But having read it, she felt she had a better insight into her sister’s thought processes, and that it had given her closure. I lifted the heavy latch to the back cellar, which had once been stacked to the roof with beer kegs and good wine, slid one of the empty barrels aside, and opened the door of the old cast-iron bread oven. I thought it was a test. I had never been alone in a room with a German, and my heart was thumping. The Kommandant glanced toward me, surprised by my tone: a young woman walking through the arched entrance to the farmyard, a thumb-sucking child at her skirts, another swaddled and clutched to her chest. The Germans handed us forms, upon which each amount had been carefully noted. Édouard Lefèvre is already a celebrated painter in the Matisse school when he asks Sophie to model for him. I’m not sure I had ever felt as alone as I did in those few seconds, fear gripping my throat and the weight of my family’s fate upon me. I could still taste and smell it. “I know,” he said, in the tone of a fourteen-year-old who knows everything. I saw the Kommandant through the stone archway of the back door and hesitated. We were not allowed to discuss personal matters with customers, especially male customers. They do their best to keep Le Coq Rouge open as a place for neighbors to gather. I did not wish to be seen as grateful for the compliments of Germans. There I was, in that first year, my hair thick and lustrous around my shoulders, my skin clear and blooming, gazing out with the self-possession of the adored. Another scrawny Frenchwoman, starved into submission by you. When the Germans went through Lille they burned art they considered subversive. And then I think, What if this is it? “Yes, you can,” I said. I think there is—rightly—a huge groundswell of sympathy for those who lost precious possessions in wartime. It was impossible not to. When he reached the great glass doors he turned and looked directly at me. Hunger will do that to you. They gave us all a fright, didn’t they? I told myself to remember those words now: This was the most important game I would ever play. “I don’t like to leave you alone with them,” she said. I’m Leaving You Again, New Edition The pig had been moved discreetly next door in the early hours of the morning. We have three hens left of two dozen. You are clearly not an author who shies away from controversial subject matter. “Désolée,” I said, but I had known this full well. He was fourteen, sometimes bristling like a man, sometimes childlike in his need for reassurance. . —New York Daily News "In her latest heart tugger, Jojo Moyes deftly weaves the story of newlyweds in WWI France with that of a young widow in today’s London." What would you have done in her position? Why do you think Aurélien reacted as he did? But from the flush at the back of my neck I knew he had stopped again to look at me. Is The Girl You Left Behind inspired by an actual case? This new Kommandant was gazing speculatively up at our windows, perhaps considering whether this building might provide a more suitable billet than the Fourrier farm, where the senior German officers slept. The old women’s eyes widened. Throw cups and saucers at them?”. We tore at the flesh, scooped handfuls of rice, ate with our mouths open, picking wildly at the bits that fell onto the table. I turned onto my side and blinked. A small sob escaped my throat. “Herr Kommandant,” I said, my hands full. He was in the back hallway, his heels echoing on the flagstones. It was as if there was a whole world of terrors inside her head that she had to battle against twice as hard as the rest of us. I hope to have the exact rations later today. A popular tune with several variations, "The Girl I Left Behind Me", … We had carefully removed several of the bricks, with the Fouberts’ cooperation, and this had become an escape route of last resort. “We have not touched one grain of rice, Herr Kommandant.” I almost spat it at him. So, let me ask you this question, “If you were able to attract 3 other beautiful girls and they all liked you, would you be trying to get this girl to leave her boyfriend?” Probably not. “Oh.” He squinted. Clever plot turns make for a satisfying ending . Won’t it be good? I stared back at him, at his cropped graying hair, his translucent blue eyes studying me from under his peaked cap. I squeezed her hand. A sticky red pool spread around them in an almost perfect circle, as if it had come from one entity. “I have urgent need of another scarf,” he announced. “Monsieur Lefèvre? My sister hesitated, then ran toward the corridor, her nightgown billowing behind her. Have you ever found yourself—or someone you admire—in a similar situation? We are all their puppets now. But his eyes remained on me. Jojo Moyes is a journalist and the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller Me Before You and The Last Letter from Your Lover. “They want to eat at eight o’clock.”