“I heard he was the one who outed the circuit, but I don’t know if that’s true.” Kate searched the officer’s eyes for hints, but he maintained a poker face except for one raised eyebrow.
“Well, then. Tell us what happened after Albi.”
“We stumbled over Monsieur le Blanc. He was injured, and died a few days later. We left his papers with the Résistance leader, who said I’d be needed in Dordogne. But on the way there, the SS went wild, and...”
“Who is we?”
“My guide and I—a Basque. We passed through Figeac, where they wreaked destruction, too. When my guide’s brother went missing, I transmitted from their granary until it became too risky. Then his priest...”
Kate ran out of breath, or thoughts. Suddenly, it seemed as if nothing she’d accomplished seemed worth reporting. A multitude of transmissions and many deliveries, but what did they all amount to?
Her debriefer looked up from taking notes. “Please continue.”
“But looking back, it all seems so ... so random.”
His grin preceded a chuckle. “Precisely. Call up your training, Agent Merce. Our work, you will recall, revolves around randomness.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Through a small window, Kate stared at a London courtyard. The interview droned on, but her eyes felt far too heavy to stay awake. When the officer shoved back from his desk and left the room, she dropped her head on her arms. To be left alone, even for a short while, amounted to bliss.
But soon, the officer re-entered with a full coffee cup, and one for her. At the powerful scent, Kate lifted her head.
“This war will produce some inveterate caffeine addicts—myself, for one.” He allowed her time to savor her first sip. “I have just a few more questions, Miss. Did you ever meet a fellow named Lanyard?”
“No.”
“How about...” He consulted some notes. “Bernardo, or a woman named Bernadette, or Yvette?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Who else did you meet? Think back to your time in Le Chambon sur Lignon.”
“The people at the Presbytery, the cook, the au pair girls, and of course, lots of children.”
“A girl named Sancha?”
The name riveted Kate and enlivened Père Gaspard’s description. To think, she and Sancha both visited Le Chambon. “No.”
“You’re certain?”
“I heard about the Gestapo ambushing a young woman by that name, along with some children, but I never met any of them.”
“Mmm ... who told you about that incident?”
“Dom ... my guide’s priest, Père Gaspard.”
“You’re altogether certain he’s a priest?”
“If he’s not, he certainly knows a lot about faith.”
“You spoke with him often?”
“Oh yes, the last few weeks, he’s been helping me find transmitting locations. And he’s made me a new identity card—twice.”
“Do you recall his code name?”
Kate shrugged. “I’m not sure he has one.”
The officer’s other question replayed in her consciousness—what if Père disguised himself as a priest? She almost giggled out loud. Maybe some day she’d return to France and discover him teaching religion or philosophy at some Parisienne institute. Or perhaps all his talk about the priesthood and his soutane disguised a devout day laborer with a penchant for philosophizing.
“This guide. Tell me more about him.”
“He’s a Basque shepherd.” The officer’s dark eyes merged with her memory of Domingo’s, and Kate shivered.
“He hurt you?”
“Oh, no—he helped me out of trouble more than once. He met my drop and nursed my twisted ankle. He’s ... before that, he led pilots over the Pyrenees and now he’s carrying out Résistance sabotage. I mean, before the invasion.”
“What type of sabotage?”
“Blowing bridges and railroad yards, cutting telephone wires—whatever he’s assigned.”
“And then?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since a few days before the invasion.” The overcast morning beckoned Kate to glance outside, and the gloom cast a pall over her emotions. What if she never saw Domingo or Père again?
“Do you wish to speak with anyone while you’re here in London?”
“Is that possible?”
“It depends. Is there someone?”
“Charles Tenney, sir.”
“Mmm.”
Kate wanted to ask if she’d be returning to France. In one respect, her real life waited for her back there, but she knew the officer would waive her question. At the same time, his inquiry created a chasm inside her—she hardly dared hope to see Addie.
