The Room on Rue Amélie(47)
On Monday, Ruby went to the Tuileries gardens to meet Aubert. As she strolled through the flower-lined pathways, she was struck by how normal things seemed. There were little boys racing white-sailed boats in the pond, giggling girls chasing each other, contented mothers pushing prams and chatting. It was like none of them knew a war was going on. Ruby wasn’t sure whether she should be grateful for the normalcy or horrified by it.
“Act casual,” Aubert said quietly as he approached quickly from the west entrance to the park. He kissed her on both cheeks and put an arm around her. “Behave as if we’re old friends, just meeting up for a chat.”
“But we are old friends,” Ruby said. “Aren’t we?”
She drew her answer from his silence. He had never been her friend. He had merely tolerated her. Was that what he was doing now? Putting on a friendly face to keep her happy?
They settled onto a bench together facing the pond. It was the perfect cover for a clandestine meeting. There were thousands of witnesses, so no one could accuse them of conspiring, and yet they could talk without being overheard. “Always hide in plain sight,” Aubert murmured. “It’s the last place the Nazis look.”
“Is the pilot safe?” Ruby couldn’t help but ask. “The one I was sheltering?”
“I don’t know. Once they leave Paris, I have no idea what happens. It’s better that way; the less each of us knows, the less we can reveal if we’re captured.”
“But he got out of Paris, at least?”
“Yes.” Aubert was silent for a moment. “You know, it’s our job to send them on to the next stop in the line, not to befriend them.”
Ruby looked away, but she was sure Aubert could feel her shoulders tensing under his arm. “I nursed him back to health, Aubert, so obviously I care what becomes of him.”
“Laure seemed to feel there was something more between the two of you. Of course I told her she must be wrong. Surely you’re still mourning your husband.”
“Of course I am,” Ruby said quickly, swallowing a hard lump of guilt.
“In any case, I know you want to help us. I appreciate that, Ruby, but I’ve considered it and I don’t think you’re the right fit. You already stand out.”
“And yet I harbored a pilot for days.”
“Still, I’m not sure you’re capable—”
She didn’t wait for him to finish. “You didn’t think I’d be capable of something like this in the first place, though, did you? And I have already proven you wrong.”
“Ruby—”
“And truly, Aubert, why would anyone suspect me?” she asked, interrupting him again. “Because of Marcel, people think I’m nothing, a nobody.”
From the sheepish look Aubert gave her, Ruby knew he’d thought it too. Perhaps he still did.
“See?” she continued. “Marcel laid the perfect groundwork. If the Nazis ever have a suspicion, they’ll only have to ask around, and they’ll be informed of just how useless I am.” Her laugh sounded more bitter than she intended it to. “He created the perfect cover.”
“This is very dangerous work, Ruby.”
“I’m aware of the risks.”
“But they torture people. You can’t possibly know how you’d stand up to that.”
“I do know that I would sooner die than risk endangering any of the pilots I’d be helping.”
“And under no circumstances could you tell the Nazis about me or Laure or anyone else you meet on the line. As an American, you might survive, but those of us who are French would be executed immediately. We’d be putting our lives in your hands, Ruby.”
“Aubert, I’m involved already, which means your life is in my hands now. I suppose it’s up to you what happens next.” She held her breath.
His hand on her shoulder flexed and released. “Very well. But from now on, I’m Philippe. You must remember that. The code names are for our protection, and you mustn’t be careless. I’ll send you your first pilot within a week’s time, as long as the Brits agree, and I’ll work on getting you extra ration cards. Laure or a man with the code name Jean-Louis will do the pickups from your apartment. Unless something goes wrong, you should have the men for forty-eight hours at most.”
Ruby took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“Those are the wrong words for a situation like this. You think that you’re embarking on a great adventure, Ruby. But I fear you’ve just started down a road that will ultimately end in your death.”
SIX DAYS LATER, THERE WAS a soft knock at Ruby’s door, and she opened it to find a man with small, dark eyes dressed in dungarees and a faded shirt. There was a deep gash down the right side of his face, and he looked exhausted. “Fleur?” he asked, glancing around nervously. He reminded Ruby of a skittish deer.
“Yes,” Ruby said in English, realizing immediately that he was the first of the men Aubert had promised to send her way. “Please, won’t you come in?”
He didn’t move at first. “You speak English.”
“I’m American.”
His eyes filled with tears. “God, you have no idea how nice it is to hear my own language.” He stepped inside, and she shut the door behind him. “What on earth are you doing here, so far from home?”