Page 93 of The Last Library of Paris

‘You’re here early,’ I said. ‘Very unlike you, Archie.’

‘Oh, I’m a changed man,’ he said, smiling at me. ‘You must be a good influence.’ I smiled back, marvelling – not for the first time – at how much my opinion of him had changed.

‘Where have you been?’ he asked. ‘I saw Edith and she said she’d seen you.’

‘I just had an altercation with Steven Parrish,’ I said, realising now that my arm was aching where he’d grabbed me. I pulled up my sleeve and examined it, seeing red fingerprints blooming on my skin.

Archie took my hand and looked carefully at my arm. ‘He did this to you?’

‘He only grabbed me for a second.’

‘You let him?’

‘For a second,’ I said again. ‘I yanked my arm away.’

‘He has no idea who you really are,’ Henry said, sounding amused. ‘Maybe you should make an appointment for a hand-to-hand combat refresher.’

‘I don’t need a refresher,’ I said, quite sharply.

Archie was still holding my hand, and now he squeezed my fingers gently. ‘Just stay safe,’ he said. When he let go, my hand felt cold.

‘Want me to speak to Parrish?’ he asked.

I grimaced. ‘I don’t want to rile him even more. He said he blames me for being shoved in the basement.’

‘He’s a piece of work, all right,’ said Archie. ‘The sooner we get him to London, the better.’

‘I’ll be glad when he’s gone.’ I was feeling a little light-headed and I sat down at my desk, straightening my papers.

Just as before, a sudden gust of wind threw rain against the window, and the office door creaked open.

‘Lord, I’m jumpy,’ I said. My desk was nearest to the door, so I got up and pulled it shut again. As I did, I glanced out into the hall. But there were only two girls from personnel talking urgently to each other at the end of the corridor. Neither of them noticed me as I poked my head out.

‘We do have some good news,’ Henry said as I sat down again.

‘Tell me.’

‘I’ve been crunching some numbers, and I think now we’re using the library in Paris to distribute books too, it could easily double the numbers of books we’re getting out. Which ultimately could double the amount of our men we rescue via the escape lines.’

‘Really?’ I was amazed. ‘That’s wonderful. I hope this Frances Reed knows what a difference she’s making.’

‘She’s not even British,’ Henry pointed out. ‘She’s American.’

‘We’ll have to make her an honorary Brit,’ I joked. ‘Call her Dame Frances Reed and teach her to drink tea instead of coffee.’

Archie chuckled. ‘And whisky instead of bourbon,’ he said. ‘Henry, come and see this.’

I began writing a list of everything I needed to do that day, while Henry and Archie huddled together, staring at the maps of France that were pinned to the wall and talking quietly.

I was trying to concentrate but I kept finding my attention drifting to Henry and Archie as they gestured at the map, their voices increasingly urgent.

Eventually, I gave up altogether. I got up and went over to the wall where they stood.

‘Do you need some help?’

Henry glanced at Archie, who nodded.

‘We’re doing well with getting our men through France via the escape lines,’ Henry said.