twenty-five

MARCH 1943

CéLINE

After they’d gotten word in February that the Cohns had made it safely to Switzerland, Céline had suggested to Michel that they should volunteer to hide more refugees, since they had the perfect spot to do such a thing. But he had vehemently disagreed, telling her it would put her—and the baby—in too much danger. “It is perilous enough that we are still working to move arms across the region,” he said without meeting her eye. “To do more than that, Céline, would be far too dangerous.”

By March, though, the demand for safe houses was greater than ever, and the cold German officer, Hauptmann Richter, hadn’t reappeared with any more threats, so Céline begged Michel to reconsider. “We have the means—and the location—to help people,” she said. “Michel, we are very careful. We must do this.”

Earlier that morning, Theo had said he needed to go into Reims for some supplies, and Inès had asked if she could go along in order to see Edith. It was the first time Céline and Michel had been alone in more than a month, and now they were lying side by side in the hidden room after making love on a pile of threadbare blankets. Michel’s hand rested gently on Céline’s growing belly.

“My love, think of the risk,” Michel murmured, tracing circles around her navel. She felt the baby stir.

“The risk in not helping is far greater,” Céline replied, her eyes half closed as she moved to lay her head on Michel’s chest. He laced his fingers gently through her hair, stroking her head so tenderly that she thought she might fall asleep. “It is very possible that I myself will need to avail myself of an escape line. And don’t forget that this child will have Jewish blood, too. Who knows how far the Germans will go? Better that we become part of the way out, so we can escape if need be.”

Michel didn’t say anything right away, but his hands traveled with more agitation across the crown of her head, his fingers tangling in her waves. “A way out won’t do us any good if we are already dead,” he said.

“Then we will do our best to stay alive.”

“And you think we can trust Inès?”

Michel’s mention of his wife jolted Céline out of her dreamlike reverie, and she sat up abruptly. “Look at us, Michel, sneaking into the caves as soon as our spouses disappear. She is more trustworthy than we are.”

Michel sat, too, then rose to his feet. He offered a hand to Céline. Her arms and legs were swollen, the weight of her belly making her unsteady. “I suppose you are right,” Michel said. “But if she finds out about us now . . .”

Céline swallowed hard, because a revelation was inevitable at some point, wasn’t it? She could hardly think of it without feeling ill. There would be so much pain, so much upheaval, and it would be her fault. But it could not happen while the war was still being waged, for betrayal made people do terrible things. “She will not find out anytime soon, Michel.”

“If we are going to take in more refugees, we need to tell Theo about our work with the underground, too. It is only a matter of time, otherwise, until he stumbles upon the truth.”

“I know.” Céline had already thought of this, of the risk they would take in including her husband. But they had no choice, not if they were going to save lives. Not if they were going to save their own souls.

? ? ?

Céline had expected Theo’s initial reaction to be negative, but she hadn’t expected the vehemence of his opposition.

“No.” He sat at the table, his hands folded, his soup growing cold, as Céline clasped her hands in front of him in a fervent plea. “No, Céline. Absolutely not. It is not our concern.”

“Of course it is! How can you say that?”

He shrugged. “We are living away from the city. No one is bothering us, and we are bothering no one. This is the way we will survive the war, with our heads down.”

“Do you really believe that keeping my head down will save me?” Céline demanded.

“They are only taking away foreign Jews, not—”

“Stop!” She jumped to her feet and nearly lost her balance. Placing one hand on her belly and the other on the table for balance, she repeated, “Stop. You are merely regurgitating the things the Germans want you to say.”

“And what you’re saying is just propaganda from those who oppose the Germans. None of it has anything to do with us. The only way to ensure our safety is to do nothing!”

“Doing nothing is for cowards!” she cried.

“No!” Theo’s face turned red, and he stood, slamming his hands onto the table. “Feeling as if you have the ability to effect change is for fools!”

“But if not us, then who?” Céline demanded. “If everyone thinks only of their own fate, who will save us? Who will save France?”

“Save France?” His laugh was bitter. “It is too late for that, Céline. And look, look at the situation we find ourselves in.” He gestured to her belly. “You are pregnant! How did we make such a mistake? I will love our child, of course, but he or she is another Jew to protect, a liability! The only way to do that is to stay out of the Germans’ way.”