Page 114 of The Last Library of Paris

Guy, who was already pale, went paler.

‘No,’ I said. ‘That’s not what happened.’ I caught Sylvie’s eye over Guy’s head. ‘It was chaos up there,’ I said firmly. ‘Sylvie must be mistaken.’

There was a pause. Until eventually, Sylvie nodded.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I was wrong. I’m sorry.’

Guy looked relieved, but as Sylvie injected the morphine into Alain’s arm, I could tell she didn’t mean what she’d said.

Chapter 31

Cassie

Lisbon

One week later

‘You are lovesick,’ said Lara. ‘It’s exactly the same as I felt when Otto first went away. Look, you’re all pale and wan. You’re like Elizabeth Bennet.’

‘Who’s Elizabeth Bennet?’ I said, staring miserably into my cup of tea. ‘Is she one of your theatre friends?’

Lara snorted. ‘No,’ she said.

I looked at her, not caring. ‘I’m just so worried about everything,’ I said. ‘About Archie and about Frances Reed, and about the escape lines … All of it.’

‘I know,’ said Lara. She reached out and took my hand. ‘It’s awful. And this waiting is torturous.’

We were in the bookshop, which usually calmed me, but today the magic wasn’t working.

‘I should probably go back to the embassy,’ I said. ‘Henry’s all on his own.’

‘Has Archie been in touch?’ Lara asked.

I nodded. ‘He’s got word to Digby to confirm the escape lines are holding firm.’

‘That’s good news,’ Lara said.

‘It is.’ I slumped over the counter where we were sitting and sighed. ‘It is good news.’

‘So is he on his way back to Lisbon?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘He thinks the world of you, Cass,’ Lara said. She sounded quite fierce. ‘And perhaps this isn’t the right time for you to be together, but it will happen.’

‘We’ll see,’ I said.

I got up slowly. I felt like I’d aged twenty years since I met Parrish. Everything was so much effort.

‘I’ll catch up with you later,’ I said.

Lara put her hands on my shoulders and stared at me intently. ‘I’m here if you need me,’ she said. ‘Don’t forget that.’

I nodded, and then I trudged back to the embassy.

As I pushed open the office door, Henry sprang to his feet.

‘Where have you been?’ he said.