Page 66 of The Last Library of Paris

‘It’s just frustrating that we can’t provide a library in every hospital,’ said Guy.

‘And every POW camp,’ I added. ‘Though I’m glad our efforts are being appreciated.’

Guy picked up one of the notes we’d been sent. ‘It makes it all feel worthwhile.’ He looked serious for a moment. ‘Can we keep this up, Frances? It is a lot of work and there aren’t many of us.’

‘There may only be three of us …’

‘Four,’ said Guy.

I hid my grimace. ‘Four of us, but we are stronger than the sum of our parts,’ I said. I paused. ‘Guy, has Alain said much to you about what he does when he’s not here?’

‘Bits and pieces,’ Guy said cautiously. ‘Why?’

Because I saw him with a Nazi, I thought. But I didn’t say that. ‘I’m just curious,’ I said.

Guy frowned but he didn’t argue.

I looked at the piles of books surrounding us.

‘Perhaps we should move everything downstairs, so we can keep the library open and sort books at the same time? Rather than keeping things separate. There’s plenty of room down there.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ said Guy. ‘Then we can all do a bit of everything.’

‘We’ll do that when the next donation arrives,’ I said. ‘But for now, let’s get sorting this last lot of books. Shall I put them in alphabetical order, and you shake the pages? Or the other way round?’

‘I’ll shake,’ said Guy. ‘I know we are checking for propaganda, but I like to find other things inside. Shopping lists that remind me of the way things were, or metro tickets, or pressed flowers.’

I smiled. ‘Poignant reminders of better times.’

‘Exactly.’

We got to work, me arranging the books into alphabetical piles, while Guy shook each one to see if there was anything hidden inside.

After an hour or so, I stood up, stretching out my back.

‘We should finish up.’

‘No deliveries to readers today?’

I shook my head. ‘Not today. There are only a few requests, so it makes sense to bundle them all with tomorrow’s delivery. You can tell Alain to stand down for tonight.’

Guy looked rather pleased about that.

‘Shall I ask Sylvie to close up?’

‘Yes, please.’

Guy nodded and wandered off. I went to look out of the window, to check there were no late readers approaching the library. There were not. But as I watched, I saw a man in uniform, walking along the street. I tracked his progress carefully, on high alert, but then he lifted his face to look up at the building, and I saw it was the man who’d visited before – Marcus.

I knocked on the window, and he glanced up in my direction.

Come round the back, I mouthed, pointing to my right and hoping he’d understand.

He gave me a nod, and carried on walking past the main door of the library.

I hurried out of my office and downstairs to where Sylvie was putting on her coat by the main desk.

‘Be careful getting home,’ I said. I worried a lot about Sylvie, and the way she treated the whole Nazi occupation like a colossal inconvenience and refused to be bullied by irritating soldiers.