Page 26 of The Last Library of Paris

‘Visas,’ I said.

She nodded. ‘How many?’

I had no idea. I made a face. ‘Hundreds?’

Edith didn’t reply at first. She turned the key in the lock and pulled down the blind on the window. Then she came back to her desk, sat down and said: ‘For whom?’

‘Jews.’

As succinctly as I could, I outlined what Alves had started. Then I talked about how Bea and Lara had said they wanted to keep his work going. And then I looked at her, hopefully.

‘I thought maybe you could help?’

Edith was listening intently, her brow furrowed. Forefinger tapping on her desk as she thought.

‘I can’t process Portuguese visas, Cassie.’

‘No, of course not.’ I paused. ‘But you can process British visas.’

‘A British visa won’t allow Jewish refugees safe passage through Spain.’

‘No,’ I admitted. ‘We can’t help the refugees who are still in France.’

Edith looked at me. ‘But we can help the ones who are here in Lisbon?’

‘Exactly! The refugees who are lucky enough to make it here get stuck for months and months, and it’s holding everything up. If we can process them faster – like Bea and Lara were helping Alves do – then it means more people can get to safety.’

‘What does Digby say?’

I screwed my nose up. ‘I haven’t mentioned it to Digby.’

‘Whyever not? He is a good man. I’m sure he would gladly help refugees.’

‘I know.’ I nodded. ‘He would. But the thing is … well, I’m not long back and I’m not really supposed to be …’ I paused, not sure what to say that wouldn’t make Edith think this was all a huge mistake. ‘Anyway, going through the official channels would take months to sort out – you know how it is.’

There was a long silence. So long that I started to feel a little uncomfortable. Edith was leaning back in her seat, looking up at the ceiling fan.

Finally, she straightened up.

‘There are terrible stories coming out of Germany and the occupied countries.’

‘There are. Jewish people have lost everything. Businesses, jobs, belongings, freedom …’

‘Hope,’ added Edith. She looked straight at me. ‘I think we have to do something to help.’

‘I agree.’

Edith paused again, clearly searching for the right words.

‘In my opinion,’ she began slowly, ‘the system is set up to deter refugees travelling to Britain.’

‘Really?’ I was shocked. ‘But I thought …’

‘Oh, we like to pretend we’re terribly welcoming, but it’s so complicated, it makes things harder. And it’s expensive.’

‘Expensive?’

‘Refugees have to have £50 in a foreign bank account …’