“Sylvie.” Tears streamed down Kat’s face. “How does no one know about this?”
“The Nazis are clever. They control just about every output of news, and they only report things they want the public to know or to believe are true. This way, their evil deeds can be accomplished with none the wiser.”
“How utterly stupid of me to think I could slip anything past him, and now my foolishness has ruined her entire life and family. Can we find them? Can you rescue them?”
“A rescue attempt is out of our hands.”
“We could try.”
“We would fail.” Her agonizing plea burned coal-hot in his chest. Too many lives had been shattered. He wouldn’t risk hers again. “It was likely Eric’s plan all along. She was probably spying on Ellie long before you came.” Unlatching her fingers from his, he turned her hands over. Red scratched down her wrists, and several bluish-black bruises spotted her knees from falling on the bridge. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
She shook her head and curled her fingers around his. “He wouldn’t dare in front of Ellie. I’m sorry for involving you in this. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to turn.”
Reaching out, he brushed off a bit of gravel sticking to her collar. She’d nearly killed herself trying to get here. To get to him. “I would have you turn nowhere else.”
“I’m leaving this place. I don’t care what it means, but I’m taking my sister and going h-home.” Tears crowded her bottom lashes. She turned, dashing them away. “Excuse me, please.”
Before she could retreat and curl into herself, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, and allowed her to use him as a barrier to the world. “There now, my braw lass.”
Then, the woman who’d been forced to stand tall and brave the punishment on her own curled into him like a child as the kept emotions found release. He cradled her, murmuring words against her hair as warm tears soaked the front of his shirt. Her slender shoulders shuddered as she burrowed further into his chest, curving herself to mold against his embrace. Too long she’d held it in, but tonight had broken her. For once in his life, he was glad to be the one to pick up the pieces.
Tomorrow, he’d figure out a way to put them back together. And it started with getting them out of Paris.
Chapter 21
Three days passed before Barrett decided it was safe enough to leave their rendezvous point in the sewer and make for the countryside. A frenzy had swept the Parisian streets with news of the disappeared English socialites. According to Jean, an enraged Eric was desperate to keep it quiet, but the scandal had proven too big for even him to cover up. Especially when his wife was seen at the opera sporting a rather large ruby that had once belonged to Ellie.
Women. What they wouldn’t do to get one claw up over another.
Barrett splashed tepid water from his canteen over his face in an effort to cool the sticky heat from the whiskers covering his chin and jaw. Disgusting and itchy, but they served the purpose of helping him blend into the population fleeing the city. Him and his “cousins.”
A few feet away, the bushes rustled as Kat—or his first cousin, as the forged papers claimed—came out from where the two women had gone to freshen up. As if that potato sack of a dress could be freshened up. But it was durable and the shoes sturdy. The time for evening dresses and perfect manners had ended.
For wearing commoner’s clothes for the first time, Kat still eased herself down on the grass and spread the woolly gray skirt over her bared knees like a queen. “Care to let me in on the plan now that we’re safely outside the city?”
Outside the city, aye. Safe? Not a chance. He looked all around the sloping embankment and back up to the dusty road behind them. Birds chirped in the scattered treetops, oblivious to the danger encroaching on their lands.
Kat sighed with impatience. “For heaven’s sake. There is no one here but us.”
“First rule in this business: never assume you’re safe.” Another quick take around the perimeter before looking back to her. The sun had pinked her nose and cheeks, but not even the fresh outdoors could push away the wanness haunting her face. “Have you eaten?”