‘No, thank you for contacting us,’ corrected Matt.
‘Is Odile all right?’ asked Darcie. ‘I hope none of this has distressed her too much.’
‘My great-aunt is much more resilient than her petite frame would suggest,’ reassured Elaine. ‘I have learned things in the past twenty-four hours that I never would have believed in a hundred years.’
‘Sounds intriguing,’ said Matt.
‘Ouiand I will let Odile tell you herself.’
‘Sorry, can I just ask another question?’ said Darcie. ‘What does your mother think to all this? Or doesn’t she know we’re here?’
‘She knows. She wasn’t very happy, but it’s not up to her to decide whether to keep the secrets or to tell them. We have to abide by Odile’s wishes.’
‘And she’s decided not to come today?’ asked Darcie, feeling partly relieved but also a little disappointed. She didn’t like the idea of upsetting Paulette, brusque as she was.
‘My mother feels embarrassed. She will come around though,’ said Elaine with a smile.
‘So, what caused this change of heart?’ asked Matt.
‘We had a telephone call from the care home to say Odile had been visited by two men after your first visit. The staff didn’t know what was discussed but Odile was upset afterwards and kept talking about her cousin Nathalie.’
‘Oh, no. Poor Odile. I’m so sorry,’ said Darcie, guilt rolling up in waves.
Elaine made a dismissive tusking noise. ‘You have nothing to feel guilty about. You did nothing wrong.Alors, the men left their business card. They were lawyers acting for an individual– a collector– who wanted to buy the dress and the sketchbook from Odile. They assumed she had it or could get it from you.’
‘Did they say who they were acting for?’ asked Matt.
‘No. They wouldn’t disclose the name. My mother spoke to them. They also offered her a large sum of money in return if the story behind the dress and sketchbook was not …’ Elaine waved her hand around as if trying to find the right word.
‘Disclosed?’ offered Matt.
‘Oui.That’s right.’
‘Buying everyone’s silence.’ said Darcie, finding it hard to believe all this. It was like an alternative universe she had landed in. ‘Did Paulette agree?’
‘She did. She has signed the document,’ said Elaine.
‘But that contract is between your mother and the lawyers, not Odile,’ said Matt. ‘Odile hasn’t signed anything, I assume.’
‘That’s correct,’ said Elaine. ‘And neither have I.’
‘Why didn’t you want to sign it?’ asked Darcie.
‘I spoke to Odile and she was very lucid. I was concerned about how upset she had become. I told her more about you. I had looked you up on the internet. Your shop and what you do. I showed it to Odile and I think it … erm …’ Elaine tapped her chest. ‘It touched her heart. She said you reminded her of Nathalie. She is adamant she wants to speak to you. I am going to do some shopping and I’ll be back in an hour. What you do in that hour, is up to you.’
‘Thank you, so much,’ said Darcie, spontaneously hugging the Frenchwoman.
‘Hurry,’ replied Elaine. ‘The clock is ticking.’
‘Come through. Odile is expecting you,’ said the nurse. ‘She’s looking forward a great deal to see you.’
The nurse led them up to the first floor and halfway along the hall. She stopped at room 34 and knocked on the door before entering. She greeted Odile in French and then left Darcie and Matt to go in.
Odile’s room was large with a bed to the right of the door, a bathroom off to the left-hand side and, at the back of the room, a sitting area with doors opening onto a small balcony overlooking the rear gardens.
‘Bonjour, madame,’ said Matt, going in first. ‘C’est Matthew Langdon et Darcie Marchant.’
‘Bonjour. Come, come.’ Odile beckoned them with her hand and pointed to the two armchairs adjacent to her. She looked over the top of her glasses at Darcie. ‘It is like looking back eighty years. You remind me of my dear cousin, Nathalie.’ She pointed to the sideboard where several framed photos sat. ‘That one on the end, that’s me, my sister Rachelle, and Nathalie. It was taken at my parents’ home during the war.’
