They stayed overnight at the Georges V in Paris and caught the
midmorning TAT flight down to Nantes, the nearest airfield to the
shipyards at St Nazaire, and Jules Levoisin was there to meet them at
the ChAteau Bougon field.
Nicholas! he shouted joyfully, and stood on tiptoe to buss both his
cheeks, enveloping him in a fragrant cloud of eau de Cologne and pomade.
You are a pirate Nicholas, you stole that ship from under my nose. I
hate you. He held Nicholas at arm's length. I warned you not to take
the oh, didn't I? You did, Jules, you did. So why do you make a fool
of me? he demanded, and twirled his moustaches. He was wearing
expensive cashmere and an Yves St Laurent necktie; ashore, Jules was
always the dandy.
Jules, I am going to buy lunch for you at La Rotisserie, Nicholas
promised.
I forgive you/ said Jules, it was one of his favourite eating-places -
but at that moment Jules became aware that Nicholas was not travelling
alone.
He stood back, took one long look at Samantha and it seemed that
tricolors unfurled around him and brass bands burst into the opening
bars of La Marseillaise'. For if dalliance was the national sport,
Jules Levoisin considered himself veteran champion of all France.
He bowed over her hand, and tickled the back of it with his still black
mustache. Then he told Nicholas, She is too good for you, mon petit, I
am going to take her away from you. The same way you did Golden
Adventurer? Nick asked innocently.
Jules had his ancient Citroen in the car park. it was lovingly waxed
and fitted with shiny gewgaws and dangling mascots. He handed Samantha
into the front seat as though it was a Rolls Camargue.
He's beautiful/ she whispered, as he scampered around to the driver's
door.
Jules could not devote attention to both the road ahead and to Samantha,
so he concentrated solely upon her, without deviating from the Citron's
top speed, only occasionally turning to shout, Cochon! at another driver
or jerk his fist at them with the second finger pointed stiffly upwards
in ribald salutation.
Jules great-grandfather charged with the Emperor's cavalry at Quatre
Bras/Nick explained. He is a man without fear. You will enjoy La
Rotisserie, Jules told Samantha. I can only afford to eat there when I
find somebody rich who wishes a favour of me. How do you know I want a
favour? Nick asked from the back seat, clinging to the door-handle.
Three telegrams, a telephone call from Bermuda another from
Johannesburg/ Jules chuckled fruitily and winked at Samantha. You think
I believe Nicholas Berg wants to discuss old times? You think I believe
he feels so deeply for his old friend, who taught him everything he
knows? A man who treated him like a son, and whom he blatantly robbed -
Jules sped across the Loire bridge and plunged into that tangled web of
narrow one-way streets and teeming traffic which is Nantes, a way opened
for him miraculously.
In the Place Briand, he handed Samantha gallantly from the Citron, and
in the restaurant he puffed out his cheeks and made little anxious
