CHAPTER 49
The people of Paris awakened to the faint smell of smoke, a sooty haze drifting over rooftops. Most thought the battle had come closer and some fled, using whatever transportation they could find—wagons, bicycles, automobiles.
Jacques sipped his coffee, his thoughts elsewhere. The smoke was a signal. It announced that the French army had gone, leaving Paris undefended. In days, or even hours, the Germans would come. He had much to do. He had to prepare.
“Where is the smoke coming from?” Emilie asked, looking out the back door.
“The French are burning petrol supplies, so the Germans don’t get it.”
Emilie looked at him anxiously and sat at the kitchen table. “When will the Germans arrive?”
He drank down the rest of his coffee and rose from the table. He didn’t want to explai
