by Kitty Parker
Klara's hand was trembling in his, she bit her lip nervously, it was her. Suddenly he realized that she was the runner, the one helping the allied soldiers, doing the one thing he wished he had the courage to do. When he left his room in the morning, he had never thought she was actually capable of endangering herself in such a manner, she looked so sweet, so innocent. And here she sat, a beautiful young woman, brave and strong, incredible, he thought while he held her hand.
"You have to stop Miss Kemp, notify your runner, tell him you'll take no more soldiers. You have to stop for the safety of you and your Grandmere." he said earnestly. He had no idea why he felt like he needed to protect her, or why he was asking her to give up something he commended her for.
"How did you know? I mean...why are you saying such things?"
"It's written across your face, the beds, the medical supplies, it all adds up that you are exactly what my men were looking for. You'll never get through an interrogation, you're far to sweet."
"Are you going to report us?" she asked, her face stony, her voice shaking.
"I won't tell, truth is, I'm only in the army because I was drafted, I think Hitler's a maniac, but my country men will find out, they already suspect you."
"No, my Grandmere will never allow it, she feels it's her duty to help the injured men."
"Your Grandmere?" he asked, baffled.
"Yes, she is the one behind it all, she was doing it for months before I arrived. She won't stop until they arrest her."
"They would have arrested you last night had there been any men in one of those beds without papers, and they would have shot him right in front of you." he urged.
"It was by God's grace that we were empty, He will keep us safe."
"Perhaps he kept those beds empty to give you warning, don't test Him."
Klara sighed, "Well, how can we stop the surveillance?"
Jack paused, pondering her question, yes, there had to be some way to keep his men from her without them suspecting. His mind twisted and turned around several options but only one seemed to hold steady. Fear constricted his throat and sweat beaded on his brow, shyly he cleared his throat. It's the only way... he thought. The men he worked with might be suspicious, but things like this happened all the time during the war, right? With another deep breath and a gulp, he found the courage he was looking for.
"Marry me."
Chapter 2
Klara swallowed hard, doing her best to keep the tea from spilling out of her mouth. "Marry you?" she managed. "I don't even know you!" He was looking at her earnestly, keeping his blue eyes on her. "I don't see how that would solve the surveillance problem."
"They wouldn't be keeping watch over a German officers home. They would trust him to guard it on his own, believe he had control over his wife."
"Why marriage? Can't you just live with us? Wouldn't they trust you to do the same thing?"
"We're not allowed to live anywhere we want, marriage is the only exception."
Klara's mind was racing, she didn't know what to do. "I don't know that I can spend my life with someone I don't know, someone I don't love." she said quietly, removing her hand from his.
"I would never ask you to. We'd be married in name only, sleep in separate rooms, go about our own business. When this horrible mess is over, we'll apply for an annulment." he explained logically. "And without the marriage being...consummated, we'd be granted one without a problem."
She chewed on her lip, thinking through the offer, she could only think of one question. "What's in it for you?"
"Well, for one thing, the men in my company will stop taking me to the Lebesnborn. They think I'm a waste of a good Aryan not to reproduce. I think it's filthy, not to mention I don't believe in sex outside of marriage, Aryan or not." he laughed nervously, his blonde, messy hair falling into his eyes. "And despite being an officer, I don't believe in this war, I think Hitler is a maniac. I've been praying for a way to help the Allies and I think you and your Grandmere may be Gods answer."
"I want to trust you..." Klara whispered, closing his eyes in thought.
"You can." Jack urged. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but for what other reason would a German officer propose marriage to a French woman, who runs Allied soldiers across the border."
"To spy on us!"
"Spying on you is unnecessary, as there is about to be a team of German soldiers posted right outside your house, the second they see anyone enter your house, they'll ask for papers, and if they don't have them, you'll all be shot, or imprisoned. A person doesn't need to be living in your house to see others enter. Beside that, if I was assigned to spy on you, I would be granted permission to live with you, and marriage would not be my proposition, I would merely ask to board here." he answered, matter of factly.
Klara chewed on her lip, deep in though. His argument certainly did make sense, it was pointless for him to marry her, unless he really was trying to help. "My Grandmere won't be happy."
"We can explain it all."
"If I agree," Klara said tentatively, "what would you expect from us?"
"Well, I'll need a room, and meals, but I will give you my housing allowance from the military I'll also need a place to wash my clothes..." he paused. "I can't think of anything else."
Klara thought for a moment, it all sounded very reasonable, and she felt she could trust this Captain Eiffel. After all, he would be nothing more than a tenant with a marriage license attached. He seemed to be good natured, and truly concerned about her and Grandmere, he could not be so nice if he was trying to trick her. And why bother to offer marriage when she had already confessed to being a runner, if he were going to turn her in, he could do it without marrying her.
"Very well, I'll marry you, thank you for your kind offer and help in finding a solution to the problem. But, I would ask you a few questions first." she said, completely professional in her tone and mannerisms.
"Go ahead."
"Your first name is?"
"Oh, how ridiculous of me! I'm Jack, Jack Eiffel."
"And how is it that your English is so good? Really, it's quite polished."
