Wanderlust (1986)

by Steel, Danielle

  Why don't we interview him? she suggested over dinner and Charlie looked horrified.

  Are you crazy? What if they find us out?

  Find out what? We're Americans. You're a journalist, I'm a photographer. All we can do is ask ' . Her eyes danced. And wouldn't that be something, Charlie? She was enjoying herself now, and his dinner sank to the pit of his stomach like a rock as he thought of it. She was clearly out of her mind.

  Listen, you're getting carried away ' . But as he thought of it, he knew she was right. As long as they were there ' and perhaps they could find out something more that way ' . They talked about it over coffee, and planned it that night. They would go back to his hotel the next day, and leave a note requesting an interview with him. And then they'd wait. Audrey could feel her heart pound in her chest the next morning as they went to the hotel and dropped off the note she and Charlie had composed. They knew that the letter would go through the hands of several aides before reaching him, and it said nothing more than that they were two American journalists in Tripoli and would be honored by an interview with General Rommel.

  The man they handed the letter to asked them to come back at four o'clock that day for a response, and they were met by a pair of inquiring blue German eyes when they did, and they were summarily appraised by a young aide who asked them if they'd met the General before.

  No, we haven't. Audrey smiled innocently at him. But we'd like to. We publish in several American newspapers and magazines, and I know the American public will be fascinated by the head of the new Afrikan Korps. She smiled sweetly at him, and it was obvious that he thought she was terribly stupid.

  We will give you an answer tomorrow at ten o'clock, fraulein. And he gave Charlie a curt nod, as the two walked away casually, chatting about nothing in particular until they got outside, when Audrey turned to him and said in a soft voice, You think they're on to us?

  He shook his head. I doubt it. He kept the tone of his voice down, and they said little on the way back to their own hotel. They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the streets of Tripoli, as Audrey got whistled at by the Italians. It was exhausting just being there, feeling the strain of being there under false pretenses, and Charlie was afraid they had been overly ambitious with her plot to interview Rommel. They knew all they needed now. They didn't have to go back with more, and he didn't want to delay too long, or the information would have diminished value to the British. What do you want to do tonight? He glanced at her as they stood at the port and she smiled up at him.

  Pray.

  He smiled at her and they went back to their hotel and ate dinner there, they went to bed early, and were back at the hotel at ten o'clock sharp the next morning. The same aide eyed them suspiciously as they stepped up to the desk, and Audrey felt her heart pound again as he handed Charlie a sealed note, which Charlie tore open halfway across the lobby. The note gave only the name of the hotel they had just come to and the inscription 13:00. He looked at Audrey in amazement.

  My God, we did it! He didn't let his face show the excitement he felt and he whispered the words to her as he led the way to the bar; even though it was only shortly after ten in the morning. He ordered two beers, and passed her the single slip of paper. The words had been typed, and he wondered what they would do now. He had a notebook on him for the interview, and Audrey always carried all her cameras with her to be sure that she was prepared, and also to ensure that they weren't stolen.

  What'll we do until one? She was as nervous as a bride on the morning of her wedding, and the next three hours flew by as they walked along and discussed what they wanted to ask General Rommel. But nothing had prepared them for the man when they finally met him. The rooms he had taken over as his headquarters were as lavish as the rest of the hotel, but he had had at least some of the frills removed and when he walked into the room where Charlie and Audrey waited, they were immediately struck by how important he looked. Even if he were standing stark naked anywhere in the world, one would have known that this was a man of importance, just from his bearing. He had intense, bright blue eyes, and a surprisingly warm smile, and he seemed extremely pleased to see them. He spoke highly of their president and said that he had been to America before the war, although he was too busy to go anywhere now. He looked faintly amused at the mild joke, and Audrey noticed a photograph of a plain woman on a desk nearby, and he instantly saw her eyes roam to the picture.

  This is my wife, Lucy. And from the way he said it, it was clear that he adored her. It was amazing to think that they had actually gotten an audience with the man. Only by asking, they had been granted an interview with General Rommel, by pretending to be American journalists. Charlie still couldn't get over how easy it had been, and Audrey was shocked by how easy he was to talk to. He spoke of Germany before the war, of the F++hrer in loving tones that fell just short of the golden tones he had used to describe his wife. And as he spoke and Charlie took rapid notes, it was obvious how deeply entrenched he was in the military. He said that he loved to fly, and he was very interested in the little he had seen of Africa. He made a point of telling Charlie that the Afrika Korps was going to be an extraordinary arm of the army. And then, almost as he said the words he held a hand out for Audrey's camera. She was startled by the gesture and handed it to him, hoping that there was nothing on it to give her away, but they had checked each other over closely before they left Cairo, and she thought they were okay. No telltale matchbooks or bits of paper with the name of their hotel, or room keys, or God forbid, Charlie's British passport, which he had hidden at the hotel in Cairo, taped to the underside of the rug beneath the bureau.

  And now Audrey watched him as he meticulously went over her camera. Is something wrong? That deafening heartbeat again, but his eyes met hers with a smile and a nod of approval.

  I have the same one. Only I use a different lens. Here, he sprang to his feet, I show you. And with two quick strides across the room, he pulled open a drawer and extracted three cameras identical to hers, each one with subtly different lenses, and she was interested in the way he used them. They chatted for several minutes about his lenses and her own, the reasons why he used each one, and why he had the different cameras. He was apparently extremely fond of taking pictures, and he was in no way disturbed when she took photographs of him as Charlie concluded the interview. In the end, they had spent almost two hours with him, and he shook their hands warmly as they thanked him and prepared to leave. You will hear great things of the Afrika Korps, my friends.

