21
The following day was warm and sunny. Too warm and sunny to be stuck indoors.
‘How can it be this hot in April?’ Nancy said, fanning herself with a leaflet for a local theatre group.
‘Summer’s arrived early.’ Philip opened one of the shop windows in an attempt to let some fresh air inside.
‘I’m thirsty. I’ll make us some tea.’ Nancy headed into the kitchen, which was even more hot and stuffy.
She opened the back door to let in the light breeze. When she turned back to the hob, she suddenly felt something soft rubbing around her ankles. She looked down to see a cute feline face looking up at her. ‘Mimi! You made me jump.’
The cat meowed and carried on weaving around Nancy’s legs. ‘I haven’t got anything for you.’
Mimi appeared to understand. She sauntered across the room in the direction of the open door.
Nancy carried on making the drinks, but as she picked up the teapot, she heard the distinctive creak of the door to Madame Dubois’s private apartment opening. Strange. Madame Dubois was at the hairdresser’s this afternoon. She swung around just in time to see Mimi’s fluffy tail disappearing up the stairs. She must have opened the door herself.
‘Mimi! Mimi!’ Nancy called up the stairs. The cat stared at her from landing, then defiantly carried on up the next flight.
Madame Dubois wasn’t going to be happy. For Mimi’s safety, Nancy ought to retrieve her. And it was an excellent excuse to check out more of Madame Dubois’s flat. She might be able to get to the bottom of what actually went on up there. She headed upstairs.
The living room was as neat and tidy as it had been a few weeks ago when Monsieur Ferrier had had his unfortunate heart attack. But there was no sign of Mimi.
‘Mimi! Mimi!’ Nancy started making kissing noises as well to see if the cat would respond to them. There was still no sign of her. The door to the kitchen was wide open. She went in, but there was no sign of Mimi in there either.
Nancy noticed another door ajar on the opposite side of the living room. It led onto a carpeted corridor with several more doors. Mimi must be through there - there was nowhere else for her to go.
Nancy hesitated. Don’t be a wuss!You wanted some excitement. It wasn’t that risky. Based on previous hairdresser visits, Madame Dubois wouldn’t be back for at least an hour.
Nancy headed down the corridor. All the doors were firmly shut except one. Nancy pushed it open.
‘There you are, you daft animal!’ Mimi was lounging on a leather padded stool, looking like she had no intention of going anywhere. As Nancy approached her, the cat casually lifted her hind leg and carefully started licking between the pads of her rear left paw. Nancy looked around. Unlike the bright light rooms elsewhere in the flat, this one was painted deep red with no windows. Nancy did a double take. The wall colour wasn’t the only unusual thing. She took in the chains and ropes hanging on one wall and the handcuffs that were attached to Mimi’s stool. A large cage stood in the corner with a selection of whips hanging above it. Nancy stepped outside the room again and worked out where it fitted in the building. It must be close to the second floor of the bookshop. Was this where all the moans and groans had been coming from?
The words “bespoke bindings” floated back into her mind. She chuckled to herself. So that’s what this was all about. Obvious really. Billy had said some people got a kick out of being tied up and flogged, but she couldn’t understand the appeal personally.
Philip must be in on it. That’s why he responded to the alarm when Monsieur Ferrier had the heart attack and why he had a remarkable lack of interest in reading for someone who’d spent nearly three years working in a bookshop. Madame Dubois hadn’t employed him for his in-depth knowledge of English literature. She needed someone strong enough to carry a client into the living room if something untoward happened in here, and presumably someone capable of ejecting any unruly clients, too. It all made sense now.
Should she tell Olivia what was going on? She’d think about that later, but right now, the priority had to be evicting Mimi. The cat sensed what Nancy was planning and took evasive action by shooting off the stool and under the bed.
‘Come on, Mimi. Play the game.’ Nancy lay flat on the floor and looked the cat in the eye. ‘You can’t stay there. You know Madame Dubois is not your biggest fan.’
Mimi just meowed.
