August 1944
Nathalie opened the shutters and looked at the majestic peaks of Pyrénées in the distance, a landscape of towering summits, plateaus, valleys and meadows. It wasn’t until she returned home that she realized how much she’d missed them. For four years, the hiking trails had seen some of the most arduous escapes in the war. Hundreds had passed along them in search of freedom, braving the harshest of winters with below zero temperatures and howling gales. Now the tracks had fallen silent.
It was almost a year since she returned back to her village and she remembered it as if it was yesterday. After all, coming back was not what she’d anticipated. She’d always expected to be in Paris when the Allies landed. The decision for her to return was not hers to make. It was Paul’s. Her new assignment was to take charge of “packages” escaping into Spain.
After the events leading up to Gilbert’s execution, it was no longer safe to be in Paris. The Gestapo would leave no stone unturned until everyone in the network was caught. Whilst Gilbert’s body was unceremoniously being dumped in the Seine, Nathalie was given travel documents under a false name, and told to leave Paris immediately. The Reynauds were also advised to leave to an unknown destination in the country. La Vie en Fleurs was boarded up and they left straight away.
There was one thing Nathalie needed to do before she departed. Unbeknown to Paul, she returned the fine clothes to the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré saying she had decided to leave Paris and that she appreciated the kindness of the Monsieur to give her work in times of hardship. She was told that both De Rossier and Mme Lefort were attending the funerals of close friends. Nathalie was in no doubt as to whose they were. She left the premises with mixed feelings. On the one hand, meeting Corneille had flushed out the traitor in their midst; on the other, she had worked with collaborators. And then there was Pierre. He could not let go of Anna’s memory and he left Paris. She never saw him again.
Nathalie heard her mother call. ‘Get a move on or you’ll miss the train.’
She pulled out her battered brown suitcase from the closet and started to pack. Her pistol was still inside it. She took it out and looked at it. In all that time, she had never needed to use it. Paul had told her that once she killed someone, it would never leave her. Thankfully, she would never know. She placed it in the drawer, finished packing, and went downstairs for a bite to eat before leaving.
Her father was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper.
‘There were times when I never thought France would be liberated,’ he said, his voice quivering with emotion.
‘I know, Papa,’ Nathalie replied. ‘I felt the same.’
‘How long will you be gone this time?’ her mother asked.
‘Maybe a week: two at the most.’
The scene at the train station was a far cry from the one she’d experienced the last time she left. A band was playing the Marseillaise and throngs of happy families were being united with their loved ones. She bought a copy of Paris Match and boarded the train back to Paris. This time her trip was for a different reason. Paul had asked her to be with him when they welcomed Général de Gaulle back to Paris. She could not have been happier.
In Paris, the jubilant crowds in the streets took her breath away. The hated Nazi swastika had been replaced with thousands of French flags. Bands were playing, people were dancing, and strangers were hugging and kissing each other. Paul emerged through the crowd to meet her.
‘Welcome back to Paris,’ he said, handing her a bouquet of roses. ‘A welcome-back gift from us all, courtesy of La Vie en Fleurs.’
‘How are the Reynauds?’ Nathalie asked.
‘Much better now that they are back in the shop again. They’re looking forward to seeing you.’
Nathalie and Paul arrived at the War Ministry just in time to hear Général de Gaulle’s rousing speech. It was the moment the whole of France had waited for.
‘Vive La France!’ he shouted at the end. The crowd went wild.
Vive la France! France is free again.
The crowds began to move aside as a procession of armoured vehicles passed by. Nathalie froze when she recognized one of the occupants’ faces.
‘Mon Dieu!’ she cried, grabbing Paul’s arm. ‘Look who it is.’
For a brief moment she stood, remembering the man who had walked out of her life in Tours, leaving her with a warm glow. Now here he was again. She threw up her hands and waved at him.
‘René!’ she called out. ‘René!’
René had also seen her and he told the driver to stop the vehicle.
‘Camille,’ he shouted out, reaching his arm out towards her. In one swift movement, he pulled her on to the vehicle beside him.
‘René,’ she laughed, her eyes filled with tears.
He kissed her full on the lips. ‘In my darkest days, I never thought I’d see you again.’
‘Nor I you?’ she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
‘A new era has begun,’ he said, pressing her close to him. ‘And this time I’m not going to let you get away.’
The End
Continue the wonderful series in Conspiracy of Lies