His grin turned to a glower. “Such an attitude is unbecoming, Zelie. It’s no wonder Jacques was always complaining.”
She winced, as he must have meant her to. “Low blow, Jean.”
Rather than apologize, he surged to his feet. “I didn’t just find likely agents. You remember that friend I mentioned as a likely prospect, Léon? We have a plan. Within a few weeks, we’ll be in control of the government there. And once we have all of France’s foreign assets under our command, including what remains of our navy after that wretched attack by the English, it will be only a matter of time before we’re able to wrest control from Vichy.”
Nausea gurgled up through the cracks, into the hollow. “Doyou hear yourself? A conspiracy? MI6 wanted you to find people there who can feed theminformation, not to plan a coup. Do you really think you and a few friends will be enough to overturn the government and drive out the Germans?”
“Why not?” Fire burned in his eyes when he spun back to her. “A few men got us into this mess—a few men can get us out again, if they’re only willing to take the risk. Toact.”
Action, that was all he ever wanted. This whole endeavor, the largest intelligence network France had ever seen, it was nothing to him—itsfounder—but a way to mark the time until he could do something else, something better. She stood too, clenching her hands against her legs in hopes that he wouldn’t see them shaking. “And when you’re arrested, then what? What are we all to do?”
“Bah.” Another dismissive wave. “I’ll be fine.”
“You won’t. This isn’t going to end well.” She knew it down deep in her soul, in the same place that told her she had to do what she could to build a future for her children, the place that insisted there was hope, if they were clever enough.
Amusement edged out the passion—amusement!“A prophet are you, now? I didn’t think you went in for that sort of rot.”
“It doesn’t take divine revelation to know a disaster in the making when I see one.” She folded her arms over her chest. “How do you know you can trust this ‘friend’? With your life, with the lives of your wife and children?”
“It’s better if you don’t know that.” He straightened, lifted his chin. The amusement was gone, at least, though the calculation in his gaze wasn’t much better. “This is what I have to do. As for things here—you’ll run them, as you always do.”
Her breath escaped in a huff. “MI6 didn’t agree to work with us because ofme. You’re the one they trust. The one they want in charge.”
“I don’t much care what MI6 wants.” He tugged his cuffs down, though they hadn’t looked out of place to her. “I’m hereas a courtesy to you, Zelie, not to get your opinion. I leave for Algiers tomorrow.”
She folded her arms over her stomach. How many times had he insisted, to her and every other person they’d brought into Alliance, that she was the real boss, the heart of the organization, the one they should all obey?
What a fool she’d been, to think he had real faith in her. If he did, if he really thought she was a leader, worthy of respect, he wouldn’t dictate this to her now. Wouldn’t dismiss her concerns because he didn’t like them.
Trusting her with something he didn’t actually deem important work—yes, that spoke volumes. In some ways he was just like Jacques, dismissing anything that had to do with culture—music, the arts, the very things he’d putherin charge of—in favor of what the military or politics could bring.
She swallowed down the bitterness and gave him the same smile, sweet and useless, that she’d perfected with her husband. “Well. Thank you for the courtesy, then. Godspeed.”
“Zelie.” He said her name in the way Pappa had always done when she promised to behave and stay close to her nanny while they all knew she’d run off the very moment her back was turned. Equal parts exasperation and fondness. Both of which reduced her to a child. “Don’t be like this.”
“How am I being?” Her tone sounded steely even to her own ears. “Alarmed that you’re abandoning the organization we’ve putyearsof our lives into for a slim shot at glory? Hurt that, at the first glimmer of ‘action,’ you deem all this not worth your time anymore? Resentful that you value my opinion so little you don’t even ask for it when it comes to something you deemactuallyimportant? So sorry. My apologies.”
“Zelie.” He took a step forward.
Her hands flew up, palms out. “Don’t! If you’re entitled to your decisions, then I’m entitled to my reaction to them.”
He sighed. “Let’s not part on a sour note. Tell me how things went in Paris.”
Why, when he clearly didn’t care about Alliance, when his dream was to make it irrelevant? She squeezed her eyes shut. That wasn’t fair. That was her dream too—to win this war, to not need a network of spies anymore. She just wanted to play a part in the victory, that was all. Her own pride.
She swallowed it down, opened her eyes, and said, “It went well. Henri got in and out of the submarine base and was successful at the naval base. And Marcel Laurent should know soon if he’s getting the appointment to the youth orchestra—the meeting was at noon today. But even if not, his contacts among the artist community in Paris are extensive and we have dozens of willing players, now.”
“Good, good.” He turned to the window, face contemplative. “It’s good we have everything still in place, as a fallback plan. And I trust the move from Vichy will go off as planned. To Pau? Or did you decide on Marseille?”
“Marseille.” She’d already decided, albeit bitterly. She’d wanted him to arrive when he’d promised sohecould choose. She pressed her lips together, but the words still slipped through them. “I’m not the leader Alliance needs, Jean.Youare.”
“Nonsense. You’re the heart and soul of this organization, I’ve said so a hundred times.”
“I realize this may come as a shock, but you’re not God. You saying somethingisdoes not make it so. I’m not the man for this job.” She held her arms out to illustrate the very obvious point.
He rolled his eyes. Then frowned, gaze snapping to the window again. “Are you expecting guests?”
A car was coming up the drive, and her shoulders relaxed at the sight of its familiar lines. “Yes. The three Laurents promised to fetch Marcel for me and bring him here to report on how his meeting with the committee went.”
