Page 4 of The Last Library of Paris

‘How long?’ I demanded.

‘A few weeks?’

‘A few weeks?’ I was appalled. ‘What on earth will I do in the meantime?’

‘Translation, I imagine,’ said Digby. ‘Lots of translation work to do in an embassy. We’ll find something to keep you busy.’

I was slightly mollified. ‘Translation is fine,’ I said. ‘But not for long.’

‘We’ll see,’ said Digby in a way that reminded me of my mother when I asked – again – for a pet.

I’d never had a pet.

‘It depends where there’s a role for you,’ Digby went on.

‘There is a role,’ I said, through gritted teeth, ‘in Section D.’

‘And you can return to that role as soon as we confirm you’re coping.’

What did coping even mean? It seemed to me to be a strange concept, unmeasurable. Like trying to catch a cloud. I had a sudden fear that I would never be able to prove I was coping, and I would be sidelined for the entirety of the war.

‘I will do translation,’ I said firmly. ‘But not typing. And I want to be assessed weekly to see if I am …’ I paused. ‘Coping.’

‘We’ll see.’

‘Digby!’

‘We’ll see,’ he repeated.

I stared out of the window, furious at the world once more.

‘Have you heard from Lara?’ Digby asked eventually, when the silence in the car grew too heavy. ‘Or Bea?’

‘A few letters,’ I said. ‘Bea wrote a lovely note to my mother.’

‘She is a very kind woman.’

‘She is.’

We sat quietly a little longer and then I said: ‘Speaking of Lara, I saw Otto in London. Lara’s delighted about him being closer. She misses him so much.’

‘We thought he’d be more use in England than in the States.’

I nodded. ‘He’s got excellent insider knowledge about the Nazis that will be a real asset in codebreaking. Is he going to be based at Bletchley Park?’

Digby didn’t answer. Instead he just said: ‘He’s a good man.’

‘Right.’ I gave him a sideways glance. ‘And what about Hector? I saw him in London, too. What’s he doing?’

‘Oh, this and that,’ said Digby vaguely.

‘For you?’

‘Among others.’

I rolled my eyes. A year ago, I’d been heading the team that managed to get Hitler to pause his advancing troops and now Digby wouldn’t even tell me what my friends were doing. I hoped this wouldn’t go on for much longer because it was already infuriating.

Digby pulled the car up outside my building and turned off the engine.