. “I’m sorry.” He leaned over the counter, his big hands spanning the glass. This has always been a BIG GREEN SIGN of interest for me. But then the shop abruptly fell silent. I exchanged a small smile with Hélène, who was sweeping the floor of the café. But the farther away from the original loss we get, the less clear it can become, especially if people have bought the item in good faith. “Then God save him. Do we look as though we are feasting on beef, on roast lamb, on filet of pork?” He turned, his eyes flicking toward my bony wrists, just visible at the sleeves of my gown. “How she has the nerve . I stepped out from behind the counter and wiped my hands on my apron. It burned in my mind like a tiny, glowing treasure. “It has been decided you will provide meals for some of our officers. David’s sudden death left Liv financially as well as emotionally devastated. They all looked older than they were. The floorboards had been stripped of their carpet and were gray, thick with dust. We flinched as we heard our brother cry out. I felt sick then. It’s over between us,” it … “We are quite well.” I swallowed. I’ve coached hundreds of men to have more success with women. At last, they were all served. “And you tore a strip off him? To hear these words from the mouth of a German Kommandant unbalanced me. Much to Sophie’s surprise, the German officer is knowledgeable about art and admires both the painting of Édouard’s hanging in Le Coq Rouge—and its subject, Sophie herself. . We will clear up.”. In the snug, Old René and Monsieur Pellier played dominoes; Monsieur Pellier’s dog—he had to pay the Germans a tariff for the privilege of owning it—between their feet. How do you know they won’t destroy it?”, She worried, Hélène. this girl is leaving you behind. Mmm.” He pressed his lips to his fingers and held up the parcel that I handed him. If we had any fewer cups and plates, we would have to ask customers to share. Oh, the woman with the painting and the man looking for the painting meet and fall in love by accident? would it be possible to feed something to the children? A-" —Entertainment Weekly, “Moyes writes delicious plots, with characters so clearly imagined they leap off the pages in high-definition prose. “Do you miss sex?”. In the far distance a muffled boom told of some far-off battle. I thought he might weigh the leftovers, to ensure we had not sneaked a piece of apple peel into our mouths. When I looked at how the war had aged her, I thought of my own face and wondered what my husband would make of me. The German officers claimed afterward that snipers had shot at them and that they had acted in retaliation. Your love stories are famously complicated, something many readers can relate to. He saw the baby squirm, and I realized I was so tense that I was holding it too tightly. 19. But you will find that your predecessors have left us with little. “Whatever suits you,” he said, adding, “She has your coloring.”. “One for you, one for your German?” Madame Durant muttered. Sometimes it was so cold, even in October, that we feared we would find them frozen solid in their nightclothes, so we all huddled up together. In St. Péronne, such behavior would have been unthinkable. Every day you sit in there collecting dust, and I pass by unbothered. Occasionally an officer would inspect first, note what was desirable, and return with a list specifying exactly that. It’s as if he never existed. “When she is strong again, tell her Mimi was asking after her. “Every single day,” I said. The Girl They Left Behind, written with flawless historical detail, is a page-turner. Moyes does a majestic job of conjuring a cast of characters who are charismatic, credible and utterly compelling. I prayed that he could not hear the almost audible thumping of my heart. He lifted his hat for a full three seconds, then disappeared into the Paris morning. I glanced sideways at her, watching as she tried to reconcile this man’s rather scruffy exterior with the command of language that usually came with extreme wealth. Lou and Will are a couple who readers will take to their I walked backward and forward with loaded plates, trying not to breathe in the delicious scents, trying not to look at the roasted meat, glistening besides the bright vegetables. . “You should promote her. I was afraid my lady customer might complain. Choose one of the browsed Emii Leaving You Behind lyrics, get the lyrics and watch the video. “I will fetch the wine.”, Aurélien had opened several bottles in the kitchen. “Those.” He pointed down, within the glass cabinet, to where the expensive ones lay. I straightened my shoulders and walked slowly out into the hallway, reaching for the keys as I did so. She glanced up at me holding her baby brother, slid out of bed, and placed a hand in mine. Suddenly he smiled. “Who is it?” Aurélien asked as I rehung it, adjusting it on the wall until it was straight. “I swear I do not know what this country is coming to. I brought out the scarf. Barricade us all in? I knew her fear was mirrored in my own face. My mind raced, fear that my brother might speak out making me stupid. “Do you know, after I married Jean-Michel, I was so happy. They ordered the few remaining men outside, so that they could count them. I