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Finally he took her hand。
'Something's on your mind； Vesper；' he said。
She gave him a taut； bright smile。 'It's nothing。 Absolutely nothing。 I had a silly idea we were being followed。 It's just nerves； I suppose。 This road is full of ghosts。'
Under cover of a short laugh she looked back again。
'Look。' There was an edge of panic in her voice。
Obediently Bond turned his head。 Sure enough； a quarter of a mile away； a black saloon was ing after them at a good pace。
Bond laughed。
'We can't be the only people using this road；' he said。 'Anyway； who wants to follow us？ We've done nothing wrong。' He patted her hand。 'It's a middle…aged mercial traveller in car…polish on his way to Le Havre。 He's probably thinking of his lunch and his mistress in Paris。 Really； Vesper； you mustn't think evil of the innocent。'
'I expect you're right；' she said nervously。 'Anyway； we're nearly there。'
She relapsed into silence and gazed out of the window。
Bond could still feel her tenseness。 He smiled to himself at what he took to be simply a hangover from their recent adventures。 But he decided to humour her and when they came to a small lane leading towards the sea and slowed to turn down it； he told the driver to stop directly they were off the main road。
Hidden by the tall hedge； they watched together through the rear window。
Through the quiet hum of summer noises they could hear the car approaching。 Vesper dug her fingers into his arm。 The pace of the car did not alter as it approached their hiding…place and they had only a brief glimpse of a man's profile as a black saloon tore by。
It was true that he seemed to glance quickly towards them； but above them in the hedge there was a gaily painted sign pointing down the lane and announcing 'L'Auberge du Fruit Défendu； crustaces； fritures'。 It was obvious to Bond that it was this that had caught the driver's eye。
As the rattle of the car's exhaust diminished down the road； Vesper sank back into her corner。 Her face was pale。
'He looked at us；' she said； 'I told you so。 I knew we were being followed。 Now they know where we are。'
Bond could not contain his impatience。 'Bunkum；' he said。 'He was looking at that sign。' He pointed it out to Vesper。
She looked slightly relieved。 'Do you really think so？' she asked。 'Yes。 I see。 Of course； you must be right。 e on。 I'm sorry to be so stupid。 I don't know what came over me。'
She leant forward and talked to the driver through the partition； and the car moved on。 She sank back and turned a bright face towards Bond。 The colour had almost e back to her cheeks。 'I really am sorry。 It's just that 。 。 。 it's that I can't believe everything's over and there's no one to be frightened of any more。' She pressed his hand。 'You must think me very stupid。'
'Of course not；' said Bond。 'But really nobody could be interested in us now。 Forget it all。 The whole job's finished； wiped up。 This is our holiday and there's not a cloud in the sky。 Is there？' he persisted。
'No； of course not。' She shook herself slightly。 'I'm mad。 Now we'll be there in a second。 I do hope you're going to like it。'
They both leant forward。 Animation was back in her face and the incident left only the smallest question…mark hanging in the air。 Even that faded as they came through the dunes and saw the sea and the modest little inn amongst the pines。
'It's not very grand； I'm afraid；' said Vesper。 'But it's very clean and the food's wonderful。' She looked at him anxiously。
She need not have worried。 Bond loved the place at first sight … the terrace leading almost to the high…tide mark； the low two…storied house with gay brick…red awnings over the windows and the crescent…shaped bay of blue water and golden sands。 How many times in his life would he have given anything to have turned off a main road to find a lost corner like this where he could let the world go by and live in the sea from dawn to dusk。 And now he was to have a whole week of this。 And of Vesper。 In his mind he fingered the necklace of the days to e。
They drew up in the courtyard behind the house and the proprietor and his wife came out to greet them。
Monsieur Versoix was a middle…aged man with one arm。 The other he had lost fighting with the Free French in Madagascar。 He was a friend of the chief of police of Royale and it was the missaire who had suggested the place to Vesper and had spoken to the proprietor on the telephone。 As a result； nothing was going to be too good for them。
Madame Versoix had been interrupted in the middle of preparing dinner。 She wore an apron and held a wooden spoon in one hand。 She was younger than her husband； chubby and handsome and warm…eyed。 Instinctively Bond guessed that they had no children and that they gave their thwarted affection to their friends and some regular customers； and probably to some pets。 He thought that their life was probably something of a struggle and that the inn must be very lonely in winter…time with the big seas and the noise of the wind in the pines。
The proprietor showed them to their rooms。
Vesper's was a double room and Bond was next door； at the corner of the house； with one window looking out to sea and another with a view of the distant arm of the bay。 There was a bathroom between them。 Everything was spotless； and sparsely fortable。
The proprietor was pleased when they both showed their delight。 He said that dinner would be at seven…thirty and that Madame la patronne was preparing broiled lobsters with melted butter。 He was sorry that they were so quiet just then。 It was Tuesday。 There would be more people at the week…end。 The season had not been good。 Generally they had plenty of English people staying； but times were difficult over there and the English just came for a week…end at Royale and then went home after losing their money at the Casino。 It was not like the old days。 He shrugged his shoulders philosophically。 But then no day was like the day before； and no century like the previous one； and 。 。 。
'Quite so；' said Bond。
CHAPTER 23 … TIDE OF PASSION
They were talking on the threshold of Vesper's room。 When the proprietor left them； Bond pushed her inside and closed the door。 Then he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her on both cheeks。
'This is heaven；' he said。
Then he saw that her eyes were shining。 Her hands came up and rested on his forearms。 He stepped right up against her and his arms dropped round her waist。 Her head went back and her mouth opened beneath his。
'My darling；' he said。 He plunged his mouth down on to hers； forcing her teeth apart with his tongue and feeling her own tongue working at first shyly then more passionately。 He slipped his hands down to her swelling buttocks and gripped them fiercely； pressing the centres of their bodies together。 Panting； she slipped her mouth away from his and they clung together while he rubbed his cheek against hers and felt her hard breasts pressing into him。 Then he reached up and seized her hair and bent her head back until he could kiss her again。 She pushed him away and sank back exhausted on to the bed。 For a moment they looked at each other hungrily。
'I'm sorry； Vesper；' he said。 'I didn't