Chapters (117)
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- The Cast of Characters
- CHAPTER ONE
- The Recruits
- CHAPTER TWO
- CHAPTER THREE
- CHAPTER FOUR
- CHAPTER FIVE
- CHAPTER SIX
- CHAPTER SEVEN
- CHAPTER EIGHT
- CHAPTER NINE
- CHAPTER TEN
- CHAPTER ELEVEN
- CHAPTER TWELVE
- CHAPTER THIRTEEN
- CHAPTER FOURTEEN
- CHAPTER FIFTEEN
- CHAPTER SIXTEEN
- The Missions
- CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
- CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
- CHAPTER NINETEEN
- CHAPTER TWENTY
- CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
- CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
- CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
- CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
- CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
- CHAPTER THIRTY
- CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
- CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
- CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
- CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
- CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
- CHAPTER FORTY
- CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
- CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
- CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
- CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
- CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
- CHAPTER FIFTY
- CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
- CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
- CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
- CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
- CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
- The Game
- CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
- CHAPTER SIXTY
- CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
- CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
- CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
- CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
- CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
- CHAPTER SEVENTY
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
- CHAPTER EIGHTY
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
- HOME
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE
- CHAPTER NINETY
- CHAPTER NINETY-ONE
- CHAPTER NINETY-TWO
- CHAPTER NINETY-THREE
- CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
- CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE
- CHAPTER NINETY-SIX
- CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER NINETY-NINE
- CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
- CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE
- Acknowledgments
- Discover More
- About the Author
- Reading Group Guide
- Discussion Questions
- A Conversation with Leila Meacham
- ALSO BY LEILA MEACHAM
Hope shone briefly in the general’s eyes, then died. He shook his head. “But you don’t understand, my friend. I may not be able to come for him. I…don’t expect to survive the war, you see. What happens to my son in America should I perish?”
Brad replied, “Then he will simply become a member of my family, but you’re his father. He could never forget that, and I won’t, either. He’ll have a good life. That I can promise you.”
“My young friend…” Konrad began, but his voice faltered, and tears filled his tired eyes. He settled for pumping Brad’s hand. “My gratitude is endless.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Brad said. “Now we must hurry, General. We don’t have much time. I will need documents, Wilhelm’s birth certificate, christening record, passport, anything you have, to establish who he is as well as a letter from you to his aunt authorizing me to take Wilhelm with me. I will leave you my address where you can reach me after the war is over.”
CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
She’s waiting,” Celeste said. “In the drawing room. She cleaned up very well, rose from her bath like a phoenix from the ashes. The artistry of her demise was amazing and would have fooled me if I hadn’t been aware of the ruse. A shame about her hair, but I reshaped it and put a curl to it, and it will return to its former glory.”
“As so many things won’t,” Derrick said.
“No,” Celeste concurred.
In the hall, his former lover’s bags were packed by the door waiting for the chateau’s old retainer to carry them to Karl, who would drive Celeste back to Paris. Derrick bent to kiss her cheek. “Thank you, ma chérie—for everything.”
“I would say that it was nothing, but it would not be the truth, Derrick. I will miss you.” Gently, she cupped his jaw with her hand, her look soft with affection and pity. “My poor bien-aimé, I do see the attraction of her charms to a man like you.”
Derrick took hold of her hand and pressed it to his lips. “But I yearn for a star too far. Is that what I read in those wise and lovely eyes? Yes, I know. You will be in danger from the Resistance once the war is over. I will not be able to protect you. Where will you go?”
Celeste laughed. “To the man I jilted in Spain who still loves me and sends me flowers every week. Where else?” She took back her hand. “It is you for whom I fear, mon chéri. Please take care.”
“As best I can,” he said and kissed her cheek again.