Page 120 of The Last Library of Paris

I made a face.

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘And no.’

Lara stopped walking and glared at me, hands on her hips.

‘What the bloody hell do you mean by that?’

I looked round. We were on a quiet street, but we were still in public. ‘Not here,’ I said. ‘Come to the embassy.’

Together we went back up the hill and headed to the office. Henry was still away somewhere talking to someone, so I shut the door and pulled down the blinds.

‘Start talking,’ said Lara who was still being quite fierce. I must have looked alarmed because she immediately softened. ‘I’m not cross with you,’ she said. ‘Just this whole thing.’ She waved her arm in a way that meant Parrish, the PVDE, the Nazis, war … ‘It’s all just awful.’

‘Frances is still in Paris,’ I said. ‘She may even still be in the library.’

‘Surely they’ve looked there?’ Lara frowned.

‘There must be somewhere they’ve not looked, because the sleeper agent has arrived from Paris and he said she’s hiding.’ I explained about Marcus turning up and outlined what he had told us.

‘Where’s this Marcus now?’

‘He’s gone to hospital.’ I grimaced. ‘He’s in a bad way, Lara. I’m not sure he’ll make it to tomorrow.’

‘Bugger.’ She sighed. ‘And that’s all he said, that she was in the library?’

‘He didn’t even say that really. Not in so many words.’

‘So, what’s happening? Are they going to send someone to look for her?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘And no.’

‘You’re going to have to stop saying that because it is really sodding annoying,’ said Lara.

‘Before Marcus arrived, Henry and I asked if we could go to Paris, but Digby said no.’

‘Typical Digby,’ Lara said. ‘But someone’s going?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘We are.’

‘Of course.’ Lara nodded in approval. ‘Wait, when you say “we”, is that you and me?’

‘No, we as in Henry and me,’ I said.

‘Sod that.’ Lara sounded outraged. ‘If you’re going to Paris, I’m coming too.’

I looked at her and she looked back at me, chin lifted, and I gave in immediately. ‘Fine,’ I said. ‘We might need you actually.’

She smiled, as though she’d known all along she’d be needed. ‘Digby doesn’t know?’

‘No.’

‘Right.’

‘Still want to come?’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘How will we get there?’

‘Henry’s gone to see if there’s a train,’ I said. ‘Apparently the SudExpress still runs every now and then.’