He decided he would have to do that. If Ann knew, it would get back to Sarah.
The way to handle the situation was to tell Canidy and Agnes the truth.
He would tell Agnes that he was deeply ashamed, that he had been, as she knew, under terrible strain. He would tell her there was no excuse for what he had done, but that it would not happen again.
And he would tell Canidy much the same thing. That he was deeply ashamed, not of gewing laid especially, but of taking advantage of an enlisted person. It was a violation of the off ficer's code that he had not thought himself capable o The bar was now jammed with shoulder-to-shoulder drinkers, and it took them several minutes to find Canidy and the others.
Canidy was half in the bag, with one arm around Agnes's shoulders and the other around a rotund English private whom he introduced to Ed Bitter as a Hollywood ballet master with a Russian name.
There was an English major at the table who wasn't feeling any pain either. And Fulmar, resplendent in pinks and greens and glossy parachute boots and wearing the Silver Star. And Fine, also a liale tight, which surprised Biter.
"Agnes, "Ann said, "that man with his arm around your shoulders belongs to me.
"I have more than enough to go around," Canidy said grandly.
"That was before me, "Ann purred. "Out of there, Agnes. You can sit with my cousin the hero." Agnes didn't look at him as she came around the table and a chair was found for her.
"Excuse me, Major," Bitter said, "haven't we met?"
"Possibly," Major Niven said. "Congratulations on your DFC.
Dick's been telling us about it."
"You ever go to a bar in New York called the 2I' Club, Eddie?" Canidy asked. "Dave was just telling us he used to work there." "Yes," Bitter said. "As a matter of fact, I have. My father goes there all the time. The place that used to be a speakeasy?"
"Right," Major Niven said. "On West Fifty-second Street."
"Then that must be it," Biter said.
"Ed, "Ann said, "you can be such an ass. This is David Niven, the actor." He felt his face flush as he saw in Canidy's delighted grin that he had been had.
"Dick's no better, "Agnes said loyally. "He thought he was from SOE and walked over and greeted him like a long-lost brother."
"I'll get you for that, Lady Agnes," Canidy said.
Biter found himself looking into Agnes's face.
"What's that about? What's he up to now?" She shrugged but said nothing. And then their knees brushed. And then a moment later their hands found each other under the table. As her fingers curled with his, he felt his heart jump.
"And what brings you to London, Major Niven?" Biter asked.
Canidy laughed out loud and hard.
"Lend-lease elocution lessons," the English private said.
At about eight they all crowded into the Packard, and Agnes drove them across town to a black-market restaurant she had heard about from the other limousine drivers. Canidy and Niven talked their way in.
The food was neither good nor plentiful, but it was expensive.
Meanwhile, under the table, Agnes slipped her foot out of her shoe and ran her toes over Bitter's ankle.
As they were having a fourth boule of wine to go with the Stilton cheese, a microphone was turned on in Broadcast House. At the third of thirty messages, an announcer with impeccable diction solemnly proclaimed, "Bubchen would like to paddle Gisella's canoe again.
Bubchen would like to paddle Gisella's canoe again." Xl [01118] Marburgasd-rlahs, -reasy 1 January 1943 Hauptsturmfuhrer Wilhelm Peis stood at rigid attention and extended his right arm from the shoulder at a forty-five-degree angle.
"Heil Hitler!" he barked.
Standarten fuhrer SS-SD Johann Muller casually raised his right arm from the elbow and let it drop.
"Wie gext's, Wilhelm?" he asked.
Muller's manner of returning the now-required straight-armed Nazi salute--or, more accurately, of not returning it--was intentional, an affectation that he had learned from Helmut von Heurten-Mitnitz.
They had been having lunch, as they did at least twice a week, in-the Adlon Hotel, and they had to wait for a table because of tn official luncheon.
A steady procession of military, security service, and party dignitaries came into the lobby and exchanged greetings.
Helmut von Heurten-Mitnitz leaned forward and spoke softly.
"You will notice, Johnny," he said dryly, "that, with a few exceptions, the crispness of the salute is in inverse proportion to the importance of the saluter." Muller laughed. Von Heurten-Mitnitz had put into words what he had himself noticed, especially that the whole salute and "Heil" business had become mandatory. Young officers--and especially young SS officers--and zealous Party officials came to attention and saluted so crisply they almost quivered.
Senior officers, both military and Party, were almost to a man far more sloppy. As often as not they' for got" the
"Heil, Hitler," or said it in a mumble.
It was as if they were saying, "That liale dance is of course necessary for you underlings, but certainly not for someone like myself, of unquestioned loyalty and importance." Muller then rose to his feet. "I am going to piss," he said, giving a very sloppy Nazi greeting to von Heurten-Mitnitz. "Heil Hitler, Herr Minister."
"Heil Hitler, Herr Standartenfuhrer, "von Heurten-Mitnitz replied, returning an even more casual salute.
And as he walked across the marble-floored lobby of the Adlon to the men's room, two Gestapo agents and an SS-SD Sturmbannfuhrer, standing in conversation by one of the tall marble columns, recognized him and gave the Nazi salute in a manner that would have pleased Adolf Hitler himself.
