by CW Browning
“Not quite,” Jasper said.
Evelyn looked up with raised eyebrows. Once again, a feeling of apprehension rolled over her and she looked at Jasper almost with misgiving.
“What do you mean?”
“Robert and Shustov got to know each other quite well over the years,” Jasper told her. “In relationships like these, trust must be built and, over time, many sources and contacts become rather close friends. Vladimir shared anecdotes about his family with Robert and, of course, Robert reciprocated.”
Evelyn sucked in her breath, suddenly realizing why she was here.
“Dad told him that I could speak Russian.”
“Among other things,” Bill said, returning to his seat. He lit a cigarette for himself and looked at Jasper. “That’s why we’re all here today. Jasper approached me and requested your assistance. I told him that it was entirely up to you.”
“Shustov will only meet with you,” Jasper told her bluntly. “He knows what you look like, knows stories from when you were a girl, and knows that you speak Russian. He advised that any attempt to send an impostor would result in all communication immediately ceasing. If we try to send someone else, we’ll lose one of our most important sources within Moscow.”
“I don’t understand,” Evelyn said, lifting her cigarette to her lips. She inhaled and blew a stream of smoke up into the air. “If he already gave whatever it was to my father, and it has subsequently disappeared, why meet with me?”
Bill and Jasper exchanged another look and she frowned.
“He’s willing to try again, with you.”
Evelyn looked from one man to the other, her mind spinning.
“How? I can’t go to Poland. It’s already fallen.” She hesitated, then gasped. “You don’t honestly expect me to go to Moscow!”
“No.”
Evelyn breathed a sigh of relief. Over the past six months, it had slowly been born upon her that, at the end of the training, she would be expected to go back into France, and even possibly as far as Belgium and Denmark. While she was fully prepared to traipse across the continent, she drew the line at going into enemy territory. The idea of starting her career with MI6 by going straight to Moscow frankly terrified her.
“Shustov suggested Oslo,” Jasper said. “He’s scheduled to go in November and has agreed to meet you there.”
“That’s why you wanted to know if I spoke Norwegian.”
Jasper shrugged. “It would have made it a bit easier if you did, but we have someone at the embassy there who can put you in contact with a translator.”
Evelyn stared at him. “You want me to go to Norway in November?”
Bill grinned.
“Might I suggest that very warm clothing may be in order?”
Chapter Four
Evelyn climbed out of the taxi in front of the Savoy. Darkness had fallen, and with it, the blackout that had engulfed London every night since war was declared. She squinted up at the familiar facade of the hotel before turning to collect two garment boxes from the back seat. After leaving the drab yet enlightening house on Broadway, she had felt decidedly out of her element and particularly overwhelmed. With plenty of time before she was due to meet Rob for dinner, she did the one thing that always cheered her up and made everything better: she went shopping.
Closing the taxi door, she turned towards the entrance as the doorman came forward to help her with the boxes.
“I’m dining in the restaurant. Would you mind carrying them to the coat check?” she asked with a smile as he took the boxes.
“Of course, miss.”
“Thank you.”
Back on familiar territory, and looking forward to dinner in her favorite restaurant, Evelyn felt herself begin to relax. The revelations of the past few hours slid to the back of her consciousness, as did the sudden and irrevocable realization that there could be no turning back now. She was on her way to Norway in a few weeks, and nothing could stop the course she had chosen, or her role in this war. For better or worse, she had agreed to be a spy for MI6. While she had been shaken to her core to find that her father wasn’t exactly who she had always thought he was, learning that he was a spy before her only strengthened her resolve. If he could do it, then so could she.
“Evie!”
A voice called across the lobby and Evelyn turned to find a tall woman in evening dress coming towards her on the arm of a handsome man in tails. She smiled in greeting and lifted a hand in a half wave.
“Maryanne!” she exclaimed. “Lord Gilhurst!”
The doorman stepped back to wait, bowing his head in deference as the couple to drew near. Leaning forward, Maryanne kissed the air beside her cheek and Evelyn was engulfed in the strong, French scent that the woman was partial to.