This wasn’t going to work. Nancy needed to find something to tempt her out. She went back to the kitchen and looked in the fridge. Surely, there would be some cooked meat in there. But Madame Dubois seemed to survive entirely on white wine. There wasn’t even any milk. There was a small piece of Gruyère at the back of the bottom shelf. Most cats liked cheese, didn’t they? There was only one way to find out. Nancy took a knife from the draining board and cut off a sliver. Madame Dubois wouldn’t miss that.
She headed back to the dungeon room. As soon as she opened the door, Mimi shot out.
‘You infuriating animal,’ Nancy said, following her back to the living room. She wafted the piece of cheese in front of her.
Mimi took a step forward and apprehensively sniffed at it. Nancy moved towards the cat’s left flank while Mimi considered whether the cheese was edible or not. She dropped the cheese and quickly grabbed the cat with both hands, tucking her under her arm. Mimi meowed in frustration.
‘Sorry, Mimi. It’s time to go.’ But as she set off towards the stairs, she heard voices: Madame Dubois and a male voice she didn’t recognise.
In hindsight, the sensible course of action would have been to carry Mimi calmy to the stairs, tell Madame Dubois what had happened, missing out the part about discovering the dungeon, and then leave her to it. But Nancy panicked. She turned around and fled with Mimi into the corridor, pulling the living room door quietly shut after her.
‘Now what are we going to do?’ she muttered.
Mimi was so bemused by the sudden movement she relaxed in Nancy’s arms.
There was no point in going back into the windowless dungeon, as chances are, that was precisely where Madame Dubois and her visitor were heading. Nancy opened the door to one of the rooms that she guessed must face onto the side street. It was a small bedroom, tastefully decorated in a very similar style to the living room. French windows opened onto the side balcony. There was no chance Madame Dubois or her client would come in here, was there? She heard their voices getting closer. It sounded like they were right outside the door now.
If one of them walked in, how was she going to explain why she was standing here cuddling a cat? Nancy peered out at the balcony. It extended across the whole side of the house. If she went out there, there was enough room to stand out of sight of the windows.
She quickly pulled back the net curtain, opened the door and went outside, pulling the curtain across again after herself and clipping the door to. She’d wait out here for a few minutes until Madame Dubois and her client were busy in the dungeon, then go back inside and retreat to the office downstairs.
Except there was no handle on the outside of the door. Shit! Nancy looked down into the street two floors below. What are you going to do now, Nancy? You’re well and truly stuck.
Mimi didn’t seem too happy about the situation either. She squirmed out of Nancy’s arms and leapt onto the top of the ornate ironwork railings that surrounded the balcony, then launched herself across to the next balcony, which belonged to the café where she officially lived.
‘That’s alright for you, Mimi, but what about me?’ Nancy whispered. She considered clambering over the railings and lowering herself down, but she would still be too far off the ground to land safely.
Mimi was miaowing at next door’s window. Perhaps someone would let Nancy in, too, if she joined Mimi’s on the other balcony. The gap between the two balconies wasn’t that big. Nancy clambered onto the ironwork, supporting herself by putting one hand on the wall. She composed herself, ready to jump.
‘Nancy! What are you doing?’
She looked down to see Hans standing in the street. Why was he there? He should be importing and exporting things at his office at this time of day. ‘You’re going to fall,’ he said.
‘Shh!’ She put her fingers to her lips and then pointed at the next balcony. She tried to mime jumping across.
Hans looked horrified. He put his hands up and shook his head. ‘Don’t move. I’ll get help.’
She waved to try to stop him, but he was already heading around the corner, presumably to the bookshop.
Nancy weighed up the jump again. Perhaps Hans was right. It was too far to attempt it in a narrow skirt. If she missed, she’d land on the sweet old lady who had just sat down at the cafe table immediately below.
‘Nancy!’ A different voice shouted. She looked down to see Philip on the pavement with Hans standing beside him.
‘You mad woman. What are you doing up there?’
‘I’m stuck out here,’ she said in a stage whisper. ‘There’s no door handle to get back inside.’
‘Don’t move,’ Philip said.
‘The men in my life are very good at dishing out obvious advice,’ she muttered to Mimi, who was looking as bemused at her behaviour as Philip and Hans had at her. The door opened behind Mimi, and Monsieur Martin, the cafe owner, appeared.
