Barely an hour after closing the bookstore, Camille stood under the twinkling street lights outside the Hotel Aviz, squaring her shoulders before walking up to the door, her heels clicking with every step.
‘Good evening,’ said the doorman.
‘Good evening,’ Camille replied, before walking into the loud bar and peering through smoke strong enough to sting her eyes. She paused as she surveyed the room.
And then she saw him. Sitting with two other men, his head tipped back in laughter, a drink in one hand and a cigarette hanging from his lips. But when she caught his gaze, Kiefer immediately stood, dropping his cigarette into a tray and holding out one hand, ever the gentleman. Sometimes she wondered how a human being could be so unfailingly chivalrous, while at the same time part of a regime of such cruelty.
‘Camille,’ he said, catching her fingers in his and drawing her in to kiss her cheek when she stepped towards him. ‘I was afraid you weren’t coming.’
She noticed the champagne bottle on the table, not his usual whisky, and the two men with him considering her with appraising glances. Camille reminded herself to stand tall – there was no way they would touch her if she was with Kiefer, which meant she had no reason to wilt under their scrutiny. They could admire her all they liked so long as they didn’t think they could try anything on with her.
‘It was never a question, I just had to stay until closing, that’s all,’ she assured him, running her hand up his arm. ‘I see you started without me. Are we toasting a special occasion?’
‘Can’t a man just order champagne?’ he replied with a wink.
Camille smiled and held out her hand in greeting to his friends as he introduced them.Gunther. Carl.Names she committed to memory in case she ever had need to recall them, but at the same time hoping she wouldn’t.
‘You’re certain you don’t mind me joining your group?’ she asked, sliding on to the seat beside Kiefer. ‘I’d hate to interrupt.’
‘There’s always space for a beautiful lady, am I right?’ Kiefer asked, raising his brows and receiving laughter and raised glasses from the two men seated with him.
Camille realised all three men had already had a lot to drink, but she smiled along anyway, not at all surprised when Kiefer ordered another bottle of champagne at the same time as asking for a glass for her.French champagne. It seemed he had a penchant for her country’s champagne. And her country’s women.
‘I’m so happy you could join us, Camille,’ Kiefer said, his hand falling over her leg, fingers splaying across the thin fabric of her dress.
She leaned in to him, tipping her head forward so that her hair obscured her face. Anything to stop him from kissing her in public.
Thankfully one of the men at their table said something that made him laugh, and she took the chance to glance around the hotel bar, taking in the eclectic mix of people filling the space. Some were drinking champagne like Kiefer, others were staring into short glasses full of amber-coloured liquid, and one man seated at the bar was drinking what appeared to be an American soda in a bottle. It was fascinating, the sheer number of men from different countries all in the hotel bar at the same time – American, British, German, Japanese and most likely more, mixed with only a handful of affluent locals. And as fabulous as the nightlife was in Lisbon, with hotels, supper clubs and a casino nearby, she doubted they were all here for pleasure.
Camille absorbed it all, taking the smallest sip of the champagne Kiefer poured her and tuning her ear to the conversation at her table, keeping her face impassive as Carl said something vulgar about her in their native tongue. They’d presumed she couldn’t speak their language – a pretty girl on their friend’s arm and nothing more. But perhaps it would all be worth it, because twohours later, after drinking enough champagne to have them all staggering, Kiefer whispered in her ear.
‘Come back to my room with me?’
Fear knotted her stomach. She’d played a cat-and-mouse game with him, always putting him off, coming up with an excuse, but tonight Camille knew she was all out of excuses. If she didn’t go to his hotel with him tonight, she feared that he would lose interest, and she would lose her chance to extract information from him.
Camille placed her palm in Kiefer’s outstretched hand and let him pull her towards him, tucking close into his side. He swayed slightly from drinking so much, but she pretended not to notice, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm instead and hoping that he was so drunk he’d fall asleep while she was in the bathroom of his hotel.
‘I would love to,’ she whispered, as he bent down to kiss her.
Forgive me, she thought, blinking away tears as they walked arm in arm to the door, stopping only to retrieve her coat, before stepping out into the cool night air.
She only hoped it would be worth it.
Chapter Five
Avery
Dear Jack,
You won’t believe it, but I’m onboard a plane right now and I’m flying to Lisbon, Portugal! I know war isn’t an overseas adventure, even though sometimes you make it sound like you’re just away travelling with a bunch of new friends, but this feels enormous to me. My parents barely spoke to me when I went home for the week before flying out; I think they thought that if they gave me the silent treatment they might guilt me into staying. But honestly, Jack? Nothing was going to make me stay. I thought the IDC had the wrong person in the beginning, but I can see now that everything has led to this point. All my studies, my job, it was all worth it.
The worst part was calling things off with Michael, and even though I knew we weren’t right for each other, it still broke my heart seeing how upset he was. It was like he couldn’t begin to imagine how or why I didn’t wantto get married. Then my mother had the worst idea to invite him over for dinner just before I left, which was incredibly uncomfortable for everyone, but at least I was able to give him back the engagement ring. Anyway, it’s over now, and I hope he meets some lovely girl who adores him and can’t wait to be his wife. Because this is going to be the adventure of a lifetime for me, and nothing is going to stop me from making the most of every second. Even if I’m so nervous I actually think I could be sick on my shoes right now!
With all my love. I wish I could see you. Avery.
PS Don’t forget to write me back!
Avery folded the letter and placed it in an envelope, tucking it into her bag and then settling back into her seat. She tried not to grip the armrests too tightly, smiling at the woman next to her when she felt her gaze.
