Page 54 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure

Ellie dressed and went down to the village, hoping to use the excuse of a fresh baguette for breakfast to find out if Nico had made it safely back.

His fishing boat lay at its usual moorings.

There was no sign of the speedboat. If he had returned, he would have left it docked below the villa, she told herself.

But then he would have come up through the garden and surely given her some sign that he was safely back.

She debated whether she could go to his house, but if he hadn’t returned, she didn’t want to worry his mother.

So she lingered in the town, buying a newspaper, or what passed for a newspaper these days, passing the time of day with those she met, before going back up the steps, glancing around first to make sure she was not noticed.

The day seemed to go on forever. On several occasions she went out on to the terrace, and once went down the narrow steps in the cliff to the little dock.

It was empty. Fear overtook worry. She had heard the sort of things Germans did to those they captured, especially if they were with the Resistance.

She hadn’t realized until this moment how very fond she had become of Nico.

And, of course, of the abbot, too. If the Germans had followed Nico’s boat to the island, found Mr Adams and taken both Nico and the abbot away . .. It was too awful to think about.

“Don’t worry,” Tommy said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulders. “That bloke lives a charmed life. He’ll turn up, I’m sure.”

They ate dinner. Ellie went to bed and was just closing the shutters when she heard the tap at the front door. She rushed down. Nico was standing there.

“You made it. You’re safe.” She flung herself into his arms. He embraced her tightly, and they stood there for a moment, her cheek against his rough jumper.

“You didn’t have to worry,” he said at last. “It was simplicity itself. We made it to the island ... A little choppy, I have to agree. Mr Adams had to keep bailing, or we would have filled with water.” He laughed at the memory.

“He was scared silly, I can tell you. But we found the abbot. He agreed this was a good plan, gave Mr Adams a habit to wear, and all was well.”

“I’m so glad.” She heaved a big sigh of relief. “So he can stay there until someone can pick him up in a bigger boat?”

“That’s right,” Nico replied. “I spent the night there. The sea really had become too wild to risk it home. But since then I’ve had a busy day.

I’ve been talking to people in Marseille.

We now see this could be a perfect solution for what to do with Jewish men who are trying to escape.

Not with women, unfortunately. We are trying to find places for women and children in hilltop villages and out-of-the-way farms. But we can set up a system to take some men to the island.

Especially the most valuable men—professors and scientists.

” As Ellie went to say something, he added, “Obviously we can’t save them all. That is the problem.”

Ellie nodded, trying to process this.

“The abbot reckons a few men could stay there for quite a while without being detected. He says that since the Germans invaded he’s made sure that all his monks are never in the same place at the same time—some working in the fields, others at chapel, others in their cells, so that it would be hard to establish the number of monks on the island. ”

“Oh, that’s clever,” she said.

“And then, when we can, a boat will come for them and take them across to Corsica. Or if we can get a big enough boat, then over to Majorca, which is part of Spain. Either way, they’ll be safer than here.”

She nodded, sensing he wanted to say more. “But I’m not sure about this next part, because it would put you in danger.”

“You want the men to come here?”

“That would be ideal.” He paused, looking directly at her.

“If someone takes them from the city, directs them to a point on the other side of the hill, where they would be out of sight of the village, then we’ll alert by radio.

Maybe one of the men in your house can lead the Jewish man down to you, you’ll put out the signal for me and at night I’ll come for him in the boat.

But it would mean you’d be harbouring the Jewish man until nightfall. Always a risk.”

“So far they don’t seem to know about us,” Ellie said.

“So far. Look, you can tell me now if you don’t want any part of this. I understand.”

“Of course I want to help,” she said. “Rounding up Jewish people like cattle. Taking them off to God-knows-where. It’s not human. And if I can help get a few of them to safety, then count me in.”

“I always knew you were a wonderful person,” he said.

“No, you didn’t. You thought I was an annoying, spoiled Englishwoman.” She laughed.

“Well, I’ve changed my mind.”

“Look, Nico,” she said, still considering this, “I can only agree for myself. It’s possible the others will not want to put themselves in danger. You’d have to ask them.”

“Are they already in bed?”

“They went up some time ago,” Ellie said.

“Then I’ll come back in the morning and explain it to them,” he said.

Ellie sensed he was about to leave. “You must be hungry, and thirsty.”

“I’ve managed to grab a bite here and there,” he replied. “But I wouldn’t say no to a glass of wine, if you still have any.”

“We have a few bottles still,” she said. “Come through to the kitchen.”

