by Rosie Clarke
‘It’s a bit early in the season yet, but they tell me you may find enough snow higher up.’ The man nodded. ‘May I look in the back of the van please?’ he asked and shifted the rifle over his shoulder.’
‘Of course.’ Sebastian got out and went to open the back, revealing all the boxes of shoes.
‘What is in these please?’
Sebastian looked at the man’s feet. He was a good judge and thought him a size ten English. Picking up a box containing one of the finest pairs of shoes they’d ever sold in size ten, he handed them to the guard. ‘Just your size…’
The guard opened the box and for a moment his eyes gleamed. ‘They are very fine – and very expensive. I have always liked English craftsmanship…’ this time he spoke in perfect English.
Sebastian replied in the same, ‘Take them as a goodwill gift – to show that there are no hard feelings between us as nations now…’
The man hesitated and then he shook his head, handing them back. ‘I don’t take bribes, sir.’
‘It’s not a bribe,’ Sebastian said. ‘I’m looking for people to act as agents for my shoes in Germany and Austria. Take them with you – and if you think we can do business contact me at the address inside the box. It might be good for us all… business isn’t against the law in Germany, is it?’
The guard seemed to hesitate, then nodded and took the box. ‘You can go,’ he said. ‘Your papers are in order.’ He took the box into his hut and operated the barrier to let them through to the Swiss side.
Sebastian was aware that Gretchen was shaking beside him as they drove on past the friendly Swiss officer on the other side of the border, who welcomed them to his country and directed them forward after a brief glimpse of their papers.
‘It’s all right,’ Sebastian said when they were clear of the border posts. ‘Your papers were always in order – it was Eric they were after… whoever they are…’
‘He knows things… I’m not the only one he’s helped get away, but they suspected him and he was imprisoned and beaten, but he escaped and hid in cellars for some months, and that’s when I met him; he was kind to me and I love him…’ Gretchen said, her voice harsh with emotion. ‘He has a lot of information in his head. He told me that nothing is written down but there are photos, tapes, which he had smuggled out to Switzerland by friends. That’s why the British want him and his enemies want him dead. He helps people like me…’
‘Where were you?’ Sebastian asked, but she only shook her head. He saw pain and fear in her face and decided not to push her. If she found the courage to trust him she would tell him in her own good time. Now he had to get her to England and safe in her mother’s care. Only then would he be free to finish his own business…
*
‘We need to get you some more clothes,’ Sebastian said to Gretchen when they boarded the plane for England. She was already wearing a tweed suit he’d purchased in Switzerland for her, but she needed far more than just a couple of nightgowns and the suit, which was all she’d bought so far with the money he gave her. ‘Your mother wants you to be happy, Gretchen – and so do I. Karl was my good friend…’
‘They told me he worked for the Nazis and was a war criminal…’
‘Trumped up charges they used as an excuse to execute him,’ Sebastian told her. ‘Yes, he did work for the Nazis, and perhaps some of that work was used against Jews, but Karl never intended it to be so – whatever they forced him to do, he did for your sake and your mother’s… to protect you and keep you out of the camps.’
‘It might have been better to have died in the camps. At least I’d have been with her and not in that place…’
‘What kind of a place, Gretchen?’ Sebastian asked softly, but she simply shook her head.
‘You can’t change what happened,’ she said and her eyes were bleak. ‘You can’t give me back the childhood I lost – or take away the nightmares. If my mother had taken me with her I could’ve been with her.’
‘She was having a child and your father wanted her safe. He intended to bring you out himself, and he would’ve given half a chance – but they arrested him, tried him and shot him, and they sent you to an orphanage.’
‘Orphanages are supposed to be where they send children to be cared for… I wasn’t …’
‘I’m sorry that bad things happened to you there, Gretchen,’ Sebastian said. ‘As you said, I cannot change the past or undo what was done to you – but I can help you to have a better future.’
