“I have a letter for you.” Bruni smiled and produced an envelope with Marlene’s name on it from her purse.
“Since when do you deliver the mail? Doesn’t the Café de Paris pay you enough?” Marlene teased.
Bruni pursed her lips and held the letter between her red painted fingers. “Instead of making snappish remarks you should fall on your knees and kiss my feet for bringing this to you.”
Marlene squinted her eyes and recognized the handwriting on the envelope. “Oh, Bruni! Where did you get this?”
“This I can’t tell and I’m sorry for the delay, but I had to wait a few days before giving it to you.”
Marlene furrowed her brow. It wasn’t at all like Bruni to play the mysterious one. She yanked the letter from her friend’s hands, ripped it open and read what Werner had written.
My dearest Marlene,
You were right, I have been a despicable coward and many suffered because of my weakness, including you.
This is no excuse for my behavior, but if you knew the pressures I had to deal with, you might understand why I behaved as I did. In the end, you were the one who opened my eyes and showed me what it means to defend what you believe in.
I never meant to hurt you and my feelings for you were real. I spent that night with you to keep you out of your house, but I slept with you because I love you. My only regret is that I couldn’t share the truth with you, and I hope you will forgive me one day. We may never meet again, but rest assured that my thoughts will always be with you.
Love always,
Werner
Tears rolled down her cheeks and Lotte asked worriedly, “What’s wrong? Has something bad happened?”
Honestly, she didn’t know.
The radio relieved her from responding, because the RIAS commentator announced, “We just received the breaking news that Werner Böhm, chief editor of Radio Berlin has defected and is now speaking to us from the American zone.”
Marlene’s head snapped in the direction of the radio. “Did I hear this right? He defected?”
“I guess he did,” Bruni said with a smug smile.
“And you knew! You met him, didn’t you? Why didn’t you tell me?” Marlene accused her friend.
“Haven’t you sworn to never think of him again?”
If she could, Marlene would have strangled Bruni right there and then, but Lotte interrupted them. “Shush. Don’t you want to hear Böhm’s speech?”
Of course, they did. Glued to the radio, Marlene listened to his sonorous voice explaining the truth about the student leaders and their confessions. With each sentence she grew angrier at the depraved Soviet louts, but at the same time she felt so proud of Werner for finally coming around and speaking the truth.
She didn’t know what to think. She had called him a coward and a cruel puppet, had driven him away from her with her constant nagging. Now she regretted her accusations, the burden of guilt creeping into her bones for misjudging him so badly, for not having shown more patience and encouraged him to cut loose from the fetters of his masters.
With his actions he’d taken a terrible risk. The Russians wouldn’t sit by idly, but hunt him down, and when they found him, his fate would be a terrible one. She wished she could be with him and comfort him, because he must be terribly afraid.
Once the radio program had ended, the three women were stunned into silence, until Lotte finally said, “Werner Böhm turned out okay after all.”
Marlene nodded. “I’m happy for Werner, but sad because I’ll probably never see him again.”
Then she retreated to her room to weep for Werner, for her impatience, her lack of understanding, and losing him.
Also by Marion Kummerow
Love and Resistance in WW2 Germany
Unrelenting
Unyielding
Unwavering
War Girl Series
Downed over Germany (Prequel)
War Girl Ursula (Book 1)
War Girl Lotte (Book 2)
War Girl Anna (Book 3)
Trouble Brewing (Book 4)
Fatal Encounter (Book 5)
Uncommon Sacrifice (Book 6)
Bitter Tears (Book 7)
Secrets Revealed (Book 8)
Together at Last (Book 9)
Endless Ordeal (Book 10)
Stand-Alone Stories
Reluctant Informer (Spin-off War Girls)
Turning Point (Spin-off Love&Resistance)
Historical Romance
Second Chance at First Love
Find all my books here:
http://www.kummerow.info
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Did you love From the Ashes ? Then you should read War Girl Ursula by Marion Kummerow!
From the bestselling author of 'Unrelenting' comes the heartbreaking first-in-series, War Girls: Ursula , a harrowing tale of courage and conscience, love and survival under the Third Reich.
In Berlin, 1943, compassion is a crime.
Newlywed Ursula Hermann is a simple woman, wanting nothing more than an end to the war and the return of her husband from the Russian front.
But some things are not meant to be.
The authorities determine that Ursula's contribution to the war effort is to guard a prison for undesirables and political prisoners.
Then, the unthinkable happens. A prisoner, Royal Air Force pilot Tom Westlake escapes, and Ursula looks the other way. If her single act of mercy is discovered, her life is forfeit.
When the injured airman returns, seeking her help, it is her opportunity to turn over the enemy and save herself from destruction. In a world where right has become wrong, and wrong has become right, Ursula must make a decision: obey the fatherland, or follow her conscience.
Inspired by true historical events, War Girl Ursula is the unforgettable story of one young woman's moral courage in the face of unspeakable suffering.
Praise for War Girls: Ursula: "A fast-paced ww2 historical fiction novel… with a gut-wrenching moral dilemma."
"From the first to the last page, I found I couldn't put this book down. There were twists and turns in the plotline which had me on the edge of my seat ."
"Here is yet another exciting WWII story from Marion Kummerow's fertile imagination mixed with historical research!"
If you're a fan of Pam Jenoff, Soraya Lane or Mark Sullivan, you'll devour this story by USA Today Bestselling author Marion Kummerow.
Read more at Marion Kummerow’s site .
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