Page 59 of The Last Library of Paris

There was a short beat of silence.

‘Do we have the addresses of the safe houses?’

‘No.’

‘Ah.’

‘But Valentine’s getting them. He’s got contacts all over France.’

‘I heard you say he’s been involved in setting up these escape routes.’

Henry’s eyes widened behind his specs.

‘Not just involved,’ he said. ‘They only exist because of Val. He made the contacts. He’s been all over occupied France and Belgium setting things up. He’s managed to get communications with the POW camps. He’s done the whole thing. They call the route through France the Valentine Line.’

‘Good lord,’ I said. ‘There was I thinking he was just driving that ridiculous car all over Lisbon and having lunch with pretty girls.’

‘That’s what he wants you to think,’ said Henry with a knowing smile. ‘But if I know Val …’

‘You call him Val now, do you?’

Henry flushed. ‘He said it was all right to call him that.’

I nudged him. ‘Just teasing,’ I said. ‘Do you think there’s more to him than the sports car and the lunches?’

‘There’s no doubt.’

I was intrigued, but as I was about to ask more questions, Valentine arrived. He strolled into the office, looking delighted to see me, which pleased me more than it should have.

‘Walker,’ he said. ‘Digby gave you the nod, then.’

‘Watkins. Yes, I’m all official.’

‘Excellent.’

He put his briefcase down on the other desk, sat himself down, and looked at Henry and me.

‘Where are we?’

Henry and I glanced at each other and then held up our lists. Valentine groaned. ‘I never thought there could be two of you.’

I was briefly outraged, then I noticed his smile.

‘This is going to make my life much easier,’ he added, with a chuckle. He leaned towards me as though he was sharing a secret.

‘I’m a lot more haphazard than Hughes,’ he said. ‘But it seems to work.’

Now I knew this man had an entire escape route through occupied France named after him, I very much doubted he was ‘haphazard’ but I nodded anyway.

‘Henry’s in charge of the stamps,’ I said. ‘I’m going to contact Peacock to talk about ordering the books. And also, my friend Bea runs the Tram Stop Bookshop in town – do you know it?’

‘I do,’ Valentine said, surprising me. ‘They sell a good range of newspapers.’

‘Bea was a journalist. During the last war.’

‘Was she?’ He sounded impressed. ‘That explains it.’

‘Anyway, when I told her about the Forces Book Club editions a while ago – just in conversation – she said she was interested so she was going to order a couple. She loves the Peacock books with the different colours.’