‘Why did Eric leave us?’ she asked, looking at him accusingly. ‘He thought you would betray him…’
‘Not me; he is too clever for that, but someone did. I had the feeling something was wrong from the start. I would’ve tried to get him through – but he thought he could make it through the woods himself and avoid trouble for us. He’s a wanted man. They were looking for him, Gretchen, and he made it much safer for us by doing what he did…’
‘He has enemies because he knows too much… secrets the Russians don’t want the West to know – and he helped me get away. You could not have found me if Eric hadn’t found me first…’
‘Yes, I see,’ Sebastian said. ‘You are grateful to him…’
‘I love him,’ Gretchen said fiercely. ‘I know he would never marry me – no man would after what I’ve done, but he was kind and he was my friend, and I loved him…’
‘Then you should be glad he got away safe,’ Sebastian said. ‘I am sure he knew his way through those woods, Gretchen. I think he’s done it before – in fact I’m not sure he needed my help to get him out…’
‘If you had not seen that man reach for the telephone he would have gone to the border and trusted those papers.’ She looked at him and for a moment he saw a glimmer of respect in her eyes. ‘When we get to London you will show me where to buy a new dress please?’
‘Yes, of course, and I’ll help you to find a job – what would you like to do?’
‘When I look at magazines from the West I see much lovely food,’ Gretchen said. ‘They never fed us and I was always hungry. Can you help me find such a job?’
Sebastian laughed. ‘Oh yes, I think I can help with that, Gretchen. Your mother wants a café of her own and I think you could set one up together with a little help from me…’
And a few others, Sebastian thought. He’d been set up for this job and it could have ended in one or all of them being killed – and someone was going to pay for that. Gretchen and her mother would get what they deserved if he had to strangle Jack to get it…
*
‘These things are so beautiful so expensive…’ Gretchen exclaimed over the dresses, skirts and soft knitwear the showroom assistant had brought for her to try. ‘I do not know what to choose.’
‘Try them all and see what fits best and which of them suit you…’
Gretchen gave him a shy look, clearly overwhelmed by the kindness she’d seldom experienced in the past. She tried on eight dresses and Sebastian chose six of them, two skirts and two twinsets, and a winter coat, which she would soon need. He asked if she wanted a hat but she said no, she did not think she would wear them, and if she did it would be a sensible felt hat, not one of the frivolous bits of fancy the shop sold. Sebastian smiled at that and decided not to mention it to Lizzie.
They left the shop with several smart paper bags. Sebastian told her to get in the car. She would need some shoes, he suggested, but she refused to let him spend any more money.
‘I bought two pairs in Switzerland,’ she said. ‘Now please take me to my mother – you must have much to do…’
‘Yes, of course and then I need to get straight back to Paris. There are a few things I have to do,’ Sebastian said and turned his head to smile at her. ‘I shall help your mother fund her café, Gretchen. I promise – but for the moment there is an important matter I have to attend to in France…’
‘You are so good and I was unfair,’ Gretchen said. She leaned towards him and kissed him. ‘I want to thank you for
saving my life – and to ask if you will let me know if you hear from Eric…’
‘I only did what any decent man would do, and if I hear anything, of course I’ll let you know…’
Gretchen gave a sob and put her arms around him, hugging him as the emotion took hold of her.
Sebastian did not push her away. Gretchen had been abused, insulted and made to feel worthless too often. Instead, he put up his hand to touch her face and smile at her.
‘You are a pretty girl, Gretchen. Perhaps you can’t see it now, but when you’re well again and the memories begin to fade you will be lovely – and here in England, you will find happiness. I promise it will come, my dear.’
‘You are kind but you cannot change the past,’ she said and the look in her eyes smote at him, because he knew it was true. Had he been able to rescue her years ago, all the bad things might not have happened to her, but at that time he’d still been busy here at home, and had no idea of what was happening to Karl and his family.
He looked at her sadly, feeling her pain. ‘No, I cannot do that, but I can help you to find a place where you may discover at least peace,’ he said and then turned to drive off.
