Read Never Leave Me for Free Online

was easy to be contemptuous of the others. They didn’t rob her of breath when she unexpectedly encountered them as the major did. He had a way of looking at her that totally disconcerted her. His very presence scorched her nerve ends raw. It was because of him that the others were here. Because of him that their home was no longer their own. And her reaction to him was intense.
    â€˜We have no reason to be grateful to Major Meyer for anything,’ she said, a throb of passion in her voice.
    Her father led the way down the moss-covered steps that led to the formally laid out rose beds. In summer they were vibrant with colour. He liked old-fashioned roses – full blown Gloire de Dijons, pale flushed Ophelias. Now the rose trees were gaunt and bleak, only the flat green buds promising the glory to come.
    â€˜Valmy has many treasures and none of them have been despoiled,’ he said patiently, wishing that he had put on a jacket for the sun held no warmth. ‘We haven’t been asked to move into the servants’ quarters to make room for his men. Neither you nor your mother have been treated … disrespectfully.’ He passed a hand across his eyes. My God. When he thought of some of the stories he had heard about the occupying forces, the wanton destruction and the brutality, the rapes … At least Meyer’s men were disciplined.
    He had walked into the kitchen some days ago in the Major’s wake. Marie had been transferring a heavy casserole from the oven to the table and two soldiers had been lounging in her way. The casserole was hot and there was no other surface upon which Marie could set it down. She had said ‘Excusez moi,’ and the soldiers had deliberately obstructed her, laughing at her distress as her gnarled hands began to lose their grip on the heavy dish. Meyer had stepped into the kitchen, ordering them to apologise instantly and they had done so, mortified with shame.
    Henri had found the incident interesting. The soldiers’misdeamour had been trivial but it had earned them Meyer’s contempt and it was his contempt that had filled their eyes with misery as they had backed from the room. Meyer had not apologised to him for his men’s conduct. He had not needed to. He had shown quite clearly that no liberties of any sort would be taken whilst he and his men occupied Valmy and Henri had been grateful.
    â€˜The major has asked me to join him for a cognac after dinner this evening,’ he said as they walked down one narrow pathway and up another.
    Lisette stopped short, horrified. ‘You promised me that you would not be taken in by glib good manners, Papa! Have you forgotten who he is. He’s a German! He’s no right to be at Valmy! To ask you to share a cognac with him in your own house is an insult! Surely even you must see that?’
    â€˜And if being insulted means I enter his rooms?’ her father said, quirking a silvered eyebrow.
    Lisette regarded him doubtfully. ‘Will he? Is that why you accepted his invitation?’
    â€˜He very well might and whether he does or not, the more I time I spend with him, the more likelihood there is of my obtaining information for Paul.’
    Lisette slipped her arm through his and began once more to walk at his side. ‘He’ll never tell you anything,’ she said with certainty. ‘He isn’t the type, no matter how much cognac he drinks. The information we need is behind the locked doors of the grand dining-room.’
    â€˜Yes,’ her father said thoughtfully. ‘One set of keys and one guard … Not impossible odds, surely.’
    Lisette smiled at him affectionately. ‘Not if we are determined, Papa,’ she said, and as they continued to walk the deserted rose gardens her head was high, her eyes bright with the light of battle.
    The next morning she cycled down through the beech woods to Sainte-Marie-des-Ponts, looking on the flowers with kindlier eyes