Til' Death and Deception

by Kitty Parker

  She brought a hand up to her lips, remembering the sensation, she could even still taste a bit of him. Having never been kissed before, she thought nothing of the tingle in her toes or sudden warmth and happiness she had experienced, thinking it was all part of kissing in general. Instead, she turned her attention to the guests of the wedding, noting particularly the older man in the front row who looked exactly like Jack.

  Nerves struck her again, wondering if she had been convincing enough, surely Jack's family would be able to tell, would they give them up to the Nazi's? Jack seemed to sense her fear and put his arm around her waist, pulling her in possessively.

  "Papi, Maman, this is Klara." he beamed.

  "Very nice to meet you dear." Mr. Eiffel smiled, his German accent thick, his voice deep. "I must say Jack, you've done quite well for yourself, she's beautiful."

  Klara blushed, hugging Mr. Eiffel quickly, then moving to Mrs. Eiffel.

  "You look lovely." Mrs. Eiffel chimed in.

  Klara laughed at her equally thick German accent, "You don't sound as British as Jack described."

  Everyones faces blanched, but Jack laughed, "That's right darling, I mentioned my mother, but forgot to mention she died when I was eight. This is my step mother, who has become equally dear to me." he grinned, grasping the woman's hand in his free one. "And these are my angels of younger sisters, Arabella, she's eight and Emmaline is six."

  "Well hello," Klara smiled at the adorable girls, "it's very nice to meet you." They both smiled at her brightly, their blue eyes sparkling. Arabella the taller of the two, had light brown hair, which was pulled back loosely, tiny wisps escaping the ribbon. Emmaline's hair was golden and curly, small ringlets fell around her tiny porcelain face. She had never met such beautiful children, surely they were one credit to the Aryan's.

  "You must come for dinner, perhaps, next week sometime? After you've had some time alone?" Mr. Eiffel said, laughing, causing Klara to blush again.

  "Most definitely, how about next Friday?" Jack offered.

  "Perfect." Mr. Eiffel agreed.

  "Sounds lovely, we will be looking forward to it." Klara added graciously, reaching for Jacks hand, entangling her fingers with his flirtatiously. She had to stop herself from giggling upon discovering how sweaty his palms were. It was a relief to discover he was nervous too, he had seemed so confident, now she didn't feel quite so foolish for her own lack of confidence. They mingled with their few guests a while longer, then made their way home. Jack kept his hands at his side and Klara focused on keeping the train of her dress off the ground.

  "I'll just go get my bags from my barrack, I packed them last night, I won't be long." Jack smiled.

  "No rush, I'll just make us some lunch." she smiled. "No need to knock, just let yourself in."

  Klara closed the door, leaving him out in the cold, relishing the warmth of the house. With dress still in hand she ran up the stairs, pulling on nylons and a more comfortable dress, then she reached for her plum sweater and put that on over top of it all. She tied a kerchief around her hair, then bounced back down the stairs.

  "Grandmere!"

  "In my room cherie!"

  Klara peeked her head inside to find her Grandmere packing a small carpet bag. "Grandmere what are you doing?"

  "I'm going to Genivive's for the week."

  "What?!" Klara screamed. "You can't leave me here alone with him, it wouldn't be proper!"

  "My dear, anything is proper when you're married, except an affair." Grandmere winked.

  "But we're not really married, and I barely know him."

  "You are really married, and it's most important that the Germans think you're married, which is why I need to let you have the house for the week. Now, there will be no running, so you don't have to worry about that."

  "But what will we do for a whole week?" she whined.

  "Get to know him! He's going to be staying with us indefinitely, you should at least be friends. You're a smart girl Klara, you'll be ok."

  "Grandmere, please..."

  "He has saved our lives, do not risk his because you fear awkward conversation."

  Klara lowered her head and nodded, she could trust him, she could. It was the fifth time today she had repeated that same mantra, wanting to believe that she had done the right thing. Maybe it would be better this way, if she had been wrong about trusting him, at least Grandmere would be away from it all, and only she would suffer the horrors of a German prison.