And they smiled with pleasure when he returned it with a casual movement of his lower arm and said, "Was 1st los? instead of' Heil Hitler." Now Muller thought of that incident in the Adlon. And thought again that he had learned a good deal from the Pomeranian aristocrat since he had come to know him. Helmut von Heurten-Mitnitz was a very smart fellow.
He hoped von Heurten-Mitnitz was smart enough to keep them from being caught, doing what they were now doing.
"I'm doing fine, Herr Standartenfuhreg" Peis said. "And may I say that it is a pleasure to see you so soon again?"
"I had a very good time on New Year's Eve, Wilhelm," Muller said.
"A very good time."
"I'm glad," Peis said, then added, "I thought you might like her."
"And they've given me a new car, and I thought I should take it for a run and see how it handles, and here I am, Wilhelm."
"A new car, Herr Standartenfuhrer?" Muller motioned him to the window and pointed out the Opel Admiral.
"Very nice," Peis said. "You must have a friend in the transport office, Herr Standartenfuhrer. A good friend."
"You know how it goes, Wilhelm," Muller said, one hand washes the other." Peis nodded understanding.
"First things first," Muller said. "I for got to apply for gasoline coupons.
You know how it is."
"No problem whatsoever, Herr Standartenfuhrer," Peis said. "We'll fill it up here, and then I'll give you whatever ration coupons you require." "Very good of you, Peis," Muller said.
"I will be in your debt."
"Not at all, Herr Standartenfuhrer. My pleasure."
"And, since I am here, I thought, I might telephone Fraulein Dyer and ask if she's free. If she is, perhaps you and your lady friend--any one of your many extraordinarily lovely lady friends--might wish to have dinner with me?"
"I would be delighted," Peis said. "If you would permit me, Herr Standartenfuhrer, I would be happy to telephone the lady and make the arrangements. And I presume you would like to stay at the Kurhotel again?"
"What I thought I would do, Wilhelm," Muller said, ais visit my mother this afternoon, and then we could meet for drinks at half past six at the Kurhotel?"
"Consider it done, Herr Standartenfuhrer," Peis said. "And if I may make the suggestion, why don't I turn my car over to you this afternoon?
Then I could have the Admiral serviced and fueled, awaiting you at the Kurhotel."
"I am really getting deeply into your debt, Wilhelm," Muller said.
"Not at all, Herr Standartenfuhrer."
"I was thinking, Wilhelm, of giving the lady a little present," Muller said.
"Do you think there would be something, a small porcelain perhaps, or a painting, something like that, in protective custody? "I will pick it out myself," Peis said. "And have it delivered this afternoon."
"If it would be all right, I'd rather pick something out myself," Muller said. "Could that be arranged? will "Of course, Herr Standartenfuhrer," Peis replied. "We could go to the warehouse directly, if you wish. XX "It's been a long drive from Berlin, Wilhelm," Muller said. "Why don't we go for a drink now to cut the dust, and then have a second to give me the courage to face my mother, and then go to the warehouse?" TWO] 21 Burgw-g, Ilearburg an der Lahn 1715 Hours IS January 1943 "Guten Tag, Wilhelm," Gisella Dyer said when she opened the door to Peis's impatient knock. "What can I do for you? | There was an arrogance in her tone that he didn't like. He wondered if providing her to Muller had been such a good idea after all. Muller was obviously taken with her. That could become awkward, even dangerous.
"For one thing," he said coldly, reminding her of her position, "you can remember to call me by my rank when there are others around. "Sorry, she said, but there was more amusement than concern in her voice. She looked over his shoulder down the stairway, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.
Two Kreis Marburg policemen, one of them an old man, were grunting under the load of a large object as they manhandled it up the stairs.
"Whatxs this, Herr Hauptsturmfuhrer? us Gisella asked.
He ignored the question.
"I have been looking for you for hours," he said.
"I was at the university," she said.
"Not in the library," he said.
"I was in Professor Abschidtxs office, cataloguing," she said.
"You should leave word where you are," he said.
The two policemen now had the blanket-wrapped object on the landing.
The old policeman, wheezing, supported himself on it.
"May I come in?" Peis asked.
Gisella stepped out of the way. He marched into the apartment and peered into each of the rooms as if making up his mind about something.
He concluded that discretion dictated that the radio not be put in the sitting room, although that was the obvious place for it, but in Gisella's bedroom.
In the warehouse, Standartenfuhrer Muller had been like an old maid.
He had spent thirty minutes rejecting one thing after another asanot being quite right for Gisella." Peis had no idea what Gisella had done to the old fart, but whatever it was, he liked it. Muller was behaving like a schoolboy in love.
Muller had finally settled on an enormous, floor-model, Fulmar Elektrische Gesellschaft (FEG) combination radio, phonograph, and bar.
It had been the personal household property of the Jew who before his relocation had been the FEG dealer for Marburg. It came with two cardboard cartons of phonograph records, and a smaller cardboard carton that held the glasses and bottles--genuine Bohemian crystal--for the concealed bar.
