happened, we couldn’t reveal any other details. All I can do is introduce you to our contact in Decize and hope that she will be able to send you on your way.’
‘I’m sure Eloise will help,’ Marie said.
‘So, what do you think?’ Bernard asked. ‘Do you want to take your chance with us?’
Luke and Christine looked at each other and saw, without the need for words, that they were in agreement.
‘Yes, please,’ Luke said. ‘I’m sure that’s our best plan.’
Next morning, having taken on fresh supplies and refuelled, the
Bourdon
chugged on her way towards Decize. It seemed spring had arrived quite suddenly, and the trees along the bank werehazed with green. In the pastures beside the river, cream Charolais cattle grazed contentedly. Ducks paddled out of their way, quacking protests, and occasionally a kingfisher darted across their path in a flash of iridescent blue.
Sitting in the sun beside Luke, Christine said, ‘It’s almost like being on holiday, isn’t it?’
‘Don’t get too complacent,’ he responded. ‘We need to stay alert. There’s no knowing what’s around the next corner.’
The force of his warning was sharply brought home to them not long afterwards. They had passed through a lock some ten minutes earlier when they were overtaken by the lock-keeper’s young son on a bicycle.
‘My father sent me with a message,’ he explained breathlessly to Bernard. ‘He just had a phone call from Jacques Periot at the next lock. The
Boche
are checking every boat that passes through. He thought you should know.’
Bernard thanked the boy, who jumped on his bike and set off back in the direction he had come from. Christine drew closer to Luke, her heart thumping.
‘What do we do now?’
Bernard spoke calmly. ‘You have papers, Christine?’
‘Yes, but Luke doesn’t.’
‘It’s all right,’ Luke said. ‘Let me go ashore. I’ll find a way round and meet you further on.’
‘No. There is a better way. Come with me.’ Bernard led them into the aft cabin and stooped to roll back the piece of worn carpet on the floor. ‘There’s a screwdriver in that locker just above your head, Christine. Pass it to me, please.’
He slid the tool into a small crack in the planking of the floor and, using it as a lever, lifted a trapdoor to reveal a dark space.
‘You will be quite safe down there until we get through the lock, as long as you keep quiet.’
Luke stared down into the hole and shuddered. He had a horror of dark confined spaces. Once, as a child staying with his English grandparents, he had hidden in a wardrobe during a gameof hide and seek, only to discover that it was impossible to open it from inside. His terrified banging had brought his grandmother to the rescue very quickly, but he had never forgotten the panic-inducing claustrophobia. He stepped back, shaking his head.
‘No, really. I’d rather take my chance on land.’
‘If the
Boche
are carrying out a search for someone, there may be road blocks as well. You’ll be much safer here,’ Bernard said. ‘It’s perfectly dry down there and well ventilated, and look, there is even a box for you to sit on.’
Christine knew what was going through her brother’s mind. She went into the other cabin where her coat was hanging, and felt in the pocket.
‘Here, take my torch, so you won’t have to sit in the dark.’
‘All right,’ Bernard said, ‘but don’t use it while the boat is in the lock. We don’t want any light showing through cracks in the planking. Now, in you go. We’ll be there very soon.’
Reluctantly, Luke lowered himself into the space and squatted down on the box. Christine leaned down and gave him a thumbs up.
‘See you in a few minutes.’
Then Bernard replaced the trapdoor and Luke heard the carpet being rolled back over it. He switched on the torch and discovered that the space was not as small as he had imagined. It stretched the full width of the barge, to the ribs that formed the
‘I’m sure Eloise will help,’ Marie said.
‘So, what do you think?’ Bernard asked. ‘Do you want to take your chance with us?’
Luke and Christine looked at each other and saw, without the need for words, that they were in agreement.
‘Yes, please,’ Luke said. ‘I’m sure that’s our best plan.’
Next morning, having taken on fresh supplies and refuelled, the
Bourdon
chugged on her way towards Decize. It seemed spring had arrived quite suddenly, and the trees along the bank werehazed with green. In the pastures beside the river, cream Charolais cattle grazed contentedly. Ducks paddled out of their way, quacking protests, and occasionally a kingfisher darted across their path in a flash of iridescent blue.
Sitting in the sun beside Luke, Christine said, ‘It’s almost like being on holiday, isn’t it?’
‘Don’t get too complacent,’ he responded. ‘We need to stay alert. There’s no knowing what’s around the next corner.’
The force of his warning was sharply brought home to them not long afterwards. They had passed through a lock some ten minutes earlier when they were overtaken by the lock-keeper’s young son on a bicycle.
‘My father sent me with a message,’ he explained breathlessly to Bernard. ‘He just had a phone call from Jacques Periot at the next lock. The
Boche
are checking every boat that passes through. He thought you should know.’
Bernard thanked the boy, who jumped on his bike and set off back in the direction he had come from. Christine drew closer to Luke, her heart thumping.
‘What do we do now?’
Bernard spoke calmly. ‘You have papers, Christine?’
‘Yes, but Luke doesn’t.’
‘It’s all right,’ Luke said. ‘Let me go ashore. I’ll find a way round and meet you further on.’
‘No. There is a better way. Come with me.’ Bernard led them into the aft cabin and stooped to roll back the piece of worn carpet on the floor. ‘There’s a screwdriver in that locker just above your head, Christine. Pass it to me, please.’
He slid the tool into a small crack in the planking of the floor and, using it as a lever, lifted a trapdoor to reveal a dark space.
‘You will be quite safe down there until we get through the lock, as long as you keep quiet.’
Luke stared down into the hole and shuddered. He had a horror of dark confined spaces. Once, as a child staying with his English grandparents, he had hidden in a wardrobe during a gameof hide and seek, only to discover that it was impossible to open it from inside. His terrified banging had brought his grandmother to the rescue very quickly, but he had never forgotten the panic-inducing claustrophobia. He stepped back, shaking his head.
‘No, really. I’d rather take my chance on land.’
‘If the
Boche
are carrying out a search for someone, there may be road blocks as well. You’ll be much safer here,’ Bernard said. ‘It’s perfectly dry down there and well ventilated, and look, there is even a box for you to sit on.’
Christine knew what was going through her brother’s mind. She went into the other cabin where her coat was hanging, and felt in the pocket.
‘Here, take my torch, so you won’t have to sit in the dark.’
‘All right,’ Bernard said, ‘but don’t use it while the boat is in the lock. We don’t want any light showing through cracks in the planking. Now, in you go. We’ll be there very soon.’
Reluctantly, Luke lowered himself into the space and squatted down on the box. Christine leaned down and gave him a thumbs up.
‘See you in a few minutes.’
Then Bernard replaced the trapdoor and Luke heard the carpet being rolled back over it. He switched on the torch and discovered that the space was not as small as he had imagined. It stretched the full width of the barge, to the ribs that formed the
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