love stories where the answers are not black or white; stories that make you think: what would I do in that position? Then, out of nowhere - BAM! Nestling in the blankets, swaddled neatly so that it was barely exposed to the night air, was the pink, hairy snout of the piglet. His brown eyes scanned my face with such intensity. . The biggest problem is using terminology that doesn’t sound like either porn or a biology textbook. I heard my sister’s intake of breath behind me, and I knew she felt as I did. “I’m sure your wife will be delighted with her gifts,” I said. Seconds later, she reappeared, with Jean in her arms, still in his nightshirt, Aurélien and Mimi before her. —Library Journal (starred review), "Moyes (Me Before You, 2012) writes with such clarity that one can almost see the eponymous 100-year-old painting at the center of her wonderful new novel. Do not put it there, Sophie, Hélène had warned. The Red Room had once been the pride of Le Coq Rouge: the bedroom where my sister and I had spent our wedding nights; the room where the mayor would put up visiting dignitaries. I was outside in a matter of moments. We could hear the chatter from the bar of the Germans becoming noisier, as they consumed their wine, and occasional bursts of their laughter. Because we have chosen not to avail ourselves of his supposed kindness, he repays us with rumors and a threat to our lives.”, “The authorities would not act unless the source was credible.”, “I would argue, Herr Kommandant, that this visit suggests otherwise.”. It speaks of pride. One chaotic family. “We will eat immediately,” he said, glancing toward the kitchen. Going beyond not littering, always think about the impact of what you are leaving behind. “Twice as often as I think about that pig.” There was a brief silence, and we broke into giggles. Food was still plentiful, music and cheering accompanied the marching troops, and most of us still believed the war would be over within months, at worst. . There would be leftovers, bones with which to make stock. She shares her fear for Édouard’s safety with her sister, Hélène, who has also been left husbandless by the war. There had been a time when merely to see our hotel like this had reduced me to tears. Emii Leaving You Behind lyrics. “Sometimes I forget what he looks like. Sometimes I suspect I will spend my whole life bent to somebody else’s will. Silly Maman for being frightened.”. . When, deep into the night, a vacationing couple hears a knock at the door of their remote Airbnb rental in … Romantics looking for a story set amid the politics of plundered art couldn't do much better than The Girl You Left Behind.” —USA Today (3 1/2 stars), "Jojo Moyes builds on her strengths in this moving and accomplished new novel. I glanced at Madame Bourdain. Mimi, we have a little milk I will warm for you.” She wiped her hands on her bloodied gown and held her hands toward me for the baby. Milk, coffee, three fat pats of butter, flour, sugar. My knuckles were white where my hands pressed together. This was the story of our lives: minor insurrections; tiny victories; a brief chance to ridicule our oppressors; little floating vessels of hope amid a great sea of uncertainty, deprivation, and fear. He caught the flash of surprise on my face, barely suppressed, and I saw that it satisfied something in him. I sorted carefully through the silk scarves, my skin growing ever warmer, and freed one of my favorites: a fine, featherlight length of fabric in a deep opalescent blue. Germans did not visit our bar, except for requisitioning. When his Parisian friends had found his love of me—a shopgirl—inexplicable, he had just smiled, because he could already see this in me. But if you’re a man of integrity, Lajos, and you want to grow up to raise your kids to be people of integrity, then I would tell this girl that she needs to grow up. I was afraid, that first evening, even to lick my fingers, although the sight of them, dripping with tomato juice or sticky with apple, was sorely tempting. “Kuchen?”, “Ja,” he said, nodding enthusiastically. I thrust a hand at the wall to keep myself upright. Then, a new and more formidable Kommandant arrives. He reached into his till and threw two coins down in change, even as she held out her hand. . I paused at the top, waiting for him to step into the corridor, then unlocked the first room. Through the window I could make out my sister wiping Aurélien’s wounds with her skirts, trying to stem the blood. You will be aware that, under the directive, the penalty for withholding livestock from the administration is imprisonment.”