After another fifteen minutes of questions, someone returned her to her room along with a meat pasty. She could have eaten three of them, but devoured this one and lay on her bed.
Her mind swarmed with the interview questions. Who was the last person she’d seen before she entered the airplane for her return trip across the Channel? The day before that, who had she spoken with, and the week before that? What news had filtered in of the invasion?
Where had she been on that exact day, and how had she heard the news? Had she ever been followed? Could she be certain? What about this Mother Hélène she’d mentioned—how much had they talked?
At least this plain room with its narrow bunk provided a reprieve. She slept until someone knocked.
“Kathryn Isaacs, are you in there?”
That voice—so familiar, yet ...
Kathryn, they told me to knock here. Are you in there?”
Her head swam. Was she dreaming? But the visitor seemed insistent, and the cotton coverlet under her hand felt real enough. She sat up.
“Hello in there? Kathryn Isaacs, are you there?”
She made her way across the room, and nearing the door, her heartbeat quickened.
“It’s Charles Tenney, Kathryn. They’ve allowed me to...”
She unlocked the door and gasped. Could it truly be him? He peered down at her with a bemused smile.
“Why it is you, after all, dear girl.”
Kate fell into his arms. “Mr. T—Charles. I can’t believe you’ve come...”
Then behind Charles, she spied a wisp of rose-colored fabric—a woman’s blouse, perhaps. Next, eyes as brown as Iowa farmland came into view. Kate went limp. If Charles hadn’t been holding her up, she’d have...
Addie clasped her hand, then, and embraced her. The scent of wool and faint lavender returned her to England even more fully than the cool, damp air. Charles and Addie half-dragged her to a chair and finally, Kate’s tongue was loosed.
“Addie, you’ve come. Oh, I can’t begin to...”
“It’s all right. I’m in shock, too. We’re ... Charles just heard you’d arrived, and...” She glanced at him as he took a seat at the desk.
“Beyond wonderful to see you well and whole, dear girl. London’s been dismal with you away.” His eyes glinted, and Addie reached for his hand. The movement caused a ring on her finger to flash.
That deep flush on Addie’s cheeks, Charles’s ruddy color ... Kate looked from one to the other. What was it about them?
“You’re—you two are...?”
Addie’s glow answered for her, and Charles beamed.
“Where’s...? What’s happened to Harold?”
“Oh, my goodness, Kate. Of course, you wouldn’t know—we’ve got so much catching up to do.”
“Right.” Charles looked at his watch. “I’ll let Addie answer all your questions, Kathryn, for I must get back to the office. We’ve been told we have until eight p.m. with you, so...”
He looked into Addie’s eyes. “I propose you and Kate spend a couple of hours together, and I’ll pick you up at five fifteen. Mum doesn’t know you’re here yet, Kathryn. But she’d...”
“...never forgive us if we left her out of this.” Addie’s freckles almost popped from her smooth skin.
“Ahem ...right. I’ll ask Mr. Firth to fetch her and perhaps we can all eat dinner together. How does that sound?”
“Sound? It sounds like heaven...” Kate burst into tears. “They’ll let you take me away from here?”
“You doubt my connections?” Charles grinned like a mischievous lad. “I didn’t suffer through the last war for nothing. Well, then. You must stay on the premises until I return, but they said you’re allowed to walk around the grounds.”
Addie squeezed his hand. “We’ll see you soon.”
Charles gave a little bow, donned his hat, and walked out. Addie faced Kate. “You look ... just like always, Kate, but I imagine you’re reeling.”
“You’ve found the perfect word, as usual. You haven’t changed a bit, either, except you look radiant. You can’t imagine how many times I’ve wished we could talk.”
“Well, we have a couple of hours, although I’m sure you can only tell me so much. Does a walk sound good to you?”
“You’re right about the only so much, but I have enough curiosity to kill twenty cats about what’s happened here. Tell me everything.”
Addie’s hushed tone fit with the low mist hanging over the courtyard. “I should start with Harold. It’s been ... I never would have believed things would turn out the way they have.”
