She knew that Hitler had every intention of invading France. The documents recovered in Belgium in January proved it, along with scores of other intelligence pouring in from around the continent. But she couldn’t tell Nicolas any of that. All she could do was pretend to speculate with everyone else, and keep her thoughts to herself.
“Of course they will, and they won’t go through the Maginot.” Nicolas shook his head. “If they have any sense, they’ll come through Belgium. The fortifications were never completed there.”
“I’m sure both our governments have made defensive plans for that.”
Nicolas made a rude noise and began pacing. “I don’t have very much faith in Daladier. He’s a fool,” he muttered. “There’s an uproar right now because he didn’t do anything to help Finland and now it looks like they’re going to fall to the Soviets. He says there is no immediate threat of invasion. Ha! Hitler will come for France. He has no choice.”
Nicolas stopped pacing and faced her, pointing his cigarette at her to emphasize his point.
“And when he does, it will be nothing like the last war.”
He was right, of course. Hitler had been in the front lines when Germany and France collided in the Great War. He wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes his predecessors had made.
“You’ve given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?” she asked. “I didn’t know you were interested in any of it.”
“We all have to be interested now, don’t we?” He resumed pacing. “We can’t just sit and wait for the war to come to Paris.”
Her lips tightened and she thought of the address in Metz that Bill had given her the night before. She would drive out and meet with Josephine tomorrow because, as Nicolas so aptly said, they couldn’t just sit and wait.
“I don’t think you have to worry about the war coming to Paris,” she said calmly, inwardly wincing at her own words. “The combined forces of the British Expeditionary Force and your army will stop the Wehrmacht from getting this far in.”
“Will it?” Nicolas stopped again and glanced at her. “I don’t know.”
Evelyn studied him from under her lashes, surprised. Her cousin had changed since she’d seen him last August. He’d grown more serious and, as was evidenced by this very conversation, more concerned with the very real threat Herr Hitler posed to France. This set him apart from the majority of his acquaintances now, as she well knew. While it was only natural for the people of Paris to be nervous, most of them were quite happy to trust their government and army to protect them. If the government said there was no immediate threat, then there must not be.
“I’ll tell you this much,” he said. “If the Germans make it past our initial defenses, France will be lost.”
“And if that happens?” she asked, stubbing out her cigarette in the ashtray beside her.
“I don’t know.” He blew out his cheeks and exhaled. “I honestly don’t know. Maman and Papa have mentioned going to England.”
“Yes, it came up yesterday as well.” Evelyn watched as he put out his own cigarette. “We’d be more than happy to have you, of course. Mum would be overjoyed.”
Before he could respond, the door opened and Gisele swept in in a swirl of silk and perfume.
“Here you are!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing in here?”
“I came in to escape the argument in the parlor,” Evelyn said with a laugh, “and then Nicolas came and found me.”
Gisele crossed the room to drop carelessly onto the love seat beside her.
“Are you coming out tonight?” she asked, looking at Evelyn. “I think we’re going dancing.”
“I’ll have to take a pass, I’m afraid. I promised a friend that I would take a package to her Aunt in Metz.”
“Metz!” Nicolas exclaimed. “When?”
“I thought I’d go tomorrow, if I can borrow your car, Zell.”
“I don’t mind.” Gisele yawned and picked up the discarded book on the cushion beside Evelyn, glancing at it cursorily. “Long drive, though.”
“That’s why I’m staying in tonight. I want to get an early start in the morning.”
“You may need to get petrol. I don’t remember the last time I filled it up.”
Evelyn smiled. Gisele’s car was a Bugatti 57s Atlantic sports car that she and Nicolas shared. However, neither of them drove it much while they were in Paris. They were always quite happy to have her borrow it when she wanted, and she unabashedly admitted that she took advantage of their generosity whenever an opportunity arose. It was fast and sleek, and she loved it.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Do you want some company?” Nicolas asked suddenly. “I’ll come along if you like.”
She blinked in surprise, but before she could say anything, Gisele clucked her tongue.
“You can’t go to Metz tomorrow,” she said. “We’re expected at the Gautier’s for their spring luncheon.”
Nicolas made a face. “Completely forgot about that. Do we have to?”
“Yes. You know we go every year.” Gisele grinned. “Perhaps they won’t have it next year.” She looked Evelyn. “It really is the dullest thing, and it’s so packed that you can’t even move. We hate going.”
“Then why do you?”
“Traditions, I suppose.” Gisele shrugged her slender shoulders. “Especially now, we have to try to keep up whatever semblance of normality that we can.”
Evelyn raised her eyebrows. It was unlike her pretty cousin to bring up the war. She tended to avoid discussing it as much as possible.
“Paris seems just the same as ever to me,” she said.
“It’s not,” Gisele said, surprising her. “This war is like the big elephant in the room that no one wants to acknowledge is there, myself included. But we all know it’s looming over us. The clubs are a little too noisy now, the restaurants a little too packed. Everyone is trying to go on as before, but underneath...” She shrugged. “We’re all waiting.”
“For what?”
“Why, for the invasion, of course.” She got up and wandered over to the piano, pressing one of the ivory keys. “You know,
