Claire ate enthusiastically and when she had finished she took the loaf, broke off a sizeable chunk and mopped up the dish. ‘Isn’t André coming for supper?’
‘No, he and two of the men are hiding the drop. They can’t transport it in daylight and with the train due in just a few days, they must prepare early.’
‘It is a dangerous mission,’ Thérèse said, caressing her stomach.
Claire was only too aware of the danger and hoped it wasn’t André who was going into the tunnel to place the explosives. He and Thérèse had been trying for a baby since before Aimée was born. Claire smiled at Thérèse. ‘Try not to worry about André. He is experienced and professional. He will not take unnecessary risks.’
Édith took hold of Thérèse and Claire’s hands and gently squeezed them. ‘A glass of wine I think, to welcome you home.’ She poured wine for herself and Claire, and milk for Thérèse, who pulled a face.
Claire sipped her wine in the warm kitchen, with its familiar smells of parsley, thyme and garlic. She felt at home in the Belland house – and although it was where Mitch had been stopped and taken to German headquarters, she felt safe in the streets and avenues of Gisoir – a lot safer than she did in Orléans or Paris.
‘Claire?’
‘Sorry, Édith, I was miles away.’
‘Look at the door. It stands ajar and a little girl is peeping at you from behind her dolly. She really should be in bed. What do you think?’
Claire’s heart leapt in her chest. Aimée half smiled, stepped back, and the gap between door and frame narrowed. ‘I think we should invite her to join us? What do you think, Aunt Thérèse?’
‘I think that would be lovely. Since she’s awake, it cannot hurt.’
Édith raised her eyebrows. ‘Aimée, would you like to come in and see your mummy?’
Aimée pushed the door with both hands, squashing her doll. Édith held it so it didn’t swing shut while the little girl made up her mind. Claire smiled at her again. She wanted to run to her, pick her up and hold her tightly, but she didn’t want to frighten her. It had been six months since Aimée had seen her, a very long time to a child.
‘Mama?’ Claire looked down. Aimée was at her knee. With big blue eyes, the little girl looked up and offered Claire her doll.
‘For me?’ Claire said. ‘Thank you, Aimée. Oh but,’ Claire put her hand to her mouth, ‘what shall I call her?’
‘Twicoté,’ Aimée said. Then, craning her neck to look over the table at Édith, she lifted her arms. Claire wished it was her that Aimée wanted to go to, and swallowed. Édith picked Aimée up and sat her on her knee.
Claire did the same with the doll. ‘Hello, Tricoté. What a lovely little one you are.’ She couldn’t help laughing because tricot meant knitted. ‘What a lovely name.’
Without taking her eyes off Claire, Aimée put her hands out for the doll, and Claire gave it to her. She then gave it to Édith, put her hands up to Claire and said: ‘Me.’ Claire lifted her daughter out of Édith’s arms, hugged her to her chest, and in no time Aimée was asleep.
Édith took hot bricks from the oven and wrapped them in clean rags. ‘Do you want to take her up, dear?’ Édith whispered. Claire nodded.
Édith put the hot bricks in Claire’s bed while Claire put Aimée in her small cot. The little girl stirred but didn’t wake. Claire stepped back and watched her daughter turn this way and that before settling down. After a sleepy sigh, Aimée put her thumb in her mouth. A second later she was fast asleep. Claire pulled the blankets up and tucked her in. Édith watched from the doorway and when Claire left the bedroom, she switched off the light. ‘She is beautiful,’ Claire said, taking a last quick look at her daughter before Édith closed the door.
‘You are doing a wonderful job of bringing Aimée up, Édith,’ Claire said, when she and Édith were back in the kitchen. ‘She is a lovely little girl,’ she continued, giving in to the tears that had threatened since she arrived in Gisoir.
‘Shhhhhh child.’ Thérèse passed Édith a clean handkerchief and she knelt before Claire and wiped her tears. ‘She is a lovely child, yes. She takes after her mother.’
Thérèse agreed as she eased herself out of her chair. ‘I cannot keep my eyes open. Forgive me, I am tired and should go to bed,’ she said, holding her side with one hand and her stomach with the other. ‘It is good to have you home,’ she said, giving Claire’s shoulder a squeeze as she passed her. ‘Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight, Thérèse.’
‘Until the morning, daughter,’ Édith said, as Thérèse left. She pushed a strand of hair from Claire’s face. ‘You look exhausted, child. I think you too should go to bed.’ Édith looked at Claire questioningly. ‘Would you like to sleep in my room tonight, to be near Aimée?’
Claire thought for a moment, then shook her head. ‘No. I would love to, of course, but if she wakes in the night and sees a strange person-- I mean, someone other than you in your bed, it may upset her. In a couple of days I shall be leaving again and I don’t know how long I’ll be away. No,’ Claire said again, ‘to break her routine would be confusing for her. When I return I shall be working in the Gisoir area. Perhaps then, but not tonight. Besides, I wouldn’t get any sleep. I’d lie awake and watch her all night.’ Claire yawned and stood up. ‘I’ll see you in the morning, my dear