  Chapter 4

  "Klara! Klara, I'm here!" Jack called from the door, holding his bags, feeling more than a little awkward walking into her house without knocking.

  "I'm in the kitchen, walk straight back then to the left." she screamed. "Just leave your bags, we can take care of them later."

  Jack obeyed, carefully setting down the bags, then pulling off his coat, laying it neatly on top, not sure where else to put it. Something smelled wonderful and he simply followed his nose to locate the small kitchen.

  "Smells great." he said tentatively.

  "Creamy Onion Soup, my own recipe, hope you like it." her voice lacked expression, as she concentrated on whatever was bubbling in the large pot. "Oh, and I hope you're not allergic to anything, I forgot to ask you about that..."

  "No, no allergies, and I'm sure I'll like it, you'll come to realize I'm not very picky."

  Klara set a bowl in front of him and a plate, which held a large hunk of baguette. She then ladled the steaming soup into his bowl, when his was full, she gave herself a heaping portion.

  "I have some news." she began, her voice shaking, he could tell she was nervous.

  "Ok..." he smiled, spooning some soup into his mouth. "Wow, this is delicious."

  "Thank you, now, for the news. Grandmere has decided to leave us alone for the week."

  "Oh, I see." he answered slowly. "I have similar news."

  "Oh?"

  "They've given me the week off, for our honeymoon."

  "I expect they'll find it suspicious if we're not in our house most of the time."

  "Yes, I think you might be right." Jack laughed, taking another bite of soup.

  "It will be good, there are things to be done, Lord knows without there being a man around her for years we have a few squeaky doors and broken locks. Are you handy?"

  "Sure, I can fix a broken door or leaky pipe, when we're finished lunch you can lead the way."

  They finished the soup quietly, giggling as the slurped the onions noisily. Klara cleared the table then showed Jack to his room. It was spacious with low ceilings and a comfortable bed, he smiled as Klara shut the door, asking him to meet her in the kitchen when he was settled. He emptied his bags, put his clothes in the wardrobe, then changed into his work clothes.

  He maneuvered his way back downstairs to find Klara, in big overalls with her hair up in a kerchief, her arms elbow deep in suds. As she washed the dishes, she sang loudly, beautiful melody coming from her pretty mouth. Jack stood silently in the doorway, observing her, thankful he had found a bit of floor without a creak. Eventually, he felt guilty about standing there doing nothing, so he announced himself by clearing his throat.

  "Oh, there you are. I didn't think you'd be so long, didn't look like you had much in your bags."

  "Sorry, I dawdled a bit. Now, what do you need me to do?"

  "Screw driver, hammer, nails and screws are on the table, you can go about checking the doors for locks, especially the basement door." she turned, shooting him a knowing wink.

  "And what will you be doing?"

  "Why, afraid you'll be the only one working?"

  "Just curious."

  She smiled, pointing to a mop and bucket, "The floors could use a good scrub, then I'm going to clean out the cabinets, especially the ones Grandmere can't reach. Who knows what she has in them."

  Jack picked up the screwdriver and screws, moving toward the basement door. He found the broken lock and began working. It wasn't long before he heard the slosh of the bucket outside the
door and smiled. He finished with the screw then peeked around the door at her.

  "So tell me, how is it possible you've never been kissed before?

  "Well, I've never dated before...and I wouldn't ever kiss a man I wasn't dating."

  "Never had a sweetheart? I'm shocked, truthfully, I thought for sure you were married when we first came to your house, you looked like the type of girl that would have been scooped up by now, especially with the war raging on."

  "Well gee, I'm only twenty two, and besides, no boys ever fancied me."

  "I find that hard to believe, how on earth would you know a thing like that?"

  "I don't know, never being asked out on a date was a relatively large clue." she giggled.

  "You've never been on a date?" he asked, nearly dropping his screw driver.

  "No, but don't feel badly for me, it's my own fault."

  "How could you possibly think that?"