Nico paused, looking up the stairs. “That man you have staying here, the viscount. Is he safe, do you think?”

“Certainly not a fan of the Germans,” she replied. “The officers have taken over his chateau and turned him out with only the clothes on his back. They also kept his servants and have helped themselves to his wine cellar. So no, I don’t think he’d want to report us to them.”

“Good. But I think the less he knows about our little operation the better.”

“That’s all right,” Ellie replied. “The viscount has no contact at all with the village. If he sees a strange man having a drink with us, we can tell him it’s a neighbour who has come to visit.”

“Just watch what you say in front of him.”

“Yes. Definitely.” Ellie took down a bottle of wine from the shelf and poured Nico a glass.

Then she put out bread and goat cheese. He ate and drank with relish.

“That was just what I needed,” he said, getting up to go.

“Now what I need is a good night’s sleep. I don’t think I’ve had one in a while.”

“You’re welcome to stay here,” she said. “You know I made up a bed for you.”

“Tempting.” His eyes held hers. “But I feel responsible for my mother. She worries. I need to go home. I’ll be back in the morning. Perhaps you could brief the Englishmen before I come, so they are not too surprised.”

“Yes. I’ll do that.” She walked with him to the front door. “Good night, then. Go carefully.”

He paused. “I have an absurd desire to kiss you, but that would not be wise. Then I should not want to go home.” He blew her a kiss and hurried off, leaving her heart beating a little faster.

Ellie used the pretext of asking Tommy and Clive to help with the goats to get them out of the house. Roland was still sitting at breakfast and did not volunteer to help. When they were suitably far away, she told them the plan.

“It’s entirely up to you,” she said. “I don’t want to put either of you at risk unless you fully agree to it.”

“Of course we must do it,” Tommy said. “We can’t have human beings rounded up and sent off to God knows what fate.” He looked at Clive. “What do you think? I won’t agree if you don’t.”

Ellie looked at Clive. He seemed less certain, but then he shrugged.

“I’ve a personal vendetta against Germans since they lobbed a grenade at me in the last war, so I think we should do it.

” He took a deep breath, as if not completely sure of what he was saying.

“I’ve been trying to work on fake identity cards.

It’s proving not to be that easy, given the limited equipment I have.

I suppose I can probably do a job that will pass scrutiny.

Cards that give race as Aryan in case they are needed. ”

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll be needed,” she said. “The more you can make of those the better.”

“But what about you?” Clive said. “This will be dangerous for all of us, including you, if they find out.”

“I know. But I think we have to do it.” Ellie stared out to the blue sea below them, wind-whipped with white-capped waves. “It can’t be too many, just in case the Germans visit the island. So it won’t put us in harm’s way too often, I hope.”

They looked up as they heard footsteps coming towards them. It was Nico.

“I’ve told them,” she said. “And they agree.”

“Good men.” Nico slapped Clive on the back. “Now let me fill you in on the details. Come with me. We’ll decide on the path they will take and the meeting point.”

The men went off with Nico. Ellie returned to the house.

“Where are your friends?” Roland asked.

“I’ve put them to work, mending part of the fence,” she said. “If the goats get out, they’ll eat all our plants.”

He seemed to accept this.

“I keep wondering if I should go back to Paris,” he said. “I am good for nothing here, except eating your food.”

“Oh, surely not Paris,” Ellie replied. “They don’t have enough food, and the Germans are everywhere.”

“I’m sure I could arrange for food through the black market,” he said. “Money is a useful commodity. I just feel so useless here.”

It did occur to Ellie that it would be much easier for their future plans if he did go. “But how could you travel?”

“I do have my motor car.”

“You’d need enough petrol.”

“True. But I expect the black market might provide that.”

“And there will be checkpoints all along the way.”

“I shall tell them my aged mother is sick. I am returning as the dutiful son. I don’t think they would stop me.”

“They could commandeer your car, the way they took your house.”

He considered this. “That’s true. Maybe I should wait for the weather to improve. It may be hard to find coal for heating in Paris.”

Tommy and Clive returned much later, chatting and laughing as if they hadn’t a care in the world.

“We went for a little stroll up the hillside,” Tommy said. “What a fine view there is from the top. But it’s steep coming down. Clive sat on his bottom at one point.”

“It’s not polite to mention such an indignity,” Clive replied. “I shall go to my room and work on my calligraphy.”

What have we got ourselves into? Ellie thought. Will we be able to bluff our way through if the Germans find out?