Page 19

“Is it worth Félix going with him? They can pass as brothers, they have the same background, they’re good friends, and he’s altogether more levelheaded. Plus, they can get in and out faster if they cover half the building each,” Andrée suggests.

“No. He goes alone. We can’t risk two operatives being caught,” Louis says, ending the conversation.

“True. There’s no rush though. We can give him the file when he comes to the meeting next Thursday,” Andrée says, closing the folder.

“What have you got, mon amour?” Louis asks Tina.

“This goes to Agent. Being a teacher at the Sorbonne, he is perfectly placed to deal with it,” she tells them.

“What is it?” Andrée asks.

“It appears there is a small group of students at the university who are being less than discreet, openly petitioning for other students to join their Resistance network. Only the problem is, they don’t belong to any network. In fact, several of them have been seen meeting with members of the Gestapo. Pallas is concerned they are collaborating for money, handing over students who even express a mild interest in joining them.”

“That makes my blood boil,” Andrée says. “Students by their very nature are idealistic and will want to be patriotic. We’ve got to stop them.”

“Félix can identify them and report back to me. I’ll take the details to Colonel Pallas. He will have them dealt with,” Louis tells them.

Neither Tina nor Andrée need to ask what it meant by this ominous statement.

Louis picks up the folder he’d set aside for Andrée. “Let’s take a better look at this.”

“Why don’t you summarize it for us? Then we can study it after we know the facts,” Tina says.

“Right. There’s a drop coming in on Thursday night from London. A female agent is bringing two new wireless sets—faster than the ones we have. You will meet her and bring her here initially, then we will move her to a safe house as quickly as possible. She is not only delivering the sets but will need to train our operators to use them. The colonel is handling that end.” He pauses. “One of the sets goes to Dancer.”

There is a moment’s silence. This is a very dangerous mission. But Andrée is determined to succeed.

“Where is she landing?” Andrée asks.

“In the fields behind the Forêt de Sénart. You need to get yourself to Draveil: You’ll be met there and taken to wait in the forest. After the pickup, you’ll both be accommodated overnight, then travel back here on Friday morning.”

Andrée’s frown is brief but telling. “I’d better give Josie her lesson today or tomorrow then. She won’t want to miss out this week.”

The presence of Josie settles over them like a weight. It is not just their own lives they are risking now; they’re also risking hers. But there’s too much at stake for them to stop now.

“Do you know the name of the operative I’m meeting?” Andrée asks.

“Suzanne,” Louis says. “All the information is in the file, including details of who will meet you in Draveil and how you are to identify yourself. Your cover is that you’re visiting your sister and her family to help with the arrival of a new baby.”

Andrée nods, tucks the file under her arm, and heads to her room. “I’ll read up on it all tonight, but now it’s time to go and pick up Josie.”

Tina and Louis look at her and nod. No one knows what to say. For a moment each feels overwhelmed at the enormity of the tasks they are being asked to perform for the liberation of France, alongside the responsibility of keeping a little girl alive.

Chapter Eight

Louis adjusts his tie in the mirror by the front door. It has been months since he has worn his best shirt and suit. Now the collar gapes at his throat, his belt pulled in several notches. They are all losing weight. Beside him, Tina smooths her best dress, the gray one she wore to their anniversary dinner three years ago, before the war, before everything changed. It hangs loosely on her too.

They have been tightening their belts even further to save enough to feed Josie. Five more days until she goes back to see Doctor René. Hopefully he’ll be able to produce the promised ration card. Only the food Josie receives at school is saving them all from starvation.

“You look beautiful,” he tells her.

“I look old and tired,” she says, but she’s smiling. “And this dress has seen better days.”

“To me, you’re as lovely as the day we met.”

She turns to him, cups his cheek. “Flatterer. Do you have the handbag?”

Louis holds up the large leather bag they’d discussed. Empty now, but not for long.