  "Well, I am a bit of a know it all, and can be fairly stand offish. One of my male friends told me I was intimidating." she shrugged.

  "You are beautiful, I suppose that can be intimidating. I find it hard to believe that you didn't meet one bloke not willing to put his neck on the line to spend an evening with those eyes." he smiled, admiring them again. "I would be honored if you would join me for dinner this evening."

  He watched her stop mopping, leaning it against a nearby wall. She turned slowly, staring at him for a moment, her eyebrows raised. "Don't be silly, you don't owe me anything, you've done enough."

  "Truth be told, if I hadn't asked you to marry me, I would have asked you out for dinner anyway." he teased. "Please, let me take you out for dinner, after all, it is our honey moon." he winked.

  "Well, alright, as long as you're not pitying me." she said seriously, trying to suppress a smile.

  "No pity, whatsoever, just the desire of your company while not scrubbing or hammering."

  "Very well. Let's say we continue working until four, then we'll get cleaned up and head out. And, just a warning, I have expensive taste."

  Jack smiled at the sound of her soft giggle, he had come to associate it with her being nervous. He couldn't help but be amused by the fact that she was nervous about the prospect of going out with him, even though they were married. Part of him hoped she was more excited than nervous, he knew he was excited to spend a night out with her. Something about her intrigued him and he couldn't wait to discover more about the woman that had fallen right into his lap.

  Four o'clock came quickly, leaving one door yet to be fixed. Klara announced that she would shower first, figuring she would take the longest to get ready afterward. Jack set to washing the mugs they had dirtied while they were working, then sat and listened to the melody coming from the direction of the bathroom. When he heard the water turn off he headed up the winding steps and gathered his towel and clothes. He closed his door gently behind him, turning to find Klara wrapped in a towel, water glistening on her shoulders, bare feet padding along on the hard wood floor.

  "Sir!" she squealed, grasping at the towel, a blush flooding her face.

  "Sorry Miss."

  "Just, just go back to your room and, and count to one hundred!" she stuttered.

  Jack didn't answer, but dutifully turned back into his room, counting to one hundred with a grin on his face. She even looked lovely in a towel. "Goodness Jack! Get a hold of yourself! She's a stranger not your girlfriend, and not your wife!" he said to himself, running a hand down his face.

  He opened his door, cautiously peeking out before walking down the hall to the shower. The room was steamed, and he quickly pulled off his sweaty clothes and stepped under the shower head. Cold water hit his back, he managed to contain a yell and washed quickly under the near freezing spray. "She used all the hot water." he said through gritted teeth.

  His breath came in short gasps, shivering harshly he wrapped himself in his towel, finding it not much warmer than himself. Luckily his bedroom was close and he found himself in warm clothes quickly. When he was dressed he combed his hair then dabbed on some aftershave. Klara was signing again, so he figured she wasn't ready yet. He took a book from his bag and went downstairs where the fire was still slowly crackling.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Just reading, are you ready to go?" he smiled, marking his place before closing the book, then turned. "You look pretty."

  He stood, taking her all in. Her dark hair was pulled back in a pin, gentle curls cascading down her back and over her shoulders. Red lipstick coated her full lips and dark mascara accentuated her glittering green eyes. She was wearing a black and white dress that dipped tastefully in the front and flitted out elegantly at the knees.

  "Where are we going?" she asked, ignoring the compliment.

  "How about the brasserie on the corner?"

  "Oh yes, I love it there." she smiled, reaching for her coat.

  Jack jumped from his chair and helped her into it, taking his off the hook when she set to buttoning it. He had just pulled up his collar when he turned to find Klara staring at him, a strange expression on her face.

  "You're wearing...that?"

  "Well, yes, it's the only jacket I have and it's rather cold outside..." he smiled, turning back to the door.

  "No, I don't think you understand, you can't wear that, they won't let you eat at the brasserie, they won't serve you."

  "Oh..." Jack said sadly, unsure of what to do. "How can they not serve me? We're in occupied territory, couldn't they be putting themselves in danger by not serving officers of the German Army?"

