Page 70 of The Last Library of Paris

‘Not as yet,’ he said with a sigh. ‘But I will try again later. I’m very wary of putting him in danger.’

‘Paris must be awful.’ I rubbed my nose. ‘When I was in London a while ago, I was shocked at the damage and the destruction, but at least it’s ours, you know. Everyone’s a bit battered but they’re getting on with things. In Paris, with Nazis on every corner, I’m not sure how they can stand it.’

‘They’ve translated all the road signs into German,’ said Valentine. A small smile sneaked onto his lips. ‘A bit like how we’ve translated addresses for our fictional bookshops.’

‘We’ve stolen the idea from the Nazis,’ said Henry. ‘I like that.’

‘Me too,’ I said. ‘I’ll like it even more if we can send out our books from the library, right in the heart of occupied France.’

‘Hooray to that,’ said Valentine.

‘Fancy a cuppa?’ I said. ‘I can go to the canteen.’

‘I thought you didn’t make tea,’ said Valentine.

I rolled my eyes. ‘I’m thirsty.’

‘Then yes, please,’ he said. ‘And a biscuit, if they have them.’

‘Fine,’ I said. ‘But this is a rota now – it’s not my job.’

I headed to the canteen where I enjoyed a chat with one of the staff in there who was very funny and always made me laugh. And I was just coming out of the canteen with a tray of tea – and biscuits – when I saw Parrish in the corridor. He was leaning against the wall, and I had a horrible feeling he had been waiting for me. It was the first time I’d seen him since he’d tried to kiss me, and seeing him made my stomach lurch.

Annoyed with myself for feeling nervous – hadn’t I taken on much more dangerous men than him in the past and won? – I put my head down, intending to scurry by without catching his eye.

But as I passed, he stepped out in front of me, blocking my way.

‘You’re lucky I didn’t report you.’

Knowing I should walk away, I sighed.

‘Report me to who?’

‘The police.’

‘For what?’

‘You could have broken my foot.’

I laughed. I wanted to tell him I could have broken much more than that, but I didn’t say anything.

‘You’ll regret getting on the wrong side of me,’ he said. ‘I can make your life very difficult.’

‘Can you?’ I shifted the tray in my arms, feeling its weight now I was standing still. ‘Nice as this chat is, I must get on.’

‘I see you’ve found your level,’ Parrish said, mockingly. ‘A tea lady? I thought you were a translator.’

‘Could you move aside, please?’

Parrish glowered at me. ‘You clearly think I am a fool. But you’re wrong.’

‘No, you’re wrong,’ I said. I walked past him, forcing him to move back. ‘I don’t think of you at all.’

Chapter 19

I was uncharacteristically rattled by Parrish’s threats. I said as much to Lara later that day.

‘He’s just another man who thinks he can take what he wants from a woman,’ she said, wrinkling her nose up in disgust. ‘There are a lot of them about.’