“Evelyn, it’s been an absolute age since I’ve seen you!” she exclaimed. “Wherever have you been?” She turned to the man at her side. “Tony, hasn’t it been it ages?”
“It has indeed,” Lord Antony Gilhurst agreed with a smile. “How are you, Evie? I was sorry to hear about your father.”
“Yes, absolutely shocking and terrible news,” Maryanne said with a vigorous nod. “When was the funeral?”
“It was yesterday.”
“I’m so sorry to have missed it. But what are you doing here?”
“I’m meeting Robbie for dinner. He had to come down on some business with the solicitors, so I came along to do some shopping. I had absolutely nothing appropriate to wear for mourning. We’re dining in the Grill.”
“Rob’s here as well? And we’re on our way to the theatre! Of all the rotten luck!”
“Yes, and we have to get moving if we’re going to make it,” Tony interjected. “With this ridiculous blackout, it takes forever to get anywhere now.”
“Really, Tony!” Maryanne exclaimed in exasperation. “Evie, don’t mind my brother. You know we’d stay and say hello to Rob if we had the time.”
Evelyn laughed. “Of course I do! Go!”
“We really must arrange to go out soon. I miss you dreadfully!”
“We’ll arrange something, I promise,” Evelyn assured her with a smile, accepting another kiss next to her cheek.
“Evie, give Robbie my best,” Tony said, holding out his hand to her as his sister settled her gloved hand on his arm. “Tell him to make us proud up there in his fighter plane.”
“I will.”
Evelyn watched them turn and move towards the entrance before continuing to the restaurant. Maryanne Gilhurst and she had become fast friends shortly after she returned from Hong Kong, and Lord Gilhurst was like another brother to her. She never considered the fact that they were peers of the realm, only that they were dear friends. Many of her acquaintances had a title before their name, but it never seemed to make a difference. Evelyn’s own family was one of the oldest and most distinguished in England, and that was all that really mattered when it came to London society. Where breeding and lineage were concerned, the Ainsworth’s were right up there with the cream of nobility.
She entered the alcove of the restaurant and turned to go to the coat check desk, the doorman following with her packages. The Grill was one of two restaurants in the famous hotel, and more relaxed than its exclusive and formal cousin. Catering more to the cosmopolitan and modern crowd, The Grill Room nonetheless still adhered to the excellent standards of both cuisine and service to which the patrons of the Savoy had grown accustomed.
“Good evening, miss,” a young woman greeted her as she approached the desk.
“Good evening.” The doorman set the boxes on the counter and Evelyn passed him a coin with a smile of thanks. He bent his head, wished her a good evening, and returned to his post. “I’d like to check these, please.”
“Of course, miss.”
The woman took the boxes and turned to carry them into a long, narrow room behind her. She returned a moment later and handed Evelyn a ticket.
“Thank you.”
Turning, Evelyn slipped the ticket i
nto her purse as she went to the entrance of the restaurant. Before she could step inside, however, a voice called out gaily behind her.
“I’m here, Evie!”
She turned to find Rob striding across the foyer towards her with Miles Lacey beside him. Evelyn’s pulse leapt at the sight of the tall pilot and she had to force her breathing to remain steady.
“Sorry I’m late! I ran into Miles and convinced him to join us.”
“In all honesty, I didn’t need much convincing,” Miles told her with a smile, holding out his hand as his green eyes met hers. “I hope you don’t mind my crashing your dinner.”
Evelyn took his hand, her lips curving into a smile.
“Of course not!” she said. “I thought you were picking up a plane in Catterick?”
“Oh, that’s a story and a half!” Rob said with a laugh. “Let’s get to our table and he can tell you all about it over a drink. Have you been waiting long?”
“No. I’ve just arrived. I ran into Maryanne and Tony in the lobby. They send their love.”
“Tony’s here? Good Lord, I haven’t seen him in an age! Why didn’t they come along as well?”
“They were on their way to the theatre, or I’m sure they would have.”