  "Ok, they would probably serve you...but, you wouldn't exactly be eating what you ordered. Trust me, I know they do things to German's orders." she said hesitantly.

  "I see...but, I don't really have anything else to wear, can't you just tell them I'm with you?"

  "Hold on a second." she said after chewing on her lip. She dashed up the stairs, her shoes tapping on the hardwood stairs. In only a moment, he heard her quick breath and heavy footsteps tumbling toward him. She was holding an old looking coat that looked even warmer than the one he had on.

  "It was my Grandperes, I think it should fit, sorry if it smells like attic."

  "Smelling like attic is better than being a hated German officer." he shrugged off his coat and put on the dark brown one Klara held out for him.

  "Perfect fit!" she smiled triumphantly.

  Jack opened the door for Klara, who stepped out tentatively as if testing the air. Jack followed her out, pulling the door shut behind him. They walked silently for a moment, staying a distance away from each other Klara was playing with a thread on her coat, Jacks hands shoved in his pockets. As they continued along toward the brasserie a German officer rounded the corner. Jack jumped toward Klara, wrapping his arm around her waist lovingly.

  "Play along." he whispered in her ear, making it look a great deal more seductive than it was. Klara turned into him, giggling flirtatiously, playing the love struck newlywed very well.

  "Guten abend." the soldier nodded, a knowing look on his face.

  "Guten abend." Jack replied half heartedly, keeping his attention on Klara.

  "You are quite good at pretending to be in love." he laughed. "And, while we're on that subject, you're a good kisser for having never been kissed."

  "What?"

  "It's true, I think you made quite an impression on our guests, no question of your sincerity." he grinned.

  "And you made my first kiss a good one I suppose."

  "You suppose? Just good?"

  "Well I've nothing to compare it to, I'm saving the highest rating if you don't mind. But who knows, perhaps my next kiss will be disappointing and yours will move up on the scale."

  "As long as mine will be given a chance at reprieve, I will be expecting an update."

  "If we are still in contact, I will let you know how you've been ranked." she laughed.

  With his arm still around her waist the entered the busy brasserie. They blended in with the va
riety of couples eating in the cozy dining room. A neat waiter brought them a menu, which was written entirely in French and unreadable to Jack. Klara laughed at his attempt to interpret, shaking her head, she took his menu and waved to the waiter.

  In the most delicate French he ever heard, Klara ordered for them. She asked him quietly what he wanted to drink before finalizing the order. The waiter nodded and backed away. Klara began chatting away and the evening past easily. Somehow there was now awkwardness between the newly married pair. Jack grew more and more interested as the night went on, listening as Klara described her childhood, summers in France, the school year spent in Britain. As time wore on, one question wove it's way to the front of his mind. While they enjoyed their dessert, he found the courage to ask.

  "If, after the night we searched your home, I had come the next day with none of the bad tidings, but came to invite you out for dinner. Would you have agreed to go?" he asked. For a reason he couldn't identify, he was nervous. Somehow her answer would be equal to a rejection or acceptance, even though they were married and currently on, what could be viewd as, a date.

  "Truthfully?" she asked, twisting the napkin that laid in her lap.

  "Of course."

  "I would have said no."

  "Right, should have known." he tried not to sound disappointed, even though he was. He honestly didn't know what might have happened if she had passed the inspection. But he did know that he had been struck by her the moment she had come to the door that night. Her simple beauty and self confidence attracted him to her, an attraction he needed to forget. After all, she had just admitted her disinterest in him, what else did he need to shake this emotion?

  Chapter 5

  "Breakfast!" Klara sung, tapping on Jacks door. She knew he was awake, the creak in the floor announced his consciousness fifteen minutes ago. Despite being unsure of her Grandmere's decision to leave them, she had begun to enjoy Jacks company. He was polite and smart and was becoming exeedingly funny in her mind. She found herself looking forward to their conversations and was thankful for all the help he had offered so far, she didn't miss the constant squeaking that ensued with opening each door in the house.