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L izzie hung back, trying to put as much distance between herself and Von Schneider as possible. When he disappeared into the dark cavern with Luc, she turned to Jack, who waited for her. ‘What if he suspects something? He asked me so many questions.’

Jack put his arm around Lizzie’s shoulders, and his voice was low. ‘Remember, the Gestapo are the secret police. They try to trip people up as a matter of routine.’

‘Umm,’ Lizzie said.

Jack continued, ‘Judging by his expressions, I’d say you have a keen admirer, and his questions were just an excuse to keep talking to you.’

‘Let’s hope you’re right. I don’t know where the doctor is.’

Jack frowned and said in an urgent whisper, ‘You mean he might still be down there?’

Lizzie nodded. ‘Suzanne ran to warn him, but only just after dinner.’

Jack said, ‘We must stay calm. It will be tricky to see down there at this time of night and the odds are they’ll notice nothing. We’d better join them. Did you bring your pill?’

Lizzie nodded solemnly and pointed to her locket. Val had issued them with the usual suicide pills shortly before they left.

Jack reached for her hand. ‘If anything out of the ordinary happens, we’ll improvise.’

Lizzie entered the stairwell, her heart strumming so hard it reverberated in her chest. They heard the men’s voices and soon reached them in the outer wine cellar. Von Schneider held a bottle and was studying the wine label. ‘This looks like a very fine vintage.’

‘Take that with my blessings,’ Luc said.

‘That is most kind of you. I will,’ Von Schneider replied.

‘The Führer instructed us to source only the best for Germany. Earlier, I mentioned my team of specially appointed wine agents. Their mission is to select the top wines to export to the Fatherland. You will, of course, receive a fair price for them.’

‘But of course,’ Luc said, his face devoid of expression. ‘Unfortunately, beyond a small supply for your personal consumption, we won’t be able to contribute.’

‘Why is that?’ Von Schneider asked, a steely current rippling through his voice.

‘I’m sure your wine agents will tell you. Last year’s harvest was one of the poorest we’ve had in years, so we haven’t much to offer.’

‘What about the bottles from previous years? Impressive vineyards such as these must have produced plentiful harvests before the war.’

‘Indeed,’ Luc said, his voice measured and polite as ever.

‘Please forgive me mentioning this if it is in poor taste, but as you are in earnest in your quest to export French wine to Germany, it’s important you have the full picture.

I wouldn’t want you to waste your time. When your troops invaded, much of the wine from our region was taken.

After several visits, most of our stock was gone.

’ Luc avoided saying his cellars had been looted, but the inference was clear.

Von Schneider raised his eyes from studying the label.

‘What a shame. I had heard something about wine being seized in the early days. The troops were understandably excited by our victory, but we have corrected the situation now. I confess I hadn’t realised you were personally affected.

Please accept my apologies for any unruly behaviour. ’

Lizzie gritted her teeth. Luc had told them the German soldiers had entered the cellars and informed them they would confiscate cases of their wine immediately.

Luc had explained that was partly why the chateau struggled financially now.

Even though they were permitted to sell to Germany and the Axis countries, the currency exchange rate was so poor it was like running a charity.

The Nazis made it look as though they were operating a fair market, but when the French wine merchants traded with them, it was more like daylight robbery.

Lizzie hoped Luc’s dismal account of wine stocks would end the Gestapo officer’s zeal to see more of the cellars, but he was not so easily curtailed.

He held onto the wine bottle and coughed. ‘Nevertheless, I should like to continue the tour. I am fascinated by cellars and vineyards and find them quite the most interesting thing about France.’

They resumed walking slowly and neared the entrance to the secret room. Lizzie spoke in a loud voice to warn the airmen and possibly the doctor, they had company. ‘Herr Von Schneider, it is a pleasure to have someone so appreciative to show around.’

Please, please do not let them make a sound.

Luc caught on and added to the conversation until they were all talking. Lizzie held her breath as they approached the secret room.

Lizzie had asked Suzanne to warn them of their visit so they wouldn’t think they were coming to see them.

Beau, who had stayed obediently at Luc’s heels until then, padded over to the row of barrels positioned near the concealed entrance and whimpered.

‘Your dog seems to have a fancy for a glass of wine,’ the commissaire said, laughing at his own wit.

