‘Go back to the Montreux tomorrow morning, and stay with him,’ said Simon as he paid André. ‘I still want to know where he goes and what he does. Understand?’

With promise of more money, André agreed and set off to the nearest bar to drink what he’d been paid so far.

As Simon had hoped, Rupert had led him to Hélène, and by the sound of it to the maid, Annette, as well. Now he had to decide what he was going to do about it. Should he go to the apartment in Batignolles and confront her? Or would that be better coming from her father? Suppose he brought Emile St Clair up to that apartment, a squalid apartment above a butcher’s shop in Batignolles – surely he would insist that they married, to avoid a scandal that would affect the prospects of the whole family?

I shall sleep on it, he thought, and make my decision in the morning.

Rupert, once assured that he had no tail, made his way quickly to the British Embassy in the Rue du Faubourg St Honoré, where he gave his name and asked if he might speak with David Bertram. He was shown into a small reception room, where David appeared five minutes later.

‘Rupert,’ he said as they shook hands. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Yes and no,’ Rupert said with a smile. ‘I’m sorry to come and beard you in your lair, David, but I’ve got a problem and I thought you might be able to help me sort it out.’

David looked doubtful but said, ‘Well, I will if I can, old friend, but if it’s embassy business I haven’t much clout here. I’m very much an underling. What’s the problem?’

‘Well, it’s all a bit complicated,’ Rupert began, and as briefly as he could he explained the situation. ‘She is afraid if she goes back to her family now, she will be forced into marriage against her will, with this man Simon Barnier.’

‘I see; a bad business.’ David Bertram took out his pocket watch and, glancing at it, continued, ‘Look, old chap, I was about to go home. Why don’t you come with me and we can discuss all this over dinner? Christine would be delighted to see you and maybe she can think of something to help you.’

Rupert readily agreed. He felt he hadn’t made everything as clear as he had wished and perhaps Christine, as a woman, might bring a different perspective to the various problems that needed to be solved.

In this he was not disappointed. Christine listened attentively to his story of their earlier engagement and everything that had happened since Justin’s death last year, asking nothing until he fell silent.

‘And does she want to renew her engagement to you?’ she asked.

‘Yes,’ replied Rupert. ‘She does. I just need somewhere safe for her to stay while I arrange for us to be married.’

‘She can’t stay at the embassy, if that’s what you’re after,’ said David firmly. ‘She’s a foreign national.’