Belle - Lesley Pearse [138]
‘No, I don’t think so, he was not involved that time. All I know is what I overheard, that a coach was coming to take her to Brest. I think the coach took Belle to meet someone who would take her on the ship.’
‘Do you know who this person was who took her to America?’ Noah asked tentatively.
She closed her eyes in exasperation. ‘Have you heard nothing I’ve said?’ she exploded. ‘To tell you that is to risk my son being killed. I have helped you as much as I can. Do not ask more of me.’
‘But surely just his name wouldn’t hurt?’ Noah wheedled, putting his hand over hers.
She slapped his hand away and got to her feet. ‘I will go now before I feel I must report you to Deverall because you are asking too many questions,’ she said angrily. ‘I know you mean well but you are putting both of us in danger. Go back to England, leave this. Belle is a strong girl. I believe she will find a way back to those she loves.’
Noah quickly wrote down his address and went after her. ‘Take this,’ he said. ‘I will help you get out of France if you want me to. I am so very grateful to you for talking to me, you are a brave and good woman.’
She put one hand on his arm, her lovely eyes gazing into his. ‘You are a kind, good man too, if things were different I would wish to be your friend.’
Noah’s heart jolted. She smiled, perhaps sensing how surprised he was. ‘You are a very handsome man. And you offer me and my child safety, that is very tempting. But I should not wish you to take such risks for me.’
‘I’m willing to do whatever it takes,’ he said eagerly.
She put one finger against his lips to silence him. ‘I will do one little thing more for you,’ she said. ‘The man in Brest, I know him only by reputation, but I know he is like me, caught up in something he cannot escape. He does not come here, but I may be able to find a way of contacting him. Do not expect this, I may not be able to do this. But if I can and I find out something about Belle I will write and let you know. Now go, ask no more questions and leave Paris quickly. Deverall has his spies everywhere.’
Chapter Twenty-four
‘America!’ Mog spoke the word as if she was confirming someone’s sudden death. Noah put his arm around her shoulder to comfort her and tried desperately to think of something to add which would make the news less devastating.
He had walked into the smoky fog of the Ram’s Head saloon bar just at closing time. Garth was chasing out the last of the drinkers and Jimmy was collecting up the glasses. Garth greeted him warmly, saying Mog was out the back in the kitchen getting some bread and cheese for a late supper, and asked if he’d like a glass of whisky to warm him up as it was a chilly night.
As soon as the last drinker left and the door was locked, they all went through to the kitchen. Mog was delighted to see Noah and she took his coat and urged him to sit closest to the stove.
Noah thought Mog looked radiant; before he’d gone to France she’d told him Garth had proposed to her and it appeared to have made a new woman of her. She was even wearing a different dress, light grey with shadowy white stripes. While it wasn’t a huge change, the colour suited her better, and she no longer looked like a down-trodden housemaid.
She badgered them all to sit down at the table and to eat up as she poured them tea. Then she asked Noah to tell them about his trip.
All the way home from France, he had told himself that it was a breakthrough to find out where Belle had been, and where she was now. But as he explained all he had discovered and saw the horror on Mog’s face, he almost wished he’d never met Lisette and had no new information about Belle.
‘At least America is a civilized country,’ Garth said, doing his best to cheer Mog. ‘She could run away from the people who took her there and ask for help from their police.’
‘You’re quite right,’ Noah said, glad that Garth was offering a positive view. ‘Lisette said that Belle was a strong-willed girl, you can bet she’ll think of something to do. Maybe she’s even been writing to you and the letters haven