43 Julia
43
Julia
August, 2002 – Paris
Christoph was overwhelmed with distress when he recalled the empty apartment and being sent to the Eastern Front. He cried out, burying his head in his hands.
‘I should have stayed with her that night,’ he said. ‘I should never have gone back to Le Meurice.’
‘Do you think she was taken?’
Christoph shook his head. ‘There was no sign of forced entry or struggle.’
‘Maybe she left to protect you.’
‘Perhaps,’ Christoph said bitterly, ‘but she still left me all the same, and took Jacques too. I don’t understand why they didn’t wait for me.’
Nothing Julia could say consoled him. In the act of remembering, Sylvie had abandoned him all over again.
The doctor ushered Julia out of the room while the nurse gave Christoph his painkiller medication.
‘We should have the results of the MRI scan soon,’ the doctor said. ‘Hopefully that will put his mind at ease.’
Julia glimpsed Christoph through the glass pane of the door. He was quieter now, his eyes closed. This was exactly what Daniel had feared. The search for the past was damaging the present.
Julia climbed the stairs to the apartment with slow steps. Perhaps it was time to stop the search, if not for good, at least until Christoph had regained his strength and got over the shock of Sylvie leaving him.
Daniel was in the living room, sorting through some papers.
‘What’s going on?’ Julia said.
‘I decided to have one last search to see if there were any other clues here in the apartment,’ he said.
‘Have you changed your mind then?’ Julia said, sitting down on the sofa, hoping Daniel had reconsidered. ‘Are you ready to find out what happened?’
‘I don’t know, but I knew I couldn’t just sit around. Where have you been?’
Julia tucked her hair behind her ears. ‘I went to the National Archives and then to see Christoph, but I’m no closer to finding Sylvie, despite scouring pages of records. Have you had any more success here?’
‘Well, that’s just it,’ Daniel said. He passed a document to Julia. ‘From what you’d said about the apartment and Christoph’s memories of being here with Sylvie, I’d assumed the apartment belonged to her. But actually, it doesn’t belong to either of them.’
Julia frowned. ‘Who does it belong to then?’
‘Auguste Seraphin Emboscier. I found a copy of the deeds in one of the drawers.’
Julia skimmed through the document. Auguste Seraphin Emboscier. That middle name – Seraphin – was the name mentioned in Jean’s interrogation, and in Sylvie’s. Julia’s breath grew shallow.
‘I think this man Seraphin is connected to your father and Sylvie.’
Daniel came and set next to her. ‘How?’
‘When your father and Sylvie were at Le Meurice, the head chef, Jean Dupont, was detained on suspicion of plotting to poison the guests at an important military dinner. Sylvie, out of all the kitchen staff, was spared the interrogation. Jean blamed someone called Seraphin. Jean believed Seraphin was working for the Special Operation Executive and had betrayed him. Seraphin’s name came up in Sylvie’s records too.’
Daniel stared at her. ‘But I don’t see how …’
‘The owner of this apartment, M. Emboscier, he must be the same man.’
‘It could be a coincidence.’
Julia gazed around the room. Dust tickled her nose. They were getting closer. She could feel it.
‘We have to track him down.’
‘I’ve already tried to do that,’ Daniel said. ‘M. Emboscier died in 1991. The solicitors informed me when I rang them half an hour ago. They’ve no idea how Christoph ended up with a key.’
‘So who does the apartment belong to now?’
‘The daughter of M. Emboscier.’
‘Then we have to talk to her.’ She hesitated. She was getting carried away and assuming that Daniel wanted to help. ‘Have you decided what you’re going to do? I mean, I’ll talk to her, regardless of whether you want me to or not.’
Daniel shook his head. ‘I know you will. You’re strong, Julia, and determined. That’s what I admire about you. I wish I could feel the same, but maybe I’m just too close to it all.’ He took her hands. ‘I’ll be here to support you and Christoph, but I don’t want any part of the search. I’m not ready for that kind of journey, not yet.’
Julia gazed at him. She’d hoped they could do this together. Surely knowing the whole truth was the only way to repair Daniel’s relationship with Christoph. ‘Are you sure about that? I think that deep down you do want to know more. Why else would you have searched the apartment?’
‘Because I wanted to bring this whole thing to a conclusion,’ Daniel said, ‘and then we can concentrate on looking after Papa and getting on with our lives.’
‘This is our lives,’ Julia said impatiently. ‘And it’s Christoph’s too. You don’t seem to realize that.’
She left Daniel and went down to the concierge’s appartment to telephone the solicitor, explaining Christoph’s predicament. They were reluctant to give out information but finally they relented and said they would contact Seraphin’s daughter and see if she was willing to talk to Julia.
A few minutes later, while Julia was waiting anxiously by the phone, drinking a cup of coffee that the concierge had kindly made her, the solicitor rang back to pass on the address of Seraphin Emboscier’s daughter, Estelle. She was apparently willing to speak to Julia. Jubilant, Julia went back upstairs to get her bag.
‘Have you tracked the daughter down?’ Daniel asked, hands in his pockets, hesitating by the door.
‘Yes.’ Julia took her bag from the back of the chair. ‘Are you sure you won’t come with me?’
He shook his head. ‘Papa should get his results today. I’m worried about what they’ll find. Couldn’t you wait until afterwards?’
‘No, I need to do this now. She’s expecting me. There’s plenty of time before we see the doctor.’ She went over to Daniel and rested her palm on his chest, gazing at him intently. ‘Look, I kind of understand your reluctance. This is all happening fast and it’s dredging up something that’s still recent in your family’s past. But I honestly believe you would benefit from being a part of it, instead of watching from the outside. You never know, Estelle might provide the conclusion you’re looking for.’
Julia kissed his cheek and headed down the hall to the door. There was nothing more she could say or do. It was up to him now. Estelle was waiting, and Julia was desperate to hear what she had to say.