Free The Lavender Keeper by Fiona McIntosh Page A

a tragedy, I know, but this is your reality. Your family is going to be taken away and there is nothing you can do about it other than get yourself killed and probably me and a few others in the bargain. Hear me … you cannot save them. But you can get your revenge.’
    Luc didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want to accept it. The whole notion of doing nothing to help the people he loved was alien. Saba? They were taking away a harmless old woman?
    ‘Why are they doing this?’ Luc croaked.
    ‘There is no reason. Your family has done nothing wrong other than to be Jewish.’
    ‘Give me a gun. You don’t have to—’
    ‘Stop.’
    ‘I’ll involve no one else,’ he gabbled his promise. ‘I haveto … my sister is just nine, my mother’s heart … Rachel is in love. Fougasse, Sarah’s going to be a doctor to help the people here. Why don’t you understand? My grandmother is eighty-seven!’ He was clawing at the baker in his desperation, his cheeks wet with tears. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried.
    ‘Luc,’ Fougasse finally said gently. ‘You must promise me that you understand there is nothing you or any of us can do to prevent your family being taken from Saignon today. The SS has the power and the authority. If you try and fight back now, they will send more men – soldiers – and they will take reprisals on the whole village. I have heard what they do, and it is more ugly than even your worst nightmare. They will not only gun down your family in front of you, but they will kill women and children in ways they find amusing. They do not care.’
    Luc held his head in his hands. ‘You want me to watch my family being taken away and just do nothing?’
    ‘Yes, for anything you do will result in death for them, for yourself, and for many more. I can promise you that.’
    Luc shook his head. Uncontrollable tears dripped down his face. ‘I don’t care about my own life.’
    ‘But your father does. He wants you to survive. But I will promise you revenge, Luc. Can I trust you?’
    Luc nodded, feeling trapped. This was just short of blackmail.
    In a state of denial, he followed Fougasse around the back of the village until they were at the rear of the bakery. Soon they were at the top of the baker’s small house and climbing out a window onto the rooftop. Fougasse pointed to areas that Luc should beware of in case tiles loosened. They disturbed somepigeons that took off but it was a familiar sound and Luc was sure no one would look up. Fougasse finally turned with a forefinger against his lips, urging Luc forward. His expression was all sorrow. Luc wriggled along on his belly and then lifted himself up onto his elbows. What he saw made his previous meal feel as though it were roaring back up his gullet.
    Gitel was crying, clinging to Sarah, who had encircled her arms around both Gitel and Rachel. Jacob was holding Golda, whose eyes were closed; she was praying and weeping at the same time. They were being harangued by none other than Gendarme Landry; Jacob was trying to reason with him but Landry was manhandling him, swaggering up and down the line of the family. And then Luc’s tiny grandmother was dragged out of the house. Ida was the most vocal of all. While the others cowered, she gave as good as she got. Luc could hear her every shrill word, as she cursed and waved her frail arms.
    It was Landry who silenced her, striding up and punching the old woman with a full fist in her midsection. Luc gasped as he saw his beloved saba double up. In her hand she had been clutching a spray of lavender, which she’d tried to curse them with. The flowers dropped from her grasp as she staggered first and then fell to her knees. The girls screamed, Gitel wet herself where she cowered, and villagers who rushed to the elderly woman’s aid were threatened by Landry.
    Luc was so shocked he couldn’t have made a sound even if he’d wanted to.
    Landry pointed at Jacob, who was permitted to help his