically sick. What a vile man. Some poor woman would be saddled with him as her future husband.
He continued, blissfully unaware of the effect he was having on Lizzie. ‘Ah, these must be the cellars I’ve heard so much aboutfrom the commissaire. He says your wine is the finest in the region.’
‘I wouldn’t know about that,’ Lizzie said demurely.
