Page 103 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure

She wasn’t going to explain any more.

“But they want Nico.”

“Ah, so Nico has been doing more than fishing,” one of them said, nodding to the other. “We wondered what he was doing out in that little boat of his with no tourists around.”

“Is it black market? Is that it?” the other asked.

“Of course not,” Ellie snapped, her nerves at breaking point. “He’s aiding ... you know.”

Her brain was racing, wondering what she could say that would not give too much away. “If you find him, just tell him they’ve taken Mr Tommy. Tell him they know everything, and he must not come to the villa.”

The man seemed to understand. “All right.”

Ellie grabbed his arm. “So can you try to find him? That boat of his is easy to spot, isn’t it?”

The man still looked doubtful. “If he’s gone all the way into Marseille? I prefer to stay away myself. That port is crawling with Germans.”

“But we can’t let them take him, can we? They’ll shoot him.”

The fisherman nodded, as if he realized this was probably true. “Very well,” he said. “I was about to take my boat out anyway. I’ll do what I can. And Jacquot here, he’s working on his torn net, so he’ll be in the harbour if Nico returns.”

“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you. Tell him not to come up to the villa. There are German guards.”

“So how did you get out?”

“Down the steps and around the cliff,” she said. “Not the easiest route. And now I must go back so that I am not missed. I don’t want to put anyone in more danger.”

“You’re a brave woman,” the fisherman said. “But if you’ve managed to get away from German guards, why go back? You could make your way down the coast to where the Italians are. They’d take pity on you, I’m sure.”

“I left the others,” she said. “And I may need to vouch for Mr Tommy. We have to get him away from those monsters.”

“Well, I wish you luck,” he said. “God be with you.”

She nodded, tears stinging at the backs of her eyes, and retraced her steps, returning to the house without any guards having noticed her absence.

Chapter 42

They waited for Tommy’s return, for the German officer’s return. The guards stayed in their positions, guarding both exits to the property, but there was no other sign of German activity. Ellie wondered whether they had intercepted the Jewish man who was supposed to come to them; she worried that the fisherman would not be able to locate Nico, that the Nazis would take the abbot and even shoot all the monks. She paced the terrace, staring out to sea. Clive warmed her some soup, but she couldn’t eat. He was equally upset, and the two of them sat staring at full plates while Roland ate his with gusto.

“Delicious,” he said, putting down his spoon. “Now if this was only the first course and there was venison to follow, or veal maybe ...”

“Don’t you understand?” Ellie blurted out. “They’ve taken Tommy. We’re all in danger here. They could come back for the rest of us at any moment.”

“I’m sure you’re overreacting,” Roland said. “They’ll deliver Tommy back, and all will be well ... unless there is something going on here that I don’t know about.”

“Better that you don’t,” Clive said.

“The men who come to visit sometimes,” Roland said, looking directly at Ellie. “They are escaping, are they not? Are they Jews? Is that why?”

“As Clive said, better that you know nothing,” Ellie said.

“As you wish.” Roland shrugged. “My God. I wish I were not out of my favourite cigarettes. One does need a smoke to calm the nerves.”

He got up and left the room.

“I don’t like that man,” Clive said. “Never have. You don’t think that he could have alerted the Huns, do you?”

“What, and risk his own life? He also lives here in the house. If they decide we’ve harboured Jewish people, he’ll be equally guilty.”