He had no idea that he’d been watched by two young women ever since he left the shop, his mind was already on Paris and what he would find there… but first he had to send some flowers to his wife and tell her he was thinking of her. He considered ringing her but she would ask too many questions he couldn’t answer on the phone.
If Betty was already back with her mother so much the better, but Sebastian had unfinished business in Paris and he wanted it over so that when he was home he could stay there. Jack had told him that Saint-Jacquez was no longer in Paris, but Sebastian needed to talk to his friends and find out all he could. That man had mistreated his daughter and if Jack was right, he was dangerous. Even back in London, Betty might not be safe. If she was still in Paris he would bring her home, and he would make sure the French authorities knew what had been going on so that if the man ever returned he would be arrested.
Chapter 17
‘That was Dad wasn’t it… with that girl?’
Francie’s face was white with shock as she looked at Betty, her lovely eyes begging her to say no, to tell her that she was mistaken.
‘Yes, it was Sebastian,’ Betty said oddly and Francie saw that she was furious, her voice bitter and hurt.
‘I can’t believe he would do something like that,’ Francie said in a voice so low it was almost inaudible. ‘There has to be an explanation. She wasn’t much older than you…’
‘No, but obviously he thinks a lot of her,’ Betty said coldly. ‘Mum thought he might be doing secret work to help refugees, people who were lost after the war… but you saw the way he looked at her…’
‘And all those bags of clothes…’ Francie stared at her in horror. ‘Mum can’t ever know, Betty. She thinks Dad loves her… and he’s having an affair behind her back.’
‘We shan’t tell her,’ Betty said firmly. ‘You must promise me, Francie. You won’t let Mum know what we saw today. If she thought he was having an affair with a woman half her age… and she’s having his child even though she could die… I hate him so much!’
‘No!’ Francie cried, tears in her eyes. ‘You mustn’t hate Dad, Betty. Please, don’t turn against him. I know he cares for you…’
‘I’m sorry, love. But I can’t stay under his roof, Francie.’ Betty said. ‘I’ll tell Mum tonight that I need to live with Aunt Miriam…’
‘Oh, Betty, do you have to go?’ Francie looked at her miserably. ‘I was enjoying being with you so much – talking about Paris and having fun. I wish we hadn’t seen them. Why is he even driving a hire car? It’s as if he wants to hide from us… We were having such a lovely time…’
‘We’re still having fun, and we’re going to buy a present for the new baby,’ Betty said, lifting her head in defiance of what she’d witnessed. ‘I refuse to let him ruin our day. We’re going to enjoy ourselves, Francie – and I’ll always be there for you, and I’ll visit when I know he’s not around, but I couldn’t be in the same room as him now.’
Francie looked at her sister sadly. Betty seemed so bitter against their father and that hurt her, but she could see that nothing she said would alter her mind. ‘All right, we’ll still go shopping and try lots of stuff on… but not in there…’
*
‘Why don’t you want to stay here with us?’ Betty’s mother asked her that evening. ‘I thought you were enjoying yourselves, being together again? I was hoping we might all go to the theatre one night to see Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady…’
‘I have enjoyed being with you and Francie, and I’d love to see that show with you, Mum,’ Betty said, ‘but I want to stand on my own two feet, Mum, and I can’t do that here. Aunt Miriam treats me as an adult. When Sebastian gets back he’ll either try to stop me – or give me lots of money, and I don’t want money from him…’
‘Why have you turned against your father?’ Mum asked sadly. ‘He does love you, darling. In your heart you must know it…’
Betty stared at her in silence and the truth burned on her tongue but she held it back, though every little inch of her was longing to let out the stream of vitriol she felt against Sebastian. For a while after she came home and talked with her sister Betty had been inclined to forgive him, because he was Francie’s dad too, but after what she’d seen she was furious with him again.
‘Why did he just go off and leave me stranded in Paris if he cared for me – what was so important that he couldn’t take the time to tell me he had to leave?’ she channelled her anger into a safer stream.