Rob gave his name to the host standing behind the podium at the door. The man nodded, his demeanor becoming significantly warmer as he checked in the large book before him.
“Ah yes, Mr. Ainsworth. Here you are.” He made no mention of the extra guest. “If you would care to follow me?”
They followed him across the restaurant to a table in the corner and Evelyn smiled in thanks as he held a chair out for her.
“I’ll send someone over from the bar,” he said as Miles and Rob seated themselves. “Enjoy your meal, sir.”
“Thank you.” Rob waited until the man had retreated back to the entrance, then looked at Evelyn. “You look refreshed. What did you get up to while I was being put to sleep by stodgy old lawyers and bankers?”
“I went shopping,” she said with a laugh. “How did you know?”
“You have a gleam in your eye. I’m glad. Did you buy yourself something pretty?”
Evelyn thought of the warm pull-overs and woolen skirts that she had bought to combat the temperature of Oslo in November and repressed a laugh.
“Not pretty, no, but practical.” She looked up as a server approached the table to take their drink orders. “Dad would be proud of me.”
“And Mum will tell you that you should have bought yourself something nice,” Rob retorted. “What will you drink?”
“I think I’d like a sidecar,” she said after a moment of thought.
Rob ordered for her and he and Miles ordered pints. Once the server had gone away towards the bar, Evelyn looked at Miles.
“What happened with the plane?” she asked, pulling a cigarette case from her purse. “Was it misplaced?”
He shook his head and pulled out a lighter for her.
“Hardly. I arrived and they said it was all ready to go, but instead of flying it back to Duxford, I was to take it down to Biggin Hill instead. Well, I was halfway there when the instruments went biserk and I started losing altitude.”
Evelyn gasped and stared at him. “Oh my goodness! What did you do?”
He held out the lighter and she bent her head to the flame.
“What any sensible pilot would do; I made an emergency landing at Northolt.” He tucked the lighter away again as she lifted her head. “I called our CO and told him what happened. He said to check in again in the morning. I was on my way to a hotel when Rob caught sight of me outside Piccadilly.”
“Do they know what caused it?” she asked.
“Some ground crew mucked something up, more than likely,” Rob said. “It happens more than you’d think. Remember when Hadmire’s wheel wouldn’t come down? Some fool had left a wrench in there!”
Miles grimaced. “Didn’t he end up putting up the other wheel and landing on his belly after the fourth pass?”
Rob nodded. “Yes. Bloody good landing, that was.”
“Someone had to land without wheels?” Evelyn looked from one to the other. “How on earth do you do that?”
“Very carefully, m’dear,” Rob said with a laugh. “It usually doesn’t end well, or so I’ve heard.”
“What will you do in the morning if the plane isn’t fixed?” Evelyn asked Miles. “How will you get back?”
He shrugged. “The CO made it sound as if I’m staying here until it’s fixed. But the ground chief I spoke to didn’t seem confident they’d have it ready tomorrow.”
The server returned with their drinks and set them down and Rob picked up his pint.
“Well, here’s to an unexpected couple of days leave!” he toasted to Miles. “Enjoy it while you can!”
Miles grinned and picked up his glass. “I already am,” he said, glancing at Evelyn.
She smiled and sipped her cocktail, casting an eye over the menu.
“Oh, I wouldn’t speak too soon, if I were you,” she said cheerfully. “You have no idea what dull company we Ainsworth’s can be. We don’t come from the fun branch of the family.”
“Lord no,” Rob agreed.
“And who’s the fun branch?” Miles asked, glancing from one to the other.
“My cousins in France have that honor,” Rob told him. “A more jolly pair you’ve never met. They’re twins, you know.”
“You have family in France?” Miles looked interested. “So do I. What part?”
“The family seat isn’t far from Toulouse, but they spend a lot of time at their house in Paris,” Rob said. “Isn’t that right, Evie? She was there last summer, and went back again this spring.”
Miles glanced at her. “I can see you in Paris,” he said thoughtfully. “It would suit you.”
She laughed lightly. “Really? I do love it there, but I’m always glad to come home again.”
