The Siren of Paris Read Online Free Page A

out the door of the travel offices of the Cunard Line agency. He found this odd for a Sunday. Then, as he turned the corner, he saw the same with the French and Italian Line offices on Rue Auber. As he passed en route to the opera house, he heard excited conversations with the ticket agents. Marc caught the back of Nigel’s head among the would-be passengers.
    “You must have something?” Nigel said.
    “I do, just not in cabin class. I can get you on the
Champlain,
in tourist, in two weeks’ time,” the agent said, looking over Nigel toward the door.
    “Any larger ship? What about the
Ile de France
?”
    “No, all booked. If you want bigger, then maybe check with Cunard next door,” the agent said. Nigel looked down at his shoes, searching for a decision to come. He had just left the Cunard office and already knew they had no solution. The conversation was exactly the same, just in a different language.
    The morning of Tuesday, September 4, all the papers were filled with the fantastic headlines. Marc could not avoid them if he tried.
    “
Athenia
Hit!”
    “EMPIRE AT WAR!”
    “
Athenia
, Terrible Loss of Life!”
    “10-year-old Girl from Canada a Victim of German Wolf Pack.”
    “28 Americans Among the Dead.”
    “What does it say, Marc?” Dora asked him from across the table.
    “More of the same. It was dark, and that perhaps it was a mistake. It seems more people died trying to get over by boats to the rescue ship than from the blast of the torpedo. One flipped, and another was sucked into the propeller of the ship,” Marc said, scanning the article.
    “Right up the rear staircase,” David said, staring at his tea.
    “They think because the ship was zigzagging with lights out, the U-boat believed it was a cruiser instead of a passenger vessel,” Nigel said. He looked up at Dora.
    “Right, and passenger ships do look so much like naval cruisers. It could have been the British, to bring America into the war.” David looked at Nigel.
    “Well, what a world this has become.” Nigel’s face twitched.
    “I think staying is better than trying to go,” David said, his face stark and serious.
    “I am not so sure, David. I think we should at least consider making some other plans to leave,” Nigel responded, worry thick in his brow.
    “Well, if you need a place to stay, you are welcome to stay with me,” Dora said. Marc sat quietly listening to his friends. He pondered his own plans at the same time. There was no pressing need for him to return to America, and Paris was safer than a lifeboat at sea. Marc looked up from the paper at David and Nigel, more worried for them than for himself.
    “Let’s wait and see what happens. Everyone is upset right now about this
Athenia
thing and in a few weeks, the whole storm could blow over. We might be worrying for no reason,” David said, looking over at Dora.
    After dinner, Marc decided to join David to make a call back to the States. Brought to a small oak desk at the Paris international telephone exchange, Marc read the instructions of how to make a call. The entire room appeared to be nothing but Americans the evening of September 4. David had just made his own call home to his wife. Marc explained to his family his reasons for staying and they agreed it would be safer than risking a trip. Marc passed a long line a few hundred souls long as he left the exchange that night.
    “Did you get inside?” David asked Nigel.
    “Yes, of course, but it took a bit,” he answered in an irate voice.
    “And, what did you find out?” he pressed further.
    “Everything is canceled. They are giving refunds, but I did not take mine. I think it is better to let the money sit with them so when things open up, we are on the list of paid passengers.” Nigel waved his hand.
    “That is wise. But, I’m worried. I would not underwrite these ships and I am sure that is what is going on,” David commented.
    “What do you mean?” Nigel looked perplexed.
    “All these ships