Page 62 of Daughters of Paris

Of course. Fleur felt very stupid. People of his faith did not eat pork. ‘Not even to save yourself from starving?’ she asked. He looked unhealthy and close to starvation.

Michal spread his hands out. ‘If I abandoned my faith, it would be as good as abandoning my life, but I thank you for your generosity.’

‘Let me think of something else then.’

She wondered whether to broach the subject with Colette. They could take turns giving Michal their breakfast, which would be fairer. But she would have to explain to Colette what she had been doing in the Secret Garden in the first place. She took the books out and showed them to Michal.

‘I need to put these safely away before I go. Monsieur Ramper has so many boxes that it has taken me months to find what looks important.’ Compared to breaking the law by sheltering Michal, her actions felt paltry. What did paper matter compared to a life? To her surprise, Michal snatched the top one up eagerly.

‘Brecht. I know the name. This is a very good thing you do. May I read this?’

It shouldn’t surprise her, of course. If Fleur was prevented from reading, she would be unhappy. ‘Of course. Please, read anything you wish. Let me show you where the others are.’

She lifted the lid of the cold frame and pushed aside the clutter to reveal the stash of books. Michal’s smile broadened.

‘Thank you, Mademoiselle Bonnivard. My mind has been too free to imagine what is happening in France. These will help me forget for a while. Now you should go before anyone wonders where you are.’

Before Fleur could pick up her bag there was a scraping sound as the door was dragged open. Both she and Michal tensed, eyes meeting in shared panic. Then there was a low whistle of the first two bars of a child’s nursery rhyme. Michal’s shoulders dropped and Fleur’s heart rate slowed to something almost sedate as she realised they had not been discovered. Colette emerged from the tangle of plants. When she saw Fleur, she froze and grimaced.

‘Merde!’

‘It’s alright. I’m not going to tell anyone,’ Fleur assured her. ‘I found him by accident.’

‘And now she has found me I must go,’ Michal said.

Colette looked at Fleur, a flash of anger in her eyes. ‘What did you say?’

Fleur shook her head. ‘Nothing!’

Michal coughed. ‘It’s true. Now both of you know, both of you will be in danger if anyone finds me. I will not do that to your family.’

‘I promise I can keep your secret as well as Colette has.’

Fleur had known him long enough to recognise his mind was set, but there was still hope he might be persuaded.

‘Don’t leave now while you have nowhere in mind to go.’

‘I have imposed upon you for long enough, Colette,’ Michal said. ‘I don’t want to put either of you in more danger. I was only ever going to stay for one night but this has been a magnificent respite from the world.’

‘Where will you go?’ Colette asked.

He shrugged. ‘I will try to go south. Perhaps I will be reunited with my family. There are a few sentimental items in thelogeI would like you to bring me, if you could.’

‘Oh!’ Inspiration struck Fleur. ‘When Monsieur Ramper left the bookshop, he said there was a network. He described it like a piece of string stretching across France. People helping those who needed to leave and go somewhere safe. Would you do that?’

‘Do you know how to contact them?’ Colette asked.

Fleur frowned. She suspected who might, but didn’t want to name Sébastien. ‘Not directly. Michal, give me a few days to see what I can do.’

Colette had brought Michal a wedge of cheese and a flask of coffee. After securing a promise that he would stay until they found a way for him to leave safely, they left him to eat and returned to the house.

‘When you broke the egg and we made an omelette, you didn’t really break it, did you?’ Fleur asked.

Colette gave her a guilty look and shook her head.

‘So, you discovered my secret.’ She sighed. ‘I thought it was such a safe place too.’

They were at the edge of the bushes. The garden below the fountain had long since been turned into a vegetable patch but the fountain remained in place. Fleur sat on the ground and leaned against it as they had done in childhood.

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