. . And then she went to serve Madame Louvier and Madame Durant, who, although they had often observed that my chicory coffee tasted as if it had come from the sewer, had arrived to hear the story of the pig-baby. Proof of how wrong we had been had come accompanied by the sound of gunfire on a still, cold, autumn morning, when Madame Fougère and Madame Dérin had set out for their daily 6:45 A.M. stroll to the boulangerie and were shot dead as they crossed the square. “Édouard studied under him, at the Académie Matisse in Paris.”, “I know of it. He looked at my face, then back at the painting. It had held a gilt chandelier and a huge marble fireplace, where the fire was lit each morning by a chambermaid and kept alight until night. Yes, look at me, I told them silently. If anyone finds out that we ate the Germans’ food, we will be considered traitors.”, We gazed at Mimi and Aurélien then, trying to impart to them the seriousness of what we were saying. “Keep them,” she said. But the thing I have come to see as true for every book over the years is that it is okay to make characters complex and flawed and not always able to do the right thing—and that keeping them apart is as important as getting them together. i keep hearing this song at work. A mouse!”. But the outrage did not stop there. I understand this hotel was once a fine establishment. This small fact made me sad every time I crossed the threshold. The air was crisp with the approach of winter, the smell of woodsmoke lingering in the air from our brief fire earlier in the evening. I hardly recognized my sister then: She looked twenty years older than her twenty-four years. And however immoral we had been, however traitorous, I knew that we would all remember the night of the roasted chicken. I heard them shouting from my room. “Do you ever wonder what it will be like . “We must be careful,” Hélène said, as René left, lifting his hat in salute. Of course, she dare not wear them out in the day. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, a sweeping bestseller of love and loss, deftly weaving two journeys from World War I France to present day London. “I need you to choose me a scarf,” he said. It is possible that even Kommandants, two years into this occupation, have become weary of harassing us for petty misdemeanors. not sure though. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. Between us, Mimi stirred, throwing an arm over her head. The food came the following Friday. “This story is spreading too far.”, “Nobody will say anything. They contain some special ingredients. “You know my favorite meal? At one point, the Kommandant asks Sophie if they can just “be two people” (p. 72). But although we knew that the war was close by, few believed that St. Péronne, our proud little town, could possibly join those that had fallen under German rule. We fell upon that unlucky bird. —Booklist. This one is hard to put down!" It was raining hard, a deluge, so that our few customers sat over empty cups gazing unseeing through the steamed windows. The attraction between Paul and Liv is instant and powerful, but the battle over who is the true owner of the portrait forces each to decide what really matters—and how much they are willing to risk to save it. At some point, I told myself, as I pulled the roasting chickens from the oven and basted them with sizzling juice, perhaps I might enjoy the sight of this food. why do people like country music stars so much? Liv feels that she cannot go on without the portrait of Sophie—it is that important to her. Hélène is sewing a doll for her that is to be the exact twin of Mimi’s own. I may billet some of my men up here.”, “You are welcome to see the rooms, Herr Kommandant. Food supplies dwindle, and German soldiers supplement their needs by requisitioning French livestock and household goods. “Go to the kitchen. There were a few hints of the horrors taking place a hundred miles away: We gave food to the Belgian refugees who traipsed past, their belongings teetering on wagons; some were still clad in slippers and the clothes they had worn when they had left their homes. From below us came the sound of men shouting, their voices bouncing off the stone courtyard, the hens squawking in their coop. By 1915 there were barely any men left in the town. The Girl I Left Behind: An emotional, gripping and heartwrenching historical debut - Kindle edition by Newton, Andie. “We are doing this for tonight?” I asked the last corporal. One chaotic family. The bar of Le Coq Rouge saw a constant stream of customers, even though we had little to offer other than chicory coffee; beer supplies were sporadic, and we had only a few ruinously expensive bottles of wine. But I refused to let that man intimidate me. “Are you hurt, Aurélien?” I touched his head. I could smell the faint hint of tobacco on him, see the rain splashes on his uniform. He hesitated, then walked through to the bar and barked an order. “Mesdames.” The Kommandant appeared at the kitchen door. You are my lodestar in this world of madness. Madame Durant, do you criticize me for baking their bread?”, “I just think it’s unpatriotic to do their bidding.”, “Easy to say when you’re not the one facing a bullet.”, “So, more of them are coming here? But it was her coat that drew my eye. The child watched her mother, silent and solemn. I loosened her corset, took off her shoes, and pulled the covers over her. who sings the oldy song: this girl is leaving you behind? “Against you. The woman took her gloves from me with an audible tut.
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