dare to try to bully an old woman.”
Despite herself, Leonore smiled. Leonie was sixty-two years old and looked fifty. She was wearing her favourite yellow linen dress and pretty cream high-heeled shoes with Jim’s pearls gleaming against her elegant neck. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a smooth chignon and tied with a yellow silk bow. She looked every inch the chic Frenchwoman and any man—even the enemy—would surely find her desirable. “I warn you,” whispered Leonore, “if it’s rape the enemy is after it’ll be you, Grand-mère, not me.”
“Sshh.” Leonie pulled herself taller, head up, shoulders back, praying the pounding of her heart couldn’t be heard.
“Kommandant Gerhard von Steinholz.” The burly man removed his gold-braided cap and clicked his heels, bowing. “May I say, Madame Leonie, that I saw you many times in my youth, at theatres in Munich and Paris. It is a great honour for me to meet my idol in person.”
“I am always pleased to make the acquaintance of an admirer of my work,” said Leonie coldly, “but I am afraid I cannot say the same for my country’s enemy.”
Herr Kommandant von Steinholz shrugged away her comment with a genial smile. “It is the misfortune of war, Madame, that places us in this position. But our personal views are our own.” He turned to Leonore, clicking his heels smartly. “Mademoiselle.” His pale blue glance took her in from head to toe.
“My granddaughter, Mademoiselle Leonore de Courmont.”
Leonore nodded coldly, ignoring his outstretched hand.
“Ah yes. Of course, a de Courmont. Though by adoption only, I understand?”
Leonore flushed angrily. “Gerard de Courmont is mystepfather,” she said, then biting her lip she fell silent. Damn, he’d already provoked her into speaking to him!
“And this?” Kommandant von Steinholz smiled at Peach and she gazed up at him in awe, dazzled by the glitter of gold braid and the glint of medals.
“Peach de Courmont,” said Leonie. “My youngest granddaughter.”
Von Steinholz patted Peach’s head with a large heavy hand, and Peach wriggled uncomfortably. “I understand this one is a true de Courmont.” He frowned as he caught sight of the steel calliper on her leg. “But what happened here?”
“An illness,” replied Leonie, “she is almost better now.”
“We have very good doctors, Madame Leonie. If there is anything we can do to help I can place them at your disposal.”
Her eyes met von Steinholz’s round pale blue ones. “I am very fond of children, Madame,” he said quietly. “I have three of my own.”
“Thank you, but Peach has had the best of attention.”
“And Grand-mère makes me better than any doctor.” Peach rubbed her hair where he had touched it. His hand had been warm and sweaty. She didn’t like this man. Gripping Leonie’s hand tighter she slid out of sight behind her grandmother.
Steinholz summoned the young officer waiting at attention behind him. “Kruger!”
“Sir.” The officer stepped forward smartly and waited at attention, eyes raised to some point above their heads, and Peach peeked at him wonderingly.
“This is Captain Volker Kruger. He will be in charge of this hotel from now on. Of course it is our wish that you run the hotel as usual, but Captain Kruger will be in charge of allocating accommodations and supplies. Only our seniorofficers will be coming here to enjoy a much needed rest from their endeavours at the front. And perhaps, occasionally, you may be asked to accommodate some very
special
guests. This hotel and its facilities will make an ideal location for top-level conferences between ourselves and our Italian allies. You may rest assured, Madame, that the hotel will be kept in tip-top condition and Kruger will see that you have a full staff. All we ask is that you continue to do your job—with a little extra help from us.”
“But I …”
“Leonore.” Leonie shot her a warning glance and Leonore flushed, staring
Despite herself, Leonore smiled. Leonie was sixty-two years old and looked fifty. She was wearing her favourite yellow linen dress and pretty cream high-heeled shoes with Jim’s pearls gleaming against her elegant neck. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a smooth chignon and tied with a yellow silk bow. She looked every inch the chic Frenchwoman and any man—even the enemy—would surely find her desirable. “I warn you,” whispered Leonore, “if it’s rape the enemy is after it’ll be you, Grand-mère, not me.”
“Sshh.” Leonie pulled herself taller, head up, shoulders back, praying the pounding of her heart couldn’t be heard.
“Kommandant Gerhard von Steinholz.” The burly man removed his gold-braided cap and clicked his heels, bowing. “May I say, Madame Leonie, that I saw you many times in my youth, at theatres in Munich and Paris. It is a great honour for me to meet my idol in person.”
“I am always pleased to make the acquaintance of an admirer of my work,” said Leonie coldly, “but I am afraid I cannot say the same for my country’s enemy.”
Herr Kommandant von Steinholz shrugged away her comment with a genial smile. “It is the misfortune of war, Madame, that places us in this position. But our personal views are our own.” He turned to Leonore, clicking his heels smartly. “Mademoiselle.” His pale blue glance took her in from head to toe.
“My granddaughter, Mademoiselle Leonore de Courmont.”
Leonore nodded coldly, ignoring his outstretched hand.
“Ah yes. Of course, a de Courmont. Though by adoption only, I understand?”
Leonore flushed angrily. “Gerard de Courmont is mystepfather,” she said, then biting her lip she fell silent. Damn, he’d already provoked her into speaking to him!
“And this?” Kommandant von Steinholz smiled at Peach and she gazed up at him in awe, dazzled by the glitter of gold braid and the glint of medals.
“Peach de Courmont,” said Leonie. “My youngest granddaughter.”
Von Steinholz patted Peach’s head with a large heavy hand, and Peach wriggled uncomfortably. “I understand this one is a true de Courmont.” He frowned as he caught sight of the steel calliper on her leg. “But what happened here?”
“An illness,” replied Leonie, “she is almost better now.”
“We have very good doctors, Madame Leonie. If there is anything we can do to help I can place them at your disposal.”
Her eyes met von Steinholz’s round pale blue ones. “I am very fond of children, Madame,” he said quietly. “I have three of my own.”
“Thank you, but Peach has had the best of attention.”
“And Grand-mère makes me better than any doctor.” Peach rubbed her hair where he had touched it. His hand had been warm and sweaty. She didn’t like this man. Gripping Leonie’s hand tighter she slid out of sight behind her grandmother.
Steinholz summoned the young officer waiting at attention behind him. “Kruger!”
“Sir.” The officer stepped forward smartly and waited at attention, eyes raised to some point above their heads, and Peach peeked at him wonderingly.
“This is Captain Volker Kruger. He will be in charge of this hotel from now on. Of course it is our wish that you run the hotel as usual, but Captain Kruger will be in charge of allocating accommodations and supplies. Only our seniorofficers will be coming here to enjoy a much needed rest from their endeavours at the front. And perhaps, occasionally, you may be asked to accommodate some very
special
guests. This hotel and its facilities will make an ideal location for top-level conferences between ourselves and our Italian allies. You may rest assured, Madame, that the hotel will be kept in tip-top condition and Kruger will see that you have a full staff. All we ask is that you continue to do your job—with a little extra help from us.”
“But I …”
“Leonore.” Leonie shot her a warning glance and Leonore flushed, staring
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