The big dog lowered his body onto the cool ground and started scratching and sniffing. Lizzie looked at Jack, fear rocketing through her.

‘Come here, Beau. Here,’ she said, but Beau’s attention was fully on a wine barrel, and he wouldn’t be distracted.

‘He is certainly fascinated by something,’ Von Schneider said, taking a few steps towards the barrel.

Luc snapped at his dog, but Beau didn’t obey his master.

Lizzie said, ‘It’s probably something highly unpleasant, like a rat.’

‘My wife is correct. We have terrible problems with rats down here, and they spread disease, you know. I would advise you to proceed with caution.’

Von Schneider stepped back hastily, an expression of distaste on his face.

‘Here, boy,’ Lizzie said to Beau as he scratched frantically. She moved swiftly towards the barrel, and peered inside, the blood racing to her head.

Lizzie stopped herself from exclaiming and quickly replaced the lid.

‘You too, Isabelle. Move away,’ said Jack.

‘It’s nothing,’ she said. ‘Beau is a hunting dog. It’s enough for him to smell the scent of a rodent and he gets very excited.’

Jack was looking at Lizzie strangely, trying to figure out what was going on. There was a muffled noise, and the commissaire jerked his head up. ‘What on earth was that?’

‘These cellars are older and creakier than us, my friend! Remember, we are in a medieval maze, and rocks have been known to fall from the ceiling,’ Luc said.

Beau was still scratching, and Lizzie wondered how to distract him. ‘I’d like to get out of here. It’s creepy at night.’

‘I couldn’t agree more,’ Luc said. He ordered Beau to his side, who reluctantly left the barrel and obeyed his master’s firm instructions.

‘Perhaps it will be better to take the full tour in the daytime, after all,’ Von Schneider said. He turned to leave, his distaste for rats and falling rocks evident. ‘In my enthusiasm, I seem to have overlooked your experience. I don’t wish to endanger you all.’

Lizzie released a ragged breath and moved away from the secret cellar entrance. She exchanged a look with Jack and they both started walking briskly the way they had come.

‘You are welcome, any time,’ Luc said, as though his preference mattered, and he had a choice about whether to allow a Gestapo officer to plunder his wines on demand.

They reached the top of the steps and Lizzie breathed in the fresh evening air after the musty cellar. Dusk had fallen and the first silvery stars twinkled in the darkening sky.

It would be the most wondrous evening if she hadn’t spent it with the devil. As they reached the courtyard, Lizzie counted the seconds until she could excuse herself and planned never to see the Gestapo officer again.

‘A wonderful idea has occurred to me,’ Von Schneider said, pausing as he scanned the chateau, admiration burning in his eyes.

Lizzie stared at him, praying his latest idea in no way involved her.

He addressed Luc. ‘I find myself not wishing to leave this evening. Would you be so generous as to offer me accommodation for the night? I’m drawn to this place and would love the opportunity to stay in such a fine chateau.’

Lizzie gulped, and in her panic, she replied before Luc. ‘That sounds lovely, but your driver awaits you, Herr Von Schneider.’

He turned to Lizzie. ‘Please call me Walter. I have not forgotten, dear Isabelle. I’m sure in a place as magnificent as this, the staff will find a room for my chauffeur. Is that not so, Luc?’

Luc said smoothly. ‘It will be the greatest honour to host you both.’

Lizzie’s thoughts collided as she tried to figure out how to handle this latest disaster.

Luc continued, as if he had members of the Gestapo staying at his home regularly. ‘Let us move into the library and perhaps I may tempt you with another glass of our finest Armagnac. Our housekeeper will organise rooms for you and your chauffeur immediately.’

Von Schneider, whose mood had been somewhat subdued since the revelation that there was no abundant supply of Chateau de Saint-Clair wine to loot from the cellars, brightened considerably at the prospect of another drink.

The commissaire thanked them all for a wonderful evening, and excused himself, saying he had an early start.

One down, one to go , thought Lizzie.

Luc led Von Schneider back into the chateau, with Beau close at his heels.

Lizzie touched Jack’s arm, and they stayed outside. His face was a picture of confusion as he waited for an explanation about what had happened in the cellars.

Lizzie leaned closer, ‘Suzanne was hiding in the wine barrel!’

Jack gasped. ‘So that’s why Beau was so excited!’

‘Yes, and Luc is going to call her into the library at any minute. What shall we do?’