Page 19 of The Secret Librarian

Chapter Nine

Avery

Avery couldn’t believe how busy the Pastelaria Suíca café was, but she realised the moment she found it, head down following Camille’s directions before looking up and seeing it before her, why Camille had been amused at her not knowing where it was.

The café was in the middle of D. Pedro IV Square, with huge glass doors that opened wide to a large terrace that was densely filled with tables and chairs.

Sunshine bathed all of the patrons, most of whom were drinking coffee, and when Avery saw a couple vacating one of the tables, she was quick to pounce, hoping there wasn’t a line.

But no one reprimanded her, and so she sat down, aware that she was early but not having wanted to keep Camille waiting in case she hadn’t been able to find the place.

Given that Camille had to close her shop to meet for lunch, Avery was pleased they weren’t going to have to waste time waiting for a seat.

Many of the people around her spoke the type of rapid Portuguese that she heard every time she walked the streets, and when she’d visited the market earlier, but there were also many speaking in other languages.

She heard more than a few people speaking French, and when she looked around she noticed there were a handful of women quietly sitting alone who didn’t appear to be local.

She immediately wondered what their stories were, imagining that maybe they felt safer in a crowded café.

Avery had observed it was easy to spot a foreign woman, more by the length of her skirt or the absence of a hat or lipstick. She tried to listen to some of the conversations as she waited.

‘Well, if it isn’t my favourite librarian.’

Avery knew exactly who it was before she turned, and this time she was determined not to blush.

‘I’m starting to think you’re following me,’ she said, folding her arms across her chest. ‘The first time was a coincidence, the second time was surprising, and the third time, well, I’d say you were looking for me.’

He laughed, and she found it impossible not to grin back at him, enjoying the game they played.

‘May I join you?’

She didn’t point out that he’d already sat down. ‘You can keep that seat warm until the person I’m meeting arrives.’

‘Not your wayward friend from the other night?’

‘Ahh, no. Tom has left Lisbon, I’m afraid.’

James raised his brows, clearly waiting for her to tell him who she was waiting for.

‘I’m meeting a female acquaintance, if you must know,’ Avery said. ‘For lunch.’

‘Well, this is an excellent place for ladies to meet. It’s not called “the nice legs café” for nothing.’

This time she did blush, and she crossed her legs and shook her head. He was charming, she’d give him that.

‘I’m sorry, you’re just so fun to tease,’ James said. ‘Can I make it up to you and buy you coffee? I’m in desperate need of something to wake me up.’

She nodded and forced herself not to watch him as he walked away, just in case he happened to turn and catch her. But he was back within minutes and she was grateful for him ordering, so she didn’t have to give up her table to find their waiter, who still hadn’t stopped by.

‘So, Avery, are you meeting another librarian for lunch? Are there more of your kind descending upon Lisbon?’

‘I’m meeting a local, actually,’ she said, lifting her hand to shield her eyes from the bright midday sun. ‘Well, actually she’s French, but she’s lived here for some time.’

James suddenly stilled, his smile disappearing. ‘The woman from the bookstore?’

‘Camille, yes,’ she said. ‘Do you know her?’

His face creased into a grimace, but it just as quickly disappeared. ‘There aren’t many other French women living here whose path yours might have crossed with, so it was a lucky guess.’ He hesitated. ‘How well do you know her?’

‘I’ve known her about as long as I’ve known you, actually,’ she said. ‘So a few days at best.’

‘Just ... well, I’d caution you to be careful,’ James said, lowering his voice as their coffees were placed on the little round table in front of them.

‘It’s hard to know who to trust here, and you never know who might be feeding information to the authorities – or, to be frank, to the other side. ’

Avery was temporarily lost for words. She looked from her coffee up to James. ‘The other side? You mean like a double agent?’ she whispered. ‘Surely not.’

But if James had wanted to plant a seed of doubt in her mind, he’d certainly succeeded.

‘Perhaps the talk of being a double agent is a little far-fetched, but in a place like Lisbon?’ He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

‘Who knows? All I know for certain is that she goes to bed with a Nazi, which is likely where the rumours began. It’s hard to decide who to trust, is all I’m trying to say, although others claim she’s a Jewish sympathiser, so perhaps you have nothing to worry about at all. ’

‘She ...’ Avery cleared her throat and drank her coffee.

