Had Jean Lepage seen the Sparrowhawk come through? He had! Albert Skinner was relieved. Where had the Sparrowhawk gone? It was very important. The children on board had run away, the girl’s uncle was looking for her and the boy was an orphan with no family.

Jean Lepage found himself in a dilemma.

On the one hand, he knew the stories circulating in Calais about Ben and Lotti. If there was the slightest chance of the boy finding his brother alive, he had no intention of getting in their way. His own nephew had disappeared at the Battle of Verdun, his sister had spent months scouring hospitals for him. Also, there was the memory of the girl’s face when she told him about the puppies, that look of wonder, which Jean had not forgotten.

On the other hand, one did not lie to policemen.

Jean Lepage compromised.

“Try asking at La Belle Ecluse,” he said. “The landlady there may be able to help.”

Madame Royère had none of Jean Lepage’s scruples about lying. Henri de Beauchesne had given precise instructions before he left about what to say to anyone who came looking for the Sparrowhawk, and promised to reward her for saying it.

“They have gone to Paris,” the landlady said firmly, and gave Albert the captain’s address.

Albert had one final question, about something that had been troubling him since he left England.

“Tell me,” he asked. “With the children, were there dogs?”

Madame Royère rolled her eyes. This was a subject dear to her heart.

“So many dogs!” she sighed. “Puppies!”

“Puppies?”

“Five!” she told him. “Four black like the mother, the fifth a toffee-colored runt, with the ears of her terrible father, who cries all night.”

So Malachy Campbell’s Chihuahua had made it to France, thought Albert.

“Thank you, madame,” he said.

He left for the station, to catch a train to Paris. As soon as he was gone, Madame Royère telephoned Captain de Beauchesne, to warn him of the policeman’s arrival.

Henri sent a second telegram to the convent, this time addressed to Clara, hoping that she was there, that it would be helpful and, most of all, that she would be pleased with him.

Sister Monique brought Henri’s telegram to the Sparrowhawk, noting with interest that Clara blushed as she read it.

POLICEMAN ARRIVED BELLE ECLUSE … STOP … ALBERT SKINNER … STOP … ROYERE TOLD HIM YOU ARE IN PARIS, FOLLOWING MY INSTRUCTIONS … STOP … WILL DEFLECT AND INFORM YOU OF FUTURE POLICEMAN ACTIVITY … STOP … PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN ASSIST FURTHER … STOP

“What should I do?” asked Clara.

“About what?” asked Sister Monique drily.

“About the policeman, of course.”

“The captain tells you that he will deflect him. Is it so bad, if the policeman finds you?”