‘I don’t know for sure,’ her mother said and frowned. ‘Perhaps he’s been doing some special work for the government again. ’
Betty shook her head, denying it. Sebastian was having a passionate affair with a girl half his age! She would never forgive him for caring more for that girl than he did for her mother.
‘I won’t live in his house, Mum.’
‘You won’t just disappear again, will you?’
‘No, I promise I shan’t do that,’ Betty said, softening as she saw the sadness in her mother’s eyes.
‘Come and kiss me, darling. You can at least stay another night, Sebastian told me not to expect him for another night at least – he’s got some business to finish.’
‘You’ve spoken to him?’
‘No,’ she frowned. ‘It was odd really – he sent me a big bouquet of beautiful roses and a little note to say he hoped to be with me very soon and he loved me…’
Guilty conscience! Betty’s hands clenched. She was so furious with him for the way he was treating her mother. Oh, she could kill him! Mum was so trusting, so loving and sure of her husband’s devotion. She ought to know the truth and Betty would’ve warned her, but it would hurt her – and Betty’s desire to protect her and Francie was fierce.
‘Well, I shan’t try to hold you, but ring me and visit when you can,’ her mother’s words cut into her thoughts.
‘We can meet for coffee or lunch, Mum, and I’ll visit, keep an eye on Francie for you and take her places – I love you and I shan’t desert you, but please understand that I can’t live here…’
‘Yes, we’ll meet – and I hope one day you will understand your father and forgive him, darling. Because I know he loves us all very much…’
*
Lizzie wondered what had happened to make Betty so angry with Sebastian. She’d thought she was reaching her, helping her to forget the things that had hurt her in Paris, because she knew there were things that her daughter wasn’t telling her.
Lizzie loved Sebastian and she knew he loved her – but why had he sent her flowers and a note rather than telephoning and letting her know what he was doing? It was a tiny little prick of doubt, a little thorn in her flesh that once planted would not go completely.
Lizzie’s hands rested on the gentle swell of her belly. She believed her son had settl
ed into the warm nest of her womb and was safe now, because she felt so much better… stronger. She wasn’t an invalid and she didn’t intend to behave as though she were, staying in the house all the time and neglecting her business.
Lizzie Larch had survived a war alone except for her friends; she’d survived hatred and vindictiveness and she could survive a baby, even if it was rather late in life to be having another. She smiled and decided what she was going to do. It was time Francie made plans for returning to Art College and she was going into the showroom to talk to Romany and work on a few special hats for the window. There was absolutely no reason why she shouldn’t… and she was going to put all her silly thoughts away to a small corner of her mind where they couldn’t hurt her…
*
‘I can tell you no more, Monsieur…’ Marie threw up her hands in dismay. ‘You demand of me where your daughter is and I tell you she go to meet you at the hotel and when she return she angry… so angry! She pack her things and say she go home and I see her no more… as for her friends I know only Veronique as I tell you…’
‘If you’re hiding Betty I shall find out and come back…’ Sebastian warned.
‘Pouff! These English! Why they no listen?’ She threw up her hands in disgust, her plump face outraged. ‘I tell you, she go back to England – perhaps to her home.’
He smiled oddly. ‘Thank you, Madame Marie. I shall pray she is there when I get back to England…’
Sebastian walked swiftly back towards his hotel. He hoped that the Frenchwoman was telling him the truth and his daughter would be there when he got home. He’d returned to France partly for his daughter’s sake, but also because he had to know what had been going on here. He would talk to Veronique and anyone else Betty had been friendly with and discover what they knew of Pierre Saint-Jacquez. Jack had told him that the man was suspected of being involved in smuggling young girls out of the country and that these girls were never seen again. Sebastian needed to talk to the French police and discover what they knew of the man, but first he would talk to Betty’s friends. At the very least they might know something that could help him discover where the man had disappeared to, because Sebastian was determined that he would be traced and punished for what he’d done to his daughter.