“That’s impossible. Those men all moved on as the Germans swept south and west. He would have had to go over someone’s head in order to remain, and why would he do such a thing?”

“I can’t explain why he was still here,” Céline said, glaring at him. “But you’re missing the point. He—he knows my father is Jewish. And he . . .” She hesitated. “He touched me, Theo.”

Theo blinked at her. “Touched you how?”

“He ran his hand down my breast.”

Theo frowned at her, his expression puzzled. “I’m sure it was accidental.”

“It wasn’t. I think I know the difference.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “Well, what do you expect me to do? March down to the German headquarters and lodge a complaint?”

“I had hoped that you might have a bit of sympathy for me. And some concern.”

“Of course I’m concerned.” He hesitated. “Where did this take place? He knocked on the door?”

For an instant, Céline considered lying. “No. I—I was in the cellars.”

The room went so still that in the sudden silence, Céline could hear the scampering of a small creature, probably a mouse, somewhere beneath the floorboards.

“In the cellars.” Theo’s voice was flat.

“Just for a moment. I needed to think.”

“And you can’t think here?”

“I am stifled by this place! Don’t you understand that? By our home and by you and by the restrictions, and by all the ways our lives have changed. I just needed to find some peace.”

“You’re a woman, and you were here by yourself, with no one else around.” Theo frowned. “You can’t just put the Maison Chauveau in that sort of peril. What if he had suspected we were hiding something in the caves? Then where would we be? After everything that Michel has done for us!”

Céline swatted angrily at the tears that had pooled in her eyes. “This isn’t about Michel.”

“But you can’t—”

“It’s about me!” she interrupted. “Your wife, Theo!”

Theo hesitated before his expression softened a bit. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he said into her hair as she stood stiff against him. “Of course. I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Céline’s voice was muffled against his muscular chest, and she was glad, for he couldn’t hear it trembling.

? ? ?

Theo was loading up the Citro?n near the garage the next morning just before dawn when Michel came to the door. He knocked, and before Céline answered, he called, “If you’re not dressed yet, Céline, I can have a word with you later.”

Céline pulled the door open and smiled shakily at him. The fact was, she didn’t put much time anymore into making herself presentable, which she knew bothered Theo. But she had scrubbed herself clean in the bath the night before, trying to forget Richter’s hand on her body, and now her hair hung in waves, and her freshly scrubbed face shone. She was wearing an old, loose dress with work boots, as she had planned to spend the morning tending to their small vegetable garden. “No, I’m dressed, Michel. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Neither could I. Theo told me what happened.”

“I’m so sorry.” Céline hung her head. “I shouldn’t have done anything to endanger the champagne house.”

“Céline, I don’t care about the champagne house. It’s you I’m concerned about, and I wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“For taking Theo away with me and leaving you alone. I thought I was doing the right thing, keeping you safe, but I see now that I only put you in peril. I hope you can accept my apology.”

“Michel, you have nothing to apologize for. I should never have been in the cellars. Believe me, Theo made that clear.”

“And I wish he hadn’t.” Michel frowned and glanced over his shoulder. The hood of the car was open now, and Theo was inspecting something inside. “This is your home. I just don’t want you in any sort of danger. I give you my word, Céline, that I will do all I can to make sure you’re protected.”

It was exactly what she had wanted to hear from Theo the day before. “Thank you,” she managed to reply.

“Inès will be here with you today. Perhaps that will make you feel a bit safer.” The tightness in his voice was unmistakable as he added, “She understands now that I need the car.”

“Thank you, Michel,” Céline whispered as he started to walk away. “For being concerned about me.”

Michel turned back and smiled sadly. “All will be well, Céline. I promise. We’re in this together.”

Late that evening, with the lights out and Theo’s weight on top of her in bed, Céline closed her eyes and tried to drift away, to find herself in another place and time. But as Theo grunted and pushed himself inside her, covering her jaw in dry, hungry kisses, it was Michel’s face she saw in her mind, Michel’s voice she heard in her ear, making promises he couldn’t possibly keep.

Startled and embarrassed, she forced her eyes open and clung to Theo’s back, trying in vain to hold on.