Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Fitz felt paralysed with fear. She was sure Engel knew of the kidnap plot, but if so, why was he waiting to act? Surely he should be arresting them. Or was he doing this just for fun? Enjoying watching her dilemma. Enjoying toying with people’s lives. If anything, the incident back at the checkpoint proved that. He didn’t have any care or value for life. He was prepared to kill a child.
‘When are we going to Madame Mimi’s?’ drawled Hoffmann in her ear. Fitz had minutes to act. ‘Let’s sit down for a moment,’ she said, propping Hoffmann up and taking him to sit in a chair near the door. She motioned to the waiter for some water.
‘Come here,’ said Hoffmann, pulling her by the hips and forcing her to sit on his lap. He ran his hand up and down her leg while trying to ply her with kisses, but only able to reach her neck. ‘We don’t have to go to Madame Mimi’s,’ he was saying between kisses. ‘I’d happily settle for just you and my room tonight.’
Fitz was about to say no, when she had an idea. She allowed Hoffmann to continue to make a fuss of her and pretended to be enjoying it, while she ran through the idea in her head. It was a risky plan, but it could work. The kidnapping could still go ahead, and she and Yvette could still escape. She didn’t trust Margot and trusted her even less to get Yvette to the car as planned.
It really was the only choice she had. ‘I think that’s a rather good idea,’ she said to Hoffmann. ‘It would be a shame to have to share you with anyone else. Not on our first night, anyway.’
Hoffmann mumbled his agreement into her neck, something along the lines of what were they waiting for?
‘Just give me one moment,’ said Fitz. ‘I need to get something from my room first.’
‘Don’t keep me waiting too long,’ said Hoffmann, his eyes touring her body from head to toe.
She smiled over her shoulder at him and went over to Margot.
‘Change of plan,’ she said, smiling as if they were sharing a joke. ‘I’m taking Hoffmann out down the servants’ staircase. I’ll be bringing Yvette with me. Don’t argue. That’s what is happening. Make sure the car is at the west entrance.’
With that she turned and went back over to Hoffmann before Margot had time to protest. She had no doubt Margot was boring holes in her back with her glare.
‘Come along, then, Rolf,’ she said, helping the colonel to his feet. ‘Time for us.’
As she expected, Engel appeared. ‘Where are you going?’ he asked.
‘We’re finished here for the night,’ said Hoffmann, his words slurring together.
Engel turned to Fitz. ‘I do hope you remembered our conversation.’
‘Of course,’ replied Fitz. ‘The colonel and I are going upstairs to his room. Aren’t we, Rolf?’
‘We are. Now, goodnight, Engel. I don’t wish to be disturbed.’
With Hoffmann’s arm draped over her shoulder, and Fitz’s arm supporting him around the waist, they made their way out of the room and across the hallway to the staircase.
A soldier standing on guard at the entrance door stepped forward offering his help but Fitz assured him she could manage. It took some effort but they made it to the landing without mishap. Hoffmann’s co-ordination was affected not just by the alcohol but by the drug. Fitz glanced down to the entrance hall as they walked along the gallery landing and saw Engel standing in the doorway, wine glass in one hand, his other hand in his pocket, monitoring her and Hoffmann’s progress with those beady rat-like eyes of his.
Fitz was glad when they were out of sight. The chateau was long and thin in its construction, with one main corridor running from east to west over several floors. She knew Hoffmann’s room was on the opposite side of the building to hers.
‘Which room is yours?’ she asked.
Hoffmann stopped and squinted as he looked at the doors. ‘It’s down the end here,’ he said leaning forwards before his feet were ready to move. He almost fell flat on his face, but Fitz managed to grab hold of him.
‘Steady now,’ she said. They made it to the room and went inside. There was a large four-poster bed with heavy embroidered curtains in various autumnal colours. Very masculine in its appearance. There was a door leading to the bathroom and on the other side of the fire breast was a dressing room, where the servants’ staircase was located.
Fitz had to time this perfectly. She led Hoffmann over to the bed and sat him down. He was like an obedient puppy now. The drug was well into his system and rendering him useless to make any conscious thought or decision.
‘Wait here,’ she said. After locking the door from the inside, she went through to the dressing room and opening the small door, stepped onto the narrow servants’ staircase. She couldn’t risk being spotted by Engel when she crossed the gallery landing to get from one side of the chateau to the other.
The servants’ staircase spiralled down to the ground floor and up to the next two floors. Fitz climbed up to the second floor. It was a gamble but she hoped there was either no one staying in the room above or they were downstairs enjoying the party.
Before stepping out into the dressing room directly above Hoffmann’s, she paused, listening for any sound of an occupant. When she was confident there was no one there, she made her way through the dressing room and the adjoining bedroom and out into the hallway.
This floor hadn’t been decorated quite as elaborately as the floor below and she guessed that it wasn’t used that often. Dashing along the red carpeted hallway, she reached the other side of the chateau and the room above her own.
Fitz tapped on the door and was relieved when she got no answer. In she went, through the bedroom and dressing room to the staircase. A minute later she was in her and Yvette’s room.
‘Yvette,’ she called softly. ‘It’s me, Claudine.’
‘Claudine?’ She heard Yvette’s surprised and slightly concerned voice.
‘I’m here,’ said Fitz, coming out of the dressing room.
