Marguerite nodded and spread her hands, as if to say What’s a nun to do? “I tried, Max. But I was pretty sure that man was going to bungle it. He’s useless. So I thought I’d better come too, and you gave me the perfect excuse. I was very stern with your maman about which day I wanted to leave. I got hold of a passenger list for the TGV – another useful friend – and based on that, I was sure that Rupert Nobes was our man. He’s been up in court plenty of times for cons and theft, but they’ve never quite been able to pin it on him.”

Of all the surprising information, this last piece surprised Max the most. “But he seems so…” she searched for the right word “– useless.”

“Doesn’t he just? Quite a disappointment in the flesh. Still, he’s smarter than he looks.” Sister Marguerite licked crumbs from her fingers. “But now, the catch. Ester Rosenkrantz wasn’t on that list – she must have bought her ticket on the day. And that changes things. Ester’s one of the most obsessive jewel collectors around. She doesn’t have a criminal past exactly, but she’s … ruthless. And she keeps her jewels at Fort, too, which might give her an opportunity. So, mon lapin –” and Sister Marguerite spread her hands “– Ester says she is on holiday with her nephew, and Rupert told me yesterday that he’s going to visit a friend. Who’s lying? Who is our thief?”

“What about Klaus?”

“Oh, he’s new to me. I suppose we have to assume he might be working with Ester. But I rather like him.”

“Me too,” said Max. The balloon of excitement inside her was back, and swelling and swelling, and she had finally shaken off her homesickness. The game was real after all! And her friend was a real friend and not trying to kill her – which was a definite plus – and she was sitting in a brand-new city eating pastries with names that she couldn’t pronounce, and the whole glowing day was ahead of her.

“There’s one other person going all the way,” she said, keen to show off her work. “Celeste Le Blanc.” And she told Sister Marguerite about her night-time search, and the strange warning from “M”. Marguerite looked impressed. She was still staring at Keleti station, so it looked as though she was impressed by the pigeons, but Max knew it was really for her.