"My mother was British, hence the name Jack, she insisted I have something to show for being British with such a strong German last name." he smiled. "I also studied at Cambridge."
"They sure didn't teach you much there, Eiffel is clearly a French name, the Eiffel Tower..." she said smartly.
"Actually, the Eiffels are a German mountain range." he corrected.
Klara's cheeks flushed, she was very rarely wrong, and was corrected even less often. The only people that ever put her in her place were her parents and Grandmere. "Do you have any family?"
"Yes, they live not too far from here, you'll meet them at the wedding."
"When will we be married?"
"The sooner the better, the surveillance is to start on Wednesday which gives us three days. Being on officer, I shouldn't have a problem getting the papers quickly. How long do you need?"
"No time at all, I can wear my Mama's dress, it's in the attic, and Grandmere is the only one who will attend on my side. My parents are in England, they won't be able to get past the border, even if they were able to, my Mama wouldn't approve, so it's best she not know at all."
"Shall we say tomorrow then?"
"Tomorrow." she nodded, anxiously.
"Is that ok?"
"Yes, I just, I always wanted to be married in the fall..." she said in a disappointed tone, half to herself.
He laughed, "You will someday!"
"Thank you for the confidence," she smiled, "now, I suppose we should go and tell Grandmere...you will come with me to tell her?"
"Lead the way."
His smile affected her own, pulling the corners of her mouth up higher while a strange tingle wove it's way through her veins. She found her Grandmere silently knitting in the parlor upstairs. With little preparation, they gave the news, Grandmere sat, silent until Jack was ushered out the front door.
"Kl
ara Ann, have you gone absolutely insane! Agreeing to marry a stranger, a soldier in the S.S. Army! Lord, I always took you to be a smart child, but this might be the dumbest thing I have ever heard! Wait until your Mother hears!" she began to ramble in French, picking up speed and anger as she went.
"Grandmere! You forget that I am fluent in French. Now please, let me explain. Jack says we are in trouble, they raided our house last night, they found the beds, they suspect us! Surveillance starts on our house in three days, unless I marry Jack. So help me find my mothers wedding gown, we have to make it look realistic."
"I thought you always wanted to be married in the fall?" Grandmere asked, standing, her anger softening just a bit.
"Next time."
"Oh no! I will not consent to a marriage and a divorce! You know what the Bible says about divorce."
"Not divorce Grandmere, an annulment, which is why Mama and Papa never need to know, they'll never even meet Jack. We're not marrying to fool around, I hope you know that."
"Now that I do, you'll be under my strict observation. Come on," she sighed, "lets go find that dress. It's in the attic, I only pray the moths haven't feasted on it."
"Thank you Grandmere! You know I'm doing this for you..."
"Oui, oui, at least he's cute, those eyes! Oh I could go for a swim in them!"
"Grandmere!"
"What? A young handsome officer is better to look at than an old balding one, who knows how long he'll be here."
"I just hope we can trust him." Klara sighed, suppressing a giggle.
Grandmere turned to face her, "What does your heart say?"
"That we can."
"And you feel at peace about your decision?"
Klara nodded slowly, thinking about her answer.
"Then we have nothing to fear, it's in Gods hands." Grandmere pulled Klara into a quick hug.
"I'll go look for the dress, you go pull fresh linens from the cupboard and set to making the bed in the second guest room. Put clean towels in there and make sure the closets empty. After, go to the bakery and buy him a treat, there is money in the sugar pot. Then go to Paul, in the butchers, ask him if they're open on Thursday, say Louise wants to know."
"Goodness, anything else?"
"No, that should be all, but come ask again when you've finished all that."
"I'll be sure to do that." Klara said sarcastically.
She sung her way through the tasks set before her, the tension of the previous night and morning melting away. The bed was made neatly, with navy blue towels carefully folded on the end of it. She went to the bakery and bought a box of pralines, he looked like the sort that would enjoy pralines. Finally, she stopped by the butchers, figuring it was a code for the runners. When she arrived home, she found her mothers wedding dress laid upon her bed.
Tomorrow she was getting married, married! To a man she didn't know! The war must have made her go completely daft. She trailed her finger along the delicate lace along the neck line. The dress was as beautiful as it had been in her parents wedding album, still completely intact. She would wear it, tomorrow, goodness, tomorrow...
Chapter 3
Jack pulled his hand through his hair one last time before knocking on the small wooden door. He didn't know why he was so nervous, it was all fake, and yet, his palms were sweating. He rocked back and forth on his heels, waiting for the door to open, every few seconds thinking about running down the street, far away from the treason he was about to commit. He had always been a good soldier, a puppy following it's master through the harsh decisions that accompany war. But, for a long while now, he'd realized the damage they were doing, and wanted out, this was the right decision, and he knew it.
Finally, Grandmere opened the door, wearing a pink skirt and a white blouse, a warm looking shawl wrapped around her tightly.
"Klara! Captain Eiffel's here! Although, I don't know why he came to get you...bad luck." she screamed into the house.
"Grandmere, it's all fake, calm down." Klara's voice echoed from somewhere in the heart of the house.