Yvette’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘I didn’t know you were there.’
Fitz grinned. ‘It’s a secret passage. Do you want me to show you?’
Yvette jumped off the bed. ‘Yes please!’
‘You must get dressed first,’ said Fitz grabbing the clothes on the chair and hurriedly swapping the night garments for the day ones. ‘Now, this is a bit of a game,’ said Fitz. ‘We have to be really quiet so no one knows what we’re doing. We don’t want to be spotted. You have to be as quiet as a dormouse. Do you think you can do that?’
Yvette nodded enthusiastically. ‘I’m good at hiding.’
The comment made Fitz pause. Of course, the poor child had had to go undetected before. She ruffled Yvette’s hair and smiled. ‘There is one thing, though,’ she said. ‘When we get to one of the rooms, there is a man in there. You’re not to be scared but we are taking him with us.’
‘A man?’
‘Yes. A German soldier,’ said Fitz. She didn’t want to say too much to Yvette, in case they were caught. She shuddered at the thought. ‘But don’t worry about him. You just follow me. D’accord ?’
‘ Oui .’
‘Don’t forget teddy,’ said Fitz. She took the little girl’s hand and hurried back to the servants’ staircase.
A few minutes later, they had reached Hoffmann’s dressing room. ‘Now, wait here,’ Fitz instructed Yvette. ‘When I come back with the man, you just follow us.’
Hoffmann was still sitting in the exact position Fitz had left him. His eyes were open but were gazing blankly at the carpet. He didn’t even look up and acknowledge Fitz.
She went over to him. ‘Come on, Rolf,’ she said. ‘Time to go.’ She managed to get him to his feet. He was looking at her, but without focus. ‘This way.’
As they went through the dressing room, Hoffmann didn’t appear to register Yvette there. Fitz smiled at her and gestured with her head to follow.
The spiral staircase took some negotiation especially as Hoffmann’s co-ordination was impaired, but they finally made it to the lower ground floor and into the laundry room. All she had to do now was to get the three of them across the lawn and out through the side gate where, she hoped to God, the car was waiting. She was aware they were already a few minutes behind schedule.
The side gate was no more than a door’s width and was used as a short cut for the staff to exit to and from the chateau without having to use the main entrance. Set in a stone wall which was adorned in climbing and rambling roses, it was inconspicuous. So irrelevant, she had noticed yesterday that it was unguarded.
‘So now, we need to go as quickly and quietly as we can across the grass,’ whispered Fitz. ‘Ready?’
With a nod from Yvette, Fitz began to walk the colonel across the lawn. It was darker on this side of the chateau. The lights from the ballroom shone out across the other side of the chateau. There was a small terraced area with open doors from the ballroom and she could hear the string quartet playing a foxtrot.
They were about fifty yards from the chateau gate now. ‘Keep walking,’ encouraged Fitz. ‘Come on, Rolf, we’re nearly there.’
She was grateful he was incapable of speech at this point and she wasn’t even sure he comprehended what she was saying but he was keeping up with her, if staggering every so often.
They were within a few yards of the gate now. Fitz looked back over her shoulder and could see a figure silhouetted by the lights from the ballroom.
‘Hurry,’ said Fitz, as they reached the gate. They were protected here from the shadows cast by the oak tree, and she propped Hoffmann up against the trunk, resting one hand on his chest so he didn’t go anywhere. She drew Yvette closer to her. She glanced back again to the chateau and could see the flare of a lighter as the person lit their cigarette.
A soft hoot of an owl sounded out – it was the call sign of their pick-up. Fitz didn’t have time to wait until the person had finished smoking their cigarette and return to the party. She would just have to risk it.
She took Hoffmann by the arm and stepped out from their hiding spot towards the gate. She was waiting for the person to shout out at her, but there was nothing. Her pulse was racing, and her breathing was coming fast. She lifted the latch on the gate and pulled it open, peering through the gap.
‘ Dépêchez-vous ,’ came the urgent voice of the driver as simultaneously the rear door opened, and another man jumped out. Another appeared from somewhere in the street.
Fitz pulled Hoffmann through the gateway and he was immediately collected by the two resistance members and bundled straight into the back of the car.
‘He’s drugged up to his eyeballs,’ observed one of the men. He looked back at Fitz. ‘Are you getting in?’
‘Hang on.’ She darted back through the gate to get Yvette but to her horror she wasn’t there. Panic ripped through her. She looked back across the lawn and could see the girl running towards the house. ‘Yvette,’ Fitz called in as loud a whisper as she could. What on earth was she doing? Why hadn’t she stayed by the tree.
‘We have to leave.’ The man was at the gateway.
Fitz looked at him and then back at Yvette. ‘Wait. Please.’
The man followed her gaze. ‘A child?’
‘I’m bringing her with me,’ said Fitz.
‘We can’t wait,’ the man insisted.
Fitz looked from the man and back to the little shadowy figure of Yvette. To save herself and the mission or to save Yvette? The greater good or a single child? Why was Fitz even questioning herself? There was no way on earth she was leaving without Yvette. She’d never been aware of a maternal bone in her body up until that point. Yvette might not be her child, but Fitz was bonded to her as if she were her own flesh and blood. In the exact same way she wouldn’t dream of deserting Michael, she was absolutely not going to abandon Yvette.
Fitz broke into a run, racing across the lawn after Yvette.