What he was saying was similar to Tom’s warning, although at least Tom had prefaced it by saying that it likely didn’t mean anything during a time when women had to do certain things just to survive.

‘I have seen her with a man. At the hotel the other night, they arrived while we were standing at the bar. And there was also a tall German man who came into the bookshop while I was there, and she seemed a little unsettled when he first walked in.’

‘She was with that same man at the hotel,’ James said. ‘I wasn’t aware you had noticed them, but clearly you received excellent training before arriving here after all.’

Avery shook her head, but before she could say it, he did.

‘Then again, she chose this place to meet?’

She slowly nodded. ‘It seems like a popular place to meet by the looks of it?’

Avery had the distinct feeling that James was trying to influence her thoughts, but then again, maybe he was just being friendly.

‘This is the most public meeting place in all of Lisbon,’ he said.

‘Look around you, we can be seen from everywhere, at all angles. Everyone sitting here can be seen from the Rossio Railway Station, and they’re not just looking for the great legs.

There’s always someone keeping an eye on the comings and goings here. ’

Avery swallowed, reaching for her coffee again. It was much stronger than what she was used to at home. ‘So you’re saying ...’ She let her voice drift off, hoping that he’d fill in the blanks.

‘I’m saying that there are spies everywhere, and this is one of the places they keep a close eye on, to see who is with who, to figure out the lay of the land so to speak.’

‘You’re exaggerating,’ she said, looking at him over the rim of her coffee cup before lowering her voice, conscious of how close the other tables were to them.

‘I don’t know if you’re trying to scare me or throw me off the scent or what, but I don’t believe you for a second.

You’re making out like this entire city is teeming with spies! ’

‘I’m trying to give you the lay of the land, that’s all,’ he said, but with a smile that still made her wonder whether he was teasing or not. ‘But regardless, this is an excellent place to drink coffee and people-watch. It’s almost like seeing the entire world go by.’

Avery studied him, finding it amusing how easily they managed to fall into conversation with each other, even if it was usually him doing all the talking.

‘Well I, for one, am definitely just here for the coffee and something to eat,’ she said.

‘But you’re right, it does seem like an excellent place to people-watch. ’

‘You’re just a librarian, I know, so I’m sure this is rather exciting compared to your usually dull days of filling bookshelves,’ he said, draining his coffee and rising. ‘I’m off to write a story about a war, but I hope to see you again soon, Avery. And I very much hope you enjoy watching people.’

‘Well, thank you for keeping me company while I waited.’ She realised just how naive she’d been all over again with James, and it was obvious that she was going to have to keep her wits about her.

Avery understood why he’d jumped to his feet when she saw Camille crossing the terrace, and she stood, kissing Camille on each cheek before they both sat down.

‘I can see why you were surprised that I didn’t know of this place,’ Avery said, gesturing around them. ‘It seems as if it’s the very centre of Lisbon.’

Camille’s smile was warmer than it had been when she’d first met her, but Avery had the distinct feeling that she was very guarded.

But no matter how much James’s words lingered as she stared at the beautiful woman before her, blonde hair swept elegantly off her face, she also wanted to take Camille at face value.

It was nice to have another woman to talk to, especially one who knew the city so intimately.

Why should she trust James over Camille, anyway?

‘How do you know the man who just left?’ Camille asked. ‘Have you met him before?’

Avery smiled and waved the waiter over when she saw him, so Camille could order a coffee.

‘It’s the strangest thing, but I’ve run into him a few times since I arrived.

Enough times that I’m almost convinced it’s not accidental, but he’s always been very friendly.

And he’s British, so I suppose there’s nothing to worry about, given we’re on the same side of the war. ’

‘Lisbon is a city full of spies,’ Camille said with a shrug. ‘But if he’s been that obvious, I’d say it’s probably coincidental. Or that he’s taken a liking to you. If he was a spy and he didn’t want you to know he was following you, he’d have been more discreet.’

Avery blushed. ‘He said the same thing, about the spies. I was starting to think he was exaggerating if I’m honest.’