"Doesn't feel fake, not with you in that dress." she yelled over her shoulder again, beginning to retreat into the house. "You look handsome dear."
"Oh, thank you." Jack smiled, taking that as a cue to follow her into the house. The warm air was a relief from the biting cold of the French town.
"She's just putting on her shoes."
As Grandmere spoke the words, Klara came into the entryway, Jack fought for breath. She looked beautiful, her long dark hair pulled up, the veil on top, flowing down her back. The dress gently hugged her curves and pooled on the floor around her feet.
"You look nice..." he whispered uncomfortably, unsure what to say to a woman he was about to pretend to marry, a woman he didn't really know.
"It doesn't quite fit..." she sighed, pulling at the dress, readjusting it. "But, we had to make it look realistic, right?" she smiled, taking the hand he offered. "Will your Aryan friends be upset you're not marrying a blond haired blue eyed beauty?"
"No, those eyes will make them forget you have brown hair."
"Ok," she giggled, nervously, "then lets go."
"Right, now I must tell you, some of my officer friends are coming, they insisted upon it. My family will be there as well and I've not told them the truth, thought it would be safer that way."
She nodded, swallowing harshly, "Thank you for everything Captain Eiffel."
"I think it might be best to start calling me Jack, we are getting married after all, you wouldn't call your husband by his last name."
"No, I suppose you're right, then it's Klara for me." she blushed. He couldn't help but smile at her embarrassment, despite having naturally rosy cheeks, he could tell they were flushed with heat. He chewed the inside of his mouth, wondering how deep a shade of red they would turn at this next bit of news.
"So, as I was saying, my family and officer friends will be there, all of whom think I've fallen madly in love rather quickly, hence the rushed marriage. I'm sorry to say that my friends suspect me a liar, and kissing you upon the cheek at the pronouncement of our matrimony will only heighten their suspicion." he trailed off, watching the realization of his speech dawn on her face. With a blush running up and down her neck she stopped walking and turned to face him.
"I've, I've never been kissed before." she whispered, the blush running down her neck, "what if I'm not convincing."
He couldn't help but stare, wondering how such a beautiful young woman had managed to escape a mans notice for so long. Sure, he didn't know her, and he wasn't so shallow to believe love to be possible based upon looks alone, but if any looks could induce him into love, they would be hers. Any man would envy him to be married to her, even if it was a fake sort.
She had brown hair, dark and soft, and she wore it longer than the current style. It normally flowed past her shoulders, with the most gentle hint of a curl. The darkness of her hair emphasized her creamy complection, which highlighted the bright green of her eyes. Those eyes were outlined by long, dark lashes, that seemed to flutter whenever she grew embarrassed. A small slim nose and full pink lips that matched her rosy cheeks completed her, making her one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. The bland Aryan women didn't hold a candle to her natural beauty, and her face was only part of it. Her body completed her gentle elegance, leaving him even more surprised at her lack of experience.
"It's a long story, but I guess we'll have time for stories , won't we?" she giggled again, nervously, obviously intimidated by Jack's silence, and unabashed gaze.
Jack came to, refocusing his eyes, "Yes, I'm sure we will. And, about the kiss, you don't have to convince me, just everyone else, follow my lead and we'll be fine."
They walked the rest of the route in silence, finally stopping at a small church. He gave her arm a quick reassuring squeeze before opening the door. Plastering a proud smile on his face, he lead her in, gazing down at her lovingly every few paces, he knew it had to be believable for it to wo
rk. Klara must have known too, she smiled sweetly, batting her eyes as if she was the happiest bride in the world. He might have believed it too, had it not been for his ability to feel her hands trembling in his own. They continued their act all the way through the ceremony, Klara even went as far to bring her hand up to her eyes at on point, feigning tears of happiness, which nearly made Jack burst into laughter.
"I, Klara Ann Kemp, take you, Jack Barrett Eiffel to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, until death separates us, I pledge to you my love and faithfulness." Klara smiled, letting a deep breath escape at the end of her vow.
"I, Jack Barrett Eiffel, take you, Klara Ann Kemp to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, until death separates us, I pledge to you my love and faithfulness." Jack beamed, trying not to think of what he was saying as he looked at Klara with penetrating sincerity.
"You may kiss the bride." the minister said.
A jolt of nerves seized Jack, but he didn't hesitate, needing to be convincing for Klara and Grandmere, but there was something about being her first kiss that was intimidating, he wanted her to have a good first impression. He pulled her toward him by the waist, resting one hand on the small of her back, the other caught in her dark hair. He pressed his lips upon hers and felt her tremble beneath his hold, but he deepened the kiss. She stepped into him, clasping her arms and bouquet around his neck, and all else seemed to fade away.
Warmth flooded her body as his lips touched hers, a sensation so strangely wonderful she couldn't help but smile. Her toes tingled as she latched onto him tightly, her nervousness easily falling away. When she felt him gently tugging away, she surged forward one last time, clasping her lips with his easily before allowing them to escape. When she finally pulled away, a flash of awe and bewilderment crossed his face, and then it was gone, replaced by a conquering smirk.