After hearing the details, Kate pulled Addie onto a bench. “All your struggles, all those years of waiting and hoping and working so hard. Still, hearing about Harold’s death had to be hard.”
“Yes. Letting all those fears go—I never lost the one that had him finding me and—I don’t know what he would have done. Anyway, releasing all that anxiety took such a weight from me. Charles told me afterward that I held my head higher from then on.”
Two half-grown bunnies raced across the courtyard, and one hesitated to observe the humans before pursuing his mate. He cocked his head as if he realized this rendezvous might be momentous.
“Hey, little fellow. Wish I had a breadcrumb for you, but I guess you’re on rationing now, too. Speaking of that, you’ve lost weight, Kate.”
“Probably. I haven’t even thought about it. But you look healthy.”
“Oh, I’m stronger than ever. Charles and I have become regulars at a government farm on the weekends. I had no idea he liked that kind of work—actually, I don’t think he did, either, when we started. But he’s become a champion at weeding.”
“So, you became friends...”
“Yes. It came about so gradually, and then one night he asked me to dinner. I confess, I borrowed your skirt and sweater that first time we went to a restaurant together.”
Kate waved her hand in the air. “Good. You know anything I have is yours. And your ring...?
“Charles’s grandmother gave it to him before she died. It was her wedding ring.” Addie fingered the small garnet.
“What does it mean for you and Charles?”
“We’re engaged, Kate.”
“Engaged! Oh, Addie. I couldn’t be happier for you, and for Charles too. When will you get married?”
“We ... we haven’t set a date yet, because he’s called away so often. But neither of us can think of a good reason to wait. His mother doesn’t know about this yet, so I only wear the ring away from home. I’m pretty sure she has an inkling, though. You know her—mother’s intuition and all that.”
“How is she, then?”
“As busy as ever. It’s good you’re sitting down, Kate. Here’s another surprise. She’s been spending a lot of time with Mr. Firth. They started working for the...” Addie gave a quick glance around the courtyard. “For the children—you know. And then she began helping out at the bookstore. But lately, I’ve been thinking their friendship has moved farther than just that project.”
“Women’s intuition?”
Addie giggled. “Yes, I guess so. Remember when you wrote me that we can trust our inner leanings and thoughts?”
“Sure do.”
“Well, I’d say I’ve come a long, long way in that ability. But it’s much easier to trust them when I’m focusing on someone else’s life than on my own.”
“If that isn’t the truth! Let’s walk some more. Being with you does me a world of good, and so does walking. Being cooped up in an airplane most of the night, and spending all day yesterday in a stuffy office made me antsy.”
“Do you spend much time outdoors in France?”
“Quite a lot—seems like I’m always traveling between locations. Someday, you’ll have to go there, Addie. Especially to the Department of Lot—so many scenes could be straight out of The Wind and The Willows. I thought of you especially when I was tending sheep there.”
“Tending sheep?”
“Oh, there’s no end of the occupations I’ve tried—but I’m not supposed to talk about that.”
“I wish I could take you out to the gardens, but for today, this dismal courtyard will have to do. I’m glad to be in London, but the gray on gray does get to me sometimes.”
“It couldn’t be dismal with you here.”
“I suppose you don’t know...”
“What will happen next? How long I’ll be here, if I’ll be sent back to France? If I’ll ever see the people there again?”
“Yes—oh, I’d love to hear about the people.”
Kate shook her head. “Sorry. And you’re exactly right, I have no idea how those questions will be answered. But I have gotten a little better at handling my impatience with all the mystery.” She waved her hands at the building behind them.
“Really? That’s remarkable, Kate. You could never wait to read the end of a book—don’t you remember how you always cheated?”
Kate squeezed her hand. “Oh, I remember. Mind you, I said I’ve gotten a little better.”