“My family is near Pau. I haven’t been in a few years. It’s beautiful country there.” Miles set his menu aside and pulled out his cigarette case. “Are your cousins concerned about the war?”
“Of course, but they’re very realistic about the whole thing. The French tend to think about things differently than we do.”
“No point in getting upset yet,” Rob interjected. “The whole thing will be over by Christmas if it keeps on like this. So far, this has been a most anti-climactic start to a war.”
Evelyn looked across the table at her brother and blew smoke into the air. It was true that the nothing much had happened since Germany invaded Poland at the beginning of September, but she was very much afraid that it wouldn’t last. Hitler wouldn’t stop now; there was no reason to.
“I think we need to be careful about getting too complacent,” Miles said slowly, lighting his cigarette. “I don’t think Hitler is finished just yet.”
“Well, I wish he’d hurry up and get on with it. The hours of relentless training and waiting are killing me.” Rob motioned to the server hovering nearby. “Let’s order. I’m starving.”
After they had given their orders, Miles looked at Evelyn.
“And you? What do you think about this war?” he asked.
She put her cigarette out in the cut-glass ashtray on the table and pursed her lips thoughtfully.
“I think it was inevitable,” she said slowly. “I know people are saying it will all be over in a few months, but I’m not so sure. I think Germany was allowed to build up their military to such an extent that now they’re feeling very confident. Why should Hitler stop? Look at what they did in Poland. They reached Warsaw in three weeks and decimated the Polish Air Force and Army. They were unstoppable, and worse, now they know it.”
“The Poles also sent men on horseback to meet tanks,” Rob pointed out. “Of course they were unstoppable. A horse can’t stop a tank. And the Germans did have help from the Russians in the end.”
“Yes, but the German army was more than capable of carving through Poland
, regardless. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.”
“Your father was there, wasn’t he?” Miles asked after a moment. “When they invaded?”
Evelyn and Rob looked at each other, then she nodded.
“Yes. He was in Warsaw on the 1st when they began their invasion. He evacuated on the 7th and escaped to Switzerland before the troops reached the city.”
“Didn’t do him much good, in the end,” Rob said glumly, picking up his glass. “Still, I suppose we can’t pick our time to go.”
“Lord, I’m sorry,” Miles said. “I didn’t mean to bring it up.”
“Never mind,” Evelyn said, standing and holding her hand out to him. “Come dance with me and make me forget about it.”
Miles grinned and pushed his chair back. “How do you know I dance?”
She raised an eyebrow and twinkled up at him. “Women’s intuition.”
“And is that ever wrong?” he asked, taking her hand.
“We’re about to find out.”
The figure moved carefully through the pitch black streets, murmuring apologies as he bumped into others in the darkness. The blackout really was a nuisance. By law, there could be no light at all after nightfall. Thick black curtains shrouded windows in businesses and homes alike, and street lamps were doused. Even headlights on cars were covered to direct their beams downward so as to minimize light as much as possible.
It fell to the neighborhood wardens to enforce the strict blackout, and they did so with enthusiasm, checking each window for even the minutest gleam of light. The result was that moving around in London was decidedly tricky after dark, and the rate of accidental deaths had skyrocketed as people were hit by cars or fell and injured themselves in the darkness. If something wasn’t done soon, there would be no need for the Germans to attack England. The blackout would take care of it for them.
With that thought, the figure looked both ways before jogging across a side street and going towards a telephone box on the other side. He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it firmly behind him. Picking up the receiver, he unscrewed the mouthpiece. It came away easily and he tipped the handset over his other hand. A rolled strip of microfilm dropped into his hand and he quickly replaced the mouthpiece before tucking the film into the inside pocket of his coat. Replacing the receiver in its cradle, he turned to leave the booth, closing the door again behind him. By the pre-arranged signal, if the door was left open, it meant that he had left something in turn to be picked up. By closing the door, he signaled that he needed more time. As the man walked away from the booth and headed to the corner of the dark street, his lips thinned into a line. His handler would be unhappy with the delay, but there was really no help for it.