Peis was not at all pleased with Muller's final choice. For one thing, he had had to go to the trouble of getting a truck and two policemen from the Kreis police station to bring it to Burgweg. For another, something was wrong with the phonograph, and he had to assure Muller that it would be his pleasure to have that repaired. And the radio was capable of listening to the BBC.
Once she learned that the radio had come from Mulleg Gisella would feel free to listen to the Bsc, which meant that she would be reported for listening to the BBC, which meant that he would have to have a word with Hauptscharfuhrer (Sergeant Major) Ullberg, who handled such things, to stop him from going further with it.
There was a straight-backed chair and a small table against the wall of Gisell'xs bedroom.
"Find some other place for the chair and the table," he ordered.
"Put them in another room."
"Are you going to tell me why?" she asked.
"Do what I tell you, if you don st mind, he said, but tempered the curtness with a smile. The thought had just flashed through him that Gisella might tell Muller how he was treating her. As smitten with the bitch as Muller was, that could mean trouble for him.
When she carried the chair from her bedroom, Peis picked up the table and followed her.
"Just put it down anywhere," Gisella said. , , I'll decide where to put it later. , He set the table down, went to the door, and motioned for the policemen to pick up the FEG combination bar, phonograph, and radio. It just barely cleared the door, and it was necessary to move Gisella's bed out of the way before they could get the radio up against the wall.
"That will be all, thank you," Peis said to the policemen. "Don't forget to take the blanket with you."
"And the boxes in the truck, Herr Hauptsturmfuhrer? What do we do with those? v "You bring them up here, of course," he snapped.
When they had gone, Gisella said, "Very nice. Whose is it?"
"It is a small gift, a token of respect from Standartenfuhrer Muller," Peis said. "He hopes you are free to spend the evening with him."
"Just the evening? Or dinner, too?" Gisella asked, artificially innocent.
"Listen to me, you dumb bitch," Peis snapped. , , The Standartenfuhrer is a very important man. He can be very useful as a friend." "To both of us," she said.
"And very dangerous if displeased. And if he is displeased, I will be displeased." "What time?" Gisella asked.
"I will be back here at quarter after six," he said. We are to join the Standartenfuhrer at half past six. we? XX , it will be a small party," he said. And then he added, ii want you to think it over, and consider why it is important for the Standartenfuhrer to have a good time." "I will," she said.
"Be outside at six-fifteen, he said. , si will be driving the Standartenfuhrer's personal car." He paused, and then added, to prove how important that Standartenfuhrer was, , , An Opel Admiral. ss "An Admiral? va Gisella asked. The Standartenfuhrer must be an important man. The only other Admiral Fve seen in Marburg is the Gauleiter's."
"You should consider yourself fortunate, Lielvchen," Peis said, "to have attracted such a man."
"I attracted you," she said, smiling sweetly. , , Why not a Standartenfuhrer? vx [THREE] Headquarter-, Eighth United Staten Sir Force High Wycosbe 15 January 1943 It. Colonel Edmund T. Stevens was waiting for Canidy just inside the front door of the former girls' school.
"You and I are being honored," Stevens said dryly. "We are to share a VIP suite.
I hadn't planned to stay over," Canidy said. iii can't stay over. I have things to do. 4"Neither had I, Stevens said. "That wasn t mentioned. I'll have to buy underwear and a shirt and shaving things in the PX. XX
"Fuck em," Canidy said. Let's just claim the press of other duties.
"' "We can't do that, Dick," Stevens said. , We can't let them win this one by default. If we donxt nonconcug then, by default, we concur. You know how the system worksl' "Oh, goddamn the Air Corps!" Canidy fumed. It earned him a strange look from an Air Corps major across the foyer.
What Canidy had thought would be a meeting lasting no more than three or four hours had turned out to be a full day (a twelve-hour full day), plus five hours of the following day, sitting on a hard-bottomed uncomfortable chair.
By then, there was a foul taste in his mouth from all the coffee, and his ass was sore not only from all the sitting but also from a rash on the soft skin of his inner thighs. There was apparently something in his new PX shorts that his skin didnxt like. His upper thighs felt like they were on fire. And when the fire let up, they itched.
He hadnxt wanted to participate in the meeting at all, correctly suspecting the worst, and had argued futilely when Stevens had is asked3 him to meet him at High Wycombe at 0800, "Bedell Smith told D
avid Bruce, 72 Stevens said, , , that it was important for us to send' someone senior'--by that he meant David--together with our best technical people. "' "Doesn't that leave me out?" Canidy replied, even though he suspected that he was going to have to go, period.
"Richard," Stevens said patiently, "there is always a point beyond which resistance is futile. Eight-thirty at High Wycombe. What they call the properly appointed place, at the prescribed time, in the proper uniform. And with that in mind, wear your ribbons." As Canidy had suspected, the purpose of the meeting was to "persuade" the OSS and Naval Intelligence to agree that' after evaluating new intelligence data," it had been concluded that earlier worries over the effect of German jet aircraft on the strategic bombing of the European landmass had been "overstated" and now posed little threat.
W E B Griffin - Men at War 3 - The Soldier Spies Page 31