~
Charles raised his glass. “Attention, everyone. Addie and I have called you here because of Kate’s unexpected visit, but there’s also another event this evening.” He glanced at his watch. “In fifteen minutes, to be exact, a few blocks from here, so we’d better be going.”
Amidst friendly chatter, Kate, Mrs. Tenney, and Mr. Firth followed Charles and Addie down the street.
“Oh, Mrs. Tenney—I can’t describe how good it is to see you again. I thought you might faint when you first walked into the restaurant and saw me.”
“At my age, it was quite a shock, but Mr. Firth sustained me.” She turned accusing eyes on him. “Did you know?”
“Absolutely not, my dear. Charles knows me far too well. I’d have a dreadful time keeping such a secret from you, even during the drive over. I’ve become an old softie. Back in the last war, I felt I could jolly well handle anything.”
“Oh my—that makes me think of our troops fighting in Normandy right now. They’ve made progress, but at such terrible cost, I...” Mrs. Tenney would have continued, but Mr. Firth interrupted her.
“But they’ve gained the beachheads now, my dear. Compared to what the Canadians suffered in the raid on Dieppe two years ago, success is ours. Let’s not talk about the war tonight, righto? A small diversion will do us all good.”
As the steeple of Mrs. Tenney’s church came into view, Kate’s eyes misted. “Oh, what a time we had there, rolling bandages. You and your friends taught me so many tricks, Mrs. T. I never would have thought to roll the fabric down my leg to tighten the ball.”
“Nor would I. Those ladies know their business.” She patted Kate’s forearm. “Oh, I shall hold the memory of this evening tightly, dear. It’s so wonderful to speak with you again.”
At the church stairs, Charles turned like a father gathering his children. “The event we’re attending will take place right here, and very soon. Follow me.”
The quiet candlelit atmosphere swallowed Kate up. Serenity filled her, and an undeniable sense that she was loved. To be back here, even if the time was short, to share her heart with Addie—what an immense gift. She wiped away happy tears.
At the end of the old sanctuary’s main aisle, Mrs. Te
nney’s vicar awaited them. Everyone proceeded toward him, and once there, Charles gave his mother a peck on the cheek.
“I think you might have given up on me ever marrying, Mum. But I have finally found my soul mate, and the hour has come.”
Mrs. Tenney clutched her neck. “Now? Tonight?”
The vicar took over. “Ma’am, Charles declared his intentions weeks ago, and has been holding the license for the perfect time.”
“Charles? You knew Kate was coming?”
Addie answered for him. “No, but we thought to be prepared, with Charles traveling to the coast so often. And then, just this morning, he received word about Kate being here. Isn’t it wonderful?”
The vicar cleared his throat, blocking out Mrs. Tenney’s reply. “At any rate, this seems a divinely appointed time to join this man and woman in holy matrimony.”
Charles and Addie settled in front of him and Mr. Firth took his stand beside Charles. Then he pulled Mrs. Tenney in beside him.
“So if you would please adjust your thoughts to this momentous occasion, we shall begin the ceremony.” The vicar surveyed the evening gathering. “Sometimes, I believe these cozy family weddings are the best.”
Mr. Firth and Charles took off their hats, and Addie beckoned Kate closer. Family weddings ... Remorse stabbed Kate. Why, oh why had she eloped with Alexandre? Aunt Alvina would gladly have given them a beautiful wedding.
When she shook off the cloudy recollection, all the times she and Addie had dreamed of their weddings, the novels they’d read together, hoping for the heroine to marry the hero, flooded Kate. Scarlett O’Hara, Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet and Emma Woodhouse, plus so many more. And now, to be united with her dearest friend again, and even to witness her marry Charles ...
“Into this holy union Charles Tenney and Adelaide Bledsoe now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now; or else forever hold your peace.”
The sanctuary’s shadowy interior, illuminated by a handful of candles due to the blackout, lent an air of intimacy, and tears burned Kate’s eyes again. Good tears, cleansing tears, for this moment of starting over, of embracing the good that life had brought Addie and Charles.
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