‘What are you doing, Nancy?’ he asked.
‘Funnily enough, you’re the third person to ask me that today.’
‘Don’t move. I’ll get help.’
‘It’s ok. Philip’s on his way,’ she said as he went back inside with Mimi trotting after him.
Philip was taking a long time. Hans was still in the street.
‘Won’t be long now,’ he yelled. She waved. ‘I’m fine. It’s quite nice up here.’ Or it would be if she wasn’t afraid of getting a ticking off from Madame Dubois.
The door opened behind her.
‘Quick,’ Philip said. ‘Before her ladyship spots you.’
‘I thought she was tied up with a client?’ Nancy said as innocently as she could.
Philip gave her a serious look. ‘We’ll discuss it downstairs. Let’s get you out of here.’
When they reached the kitchen, Philip stopped Nancy from walking into the shop. ‘Not so fast. Why were you nosing around upstairs? That’s the quickest way to get the sack around here. Why do you think there’s a long list of crossed-out names?’ he said, tapping the drinks list on the cupboard.’
‘I wasn’t being nosey. I was rescuing Mimi.’
‘Who prefers to relax in a specific room upstairs,’ Philip said with his arms folded.
‘The red one, you mean.’
‘Hmm,’ he said. ‘I guess you understand the bespoke bindings part of the business now.’
‘I guess I do. Why didn’t you explain when I asked before?’
‘I wasn’t sure how broad-minded you were. The last shop assistant who found out walked out immediately and never came back. I didn’t want you to do the same. You’re not going to, are you?’ He sounded worried.
‘Bespoke Bindings is none of my business, is it? And I need the money.’
‘Good.’ He looked relieved. ‘I think you owe Hans a thank you. He’s in the shop.’
‘I suppose so.’ That was going to be awkward after she’d all but ignored him yesterday.
‘I’ll make some fresh tea,’ Philip said.
Nancy went out onto the shopfloor, grateful to Philip for staying out of the way. Hans was half-heartedly looking at the bestsellers’ table. He looked up when she walked over to him.
Just get it over and done with, Nancy! ‘Thank you for fetching Philip.’
‘That’s ok. Were you really going to jump across to the other balcony?’ he asked.
‘If I’d been wearing trousers, it would have been easy.’
‘It’s frighting being friends with you,’ he said.
‘You mean “frightening”. Though “scary” would be an even better word,’ she said.
‘Ok. It’s scary being friends with you. And I’m missing our English lessons. I obviously still need them.’ He smiled at her.
How she loved that smile. She was still annoyed about Wednesday’s rejection, but it had been a lonely evening without their regular chat yesterday. And surely it was better to have Hans in her life as a friend than no Hans at all. ‘A walk in the park would be good today with this hot weather - if you’re free when I finish here, of course?’ she suggested.
He looked pleased. ‘I will look forward to that very much. I’ll meet you in the café.’
‘You’re back late today,’ Olivia said, looking up from her magazine as Nancy walked into the flat.
Nancy checked her watch. ‘It’s my usual time.’
‘Only if you’ve been giving Hans an English lesson. I thought those were cancelled now.’
‘They were, but they’re back on again.’
Olivia looked surprised. ‘And you’re telling me off for going back to Pierre.’
‘That’s completely different. Hans and I have never been a couple. He helped me out today, so I decided to forgive him for leading me on.’
‘You did? And how did he help you exactly?’
Nancy was mentally and physically exhausted. She’d already been through the story of how and what she’d discovered today with Hans. She’d much prefer to update Olivia after having something to eat and a rest. ’It’s a long story. I’ll tell you tomorrow. It’s Friday night. Shouldn’t you be out with Pierre?’
‘Pierre is visiting a restaurant this evening with his brother. They’re thinking of investing in it. My opinion isn’t required, apparently, so I’ve got all night to listen to your story.’
Nancy sighed. ‘I’m really sorry.’
‘About Pierre dismissing me for the evening or you not feeling up to distracting me with something interesting? If it’s the latter, will a glass of wine help?’ Olivia asked, getting up and heading towards the fridge.