‘Bon. And my clothes?’
‘I’ll do that now, madame.’
As I picked out the clothes Chanel had already instructed me to have ready, I couldn’t help wishing I was a fly on the wall when Kranz spoke to Bochette. Casting some doubt over her was the only act of revenge I could exact.
Of course, it could all be academic within a few hours.
Kranz was back at suite 304 by 5.45p.m. and Chanel was just putting the finishing touches to her appearance. I fastened her necklace for her. She looked beautiful in the long, figure-hugging silk gown. It reminded me of the dress I had cut up in my father’s workroom just a couple of months ago and how I had repurposed it for the women and children in the neighbourhood.
Chanel gave herself the once-over in her full-length mirror and sprayed some perfume on her neck. Then she wafted out of the room, leaving a trail of the scent in her wake. I hurried after her, knowing the evening meal would soon be on its way up to the suite. I needed to intercept it.
‘Where are you going?’ asked Chanel as I headed towards the main door.
‘To wait for your food.’
‘Can you pour some drinks first?’ She gave me a pointed look and I could feel her eyes track me across the room as I went to the drinks cabinet.
‘I spoke to Bochette,’ said Kranz, as I handed him the drink. ‘I think there has been some confusion somewhere. However, I have warned her that I am keeping a close eye on her.’
I didn’t know what to say, so just gave a small nod of acknowledgement.
‘I’ve never liked the woman much myself,’ said Chanel. ‘I don’t trust her, but then we don’t know who we can trust these days, do we?’
Again, I avoided any eye contact. The atmosphere in the room was charged with unspoken words and subtle meanings.
‘No, you can’t even trust those who are blood-related, can you, Nathalie?’ said Kranz.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Chanel.
‘Nathalie’s brother. He was a traitor to the French government. Silly boy. Joined the Resistance but just wasn’t clever enough to outsmart me,’ said Kranz, with obvious pleasure in his voice. ‘Nathalie and I were talking about that. How he was a traitor. He was a coward, too. As soon as any pressure was put on him, he betrayed all those around him. And he cried like a baby. Pissed his pants.’
‘Erich!’ scolded Chanel.
I couldn’t stop myself physically jolting at Kranz’s remark, causing me to slosh the drink I was pouring over the tray.
‘Nathalie!’ It was Chanel again. ‘Be careful what you are doing!’
‘Sorry, madame. Very sorry.’
‘Kranz, stop talking about her brother. Can’t you see it’s upsetting her?’
‘Maybe blood really is thicker than water,’ mused Kranz, obviously pleased with the effect his words had on me.
A knock at the door brought the conversation to a halt. It was the waiter with their evening meal. He pushed the trolley into the lobby.
I breathed in the smell of roast lamb and wondered where on earth they had managed to get such a treat from when the rest of the city was surviving on a diet of vegetables.
‘Thank you, Charles,’ I said to the waiter. ‘I’ll take it from here.’
‘But …’ began Charles. It was customary for the waiters to take the food into the dining room, and my instructions were out of the ordinary.
‘She’s in there with her lover,’ I whispered to him and widened my eyes.
Charles replied in kind, his eyes even wider than mine. ‘D’accord.’
‘I’m to take it in when she calls me,’ I said, to shore up my story. ‘You can go now. Thank you.’
As soon as Charles had left the room, I quickly lifted the lid off the plate on the right-hand side. I could hear Chanel laughing with Kranz, while the soft tones of music filled the air. This was going to be my only chance.
