‘Have you told Jeannot what you’ve got planned?’ asked Annette.

‘I outlined it to him yesterday, but gave no details. I didn’t know then if my idea would work. Now I’ve got everything arranged, we need to put it into action as soon as we can. We need to get you both to a safe and respectable place while I make arrangements for our wedding.’

‘Hélène told me you were going to be married,’ Annette said. ‘I hope you mean it this time.’

‘I meant it last time,’ Rupert said ruefully.

‘But you got talked out of it.’

‘Annette, you know what happened and you know the trouble it’s caused, but now I’m going to put it right.’ He took her by the shoulders, turning her to look at him. ‘You did everything I asked you to before I left. I’m incredibly grateful to both you and Pierre. If you hadn’t helped her, she’d be married to that monster now. I’m for ever in your debt, and I shall see that you lose nothing for doing what you did.

‘Now I’m asking you to do this one more thing, to stay with Hélène until we can be married and return to Belair as husband and wife.’

Annette looked up at him scornfully. ‘And where else would I be?’ she demanded, and turning away, she marched ahead of him as they returned towards Batignolles.

When they reached the apartment they found Hélène waiting with Jeannot.

‘All set?’ asked Jeannot.

‘Yes, Hélène and Annette are going to stay in the home of some friends of mine, Monsieur and Madame Bertram. They will stay there until we can be married. I’m hoping that will be in a few days’ time, at the British Embassy. Madame Bertram will act as chaperone, and Annette will be with her so that all possible proprieties can be maintained.’ He turned back to Jeannot. ‘Did you find a fiacre?’

‘Yeah, a mate of mine, Joubert, drives one. He’ll be here in a while. Very convenient memory he’s got. Once he drops you off, he won’t have any recollection of where he picked you up or where he’s been.’

‘Are you coming with us, Jeannot?’ Hélène asked.

‘Nope!’ replied Jeannot. ‘You got someone else to look after you now, ain’t you? Three’s a crowd.’

‘But I’ll see you again, won’t I?’

‘Never know your luck,’ grinned Jeannot. ‘When you’re back in the Avenue Ste Anne. I look in on Pierre from time to time.’ He added, ‘That’s if he’s allowed callers at the door once he’s married?’ And he gave her a broad wink as he saw Annette’s cheeks flush pink.

Ignoring this interchange, Rupert was watching from the window for the arrival of Joubert in his fiacre. As he stared along the street he suddenly saw a movement in the mouth of an alley a little further along. A young man he’d seen in the Hotel Montreux stable yard, a young man with a halo of red hair. Redhead! No doubt about it. Rupert drew back from the window and murmured to Jeannot, ‘Come and have a look.’