  I'm sure we will, Audrey smiled graciously at him, and it was not entirely insincere. She found that she had to remind herself on the way out of the hotel that these were the people who had murdered Karl Rosen. And she looked at Charlie as they walked back to their hotel, still drunk on their own success. I hate to say it, but I like him.

  So do I. He was still startled by how direct the man was. He had of course not said anything direct about what his plans for the Afrika Korps were but he had been very chatty about everything else they asked him about, and it would have been impossible, based on the interview, to hate him. The things that remained clearest about him were that he adored his wife, the army, and his cameras, and very probably in that order. He was the consummate military man in every way, and Charlie found himself wondering if the British would be a match for him. He was beginning to fear that they wouldn't.

  They went back to their hotel, packed the few things they had with them, paid, and left, catching a ride to the port. Charlie had decided that it was too dangerous to try and get back to Cairo by the inland route, and he wanted to see if there were any small boats for hire in the port. It took them hours of chatting with the captains of various small vessels but they finally discovered one who would take them as far as Alexandria for an enormous price, and they set out with the tide at sunset, as Charlie looked down at her almost breathlessly and put an arm around her shoulders. He was praying that Rommel hadn't had them followed. But even if he had, there was nothing so shocking
about their going on to Egypt from there. They were Americans, after all, in search of interesting war stories. He had even praised them for their courage, especially Audrey, so far from home. he had said, and in such a dangerous place for an attractive young woman. But there had been nothing lecherous in his face. And his eyes lit up every time he mentioned his beloved Lucy. He was a decent, straightforward man and Audrey was sorry they were on opposite sides of the war. She had also heard that his men respected him intensely. He was the kind of commanding officer who got right down and fought with his men. And everyone said he was bringing hundreds of tanks to North Africa.

  It took them three days to make the trip this time, and in Alexandria they commandeered a jeep to take them back to Cairo, and when they saw Shepheard's Hotel again at last, it looked like a mirage in the desert. Audrey let out a squeal of glee as they arrived and she threw her arms around Charlie's neck with a gale of nervous laughter.

  We did it! We did it! He told her to keep her voice down, but he was just as ecstatic as she, and he took her with him to see General Wavell an hour later. They only took long enough to shower and change their clothes and Charlie rescued his passport from its hiding place under the rug. It all seemed like a dream now. It was difficult to believe that they had actually interviewed General Rommel.

  They drove to the Gezira, a sporting club where Wavell had played golf all afternoon, and he was obviously pleased to see Charles arrive, though a little startled to see Audrey, and Charlie was direct with him about her having gone to Tripoli with him. Waveirs face grew red as he listened, and he looked less than pleased with Charles, until she quietly handed him two rolls of film, and looked into his eyes.

  I think you'll be pleased with these, sir. He looked at her and then back at Charles.

  I didn't realize you two worked as a team, Parker-Scott. Charlie was about to say, Neither did I, but didn't think the general would be amused by it. They had followed him into a private room where he locked the door and turned to face them. You are very fortunate to have come out alive. He looked reproachfully at Charles. They could have held the girl hostage, you know, if they had reason to doubt your story. Charlie would have gladly strangled her at that moment but he only nodded contritely at General Wavell.

  We got the information, sir.

  You could have cut the silence in the tiny room with a knife as he looked at them. Well?

  General Rommel.

  A long, slow smile dawned over the general's face as he looked at Charles. Well, I'll be damned. And then his eyes narrowed. You saw him yourself? You're sure it was he?

  Audrey smiled and looked away. She could hardly wait until he saw the pictures. But Charlie was speaking to the General now. Yes, sir. And then, barely able to repress his own smile, We interviewed him, sir.

  You what?

  He took a quick breath and attempted to explain as quickly as he could. It was actually Miss Driscoll's idea. We posed as American journalists and interviewed him at his hotel.

  The general stared at them and then sat down in a chair, clutching the two rolls of film in his hand now, as though they might fly away. And these are photographs you took of Rommel during that interview? He couldn't believe these two daredevils standing before him. They were obviously quite mad, but he was pleased that they were.

  Charlie gave Audrey the credit she deserved. Actually, Miss Driscoll took the photographs, sir. I did the interview.

  Did you take notes?

  Yes, sir. General Wavell beamed at them and pumped first Charles's and then Audrey's hand. You two are absolutely extraordinary. He stared at them once more and then assured them that they would be hearing from him shortly. And in any case he wanted to see them both in his office at eight o'clock the next day. He wanted to see Charlie's notes, although Charlie warned him that Rommel had never shown his hand or said what his intentions were with his new Afrika Korps. But Wavell and his aides wanted all the details now, and they would develop the films that night. He shook their hands once more before he hurriedly left the club, and invited Audrey and Charles to stay on for drinks if they wanted to, but it was a little too sedate for them. They were happy to get back to Shepheard's and see their friends comfortably ensconced in the big wicker chairs on the terrace.

  Chapter 41

  The British learned from other contacts in Tripoli in the next few weeks that exactly one month to the day after arriving in Tripoli, General Rommel reviewed his troops. And he showed off his beloved new Afrika Korps to those standing by, in fact, much to the amusement of the British contacts, he showed it off several times. He used a canny trick to confuse anyone selling information to their enemies. He had many of the tanks go through the parade again and again, and it was only because of broken treads on two of the tanks that anyone had caught on to it. It was a brilliant trick for him to have used, and all observers were suitably impressed of course. He was a sly, brilliant man, and the British had a profound respect for him, and for Audrey and Charlie now that they had succeeded so well at their task of discovering who he was. The photographs Audrey had taken of him had been blown up and passed around and they were some of the finest that had ever been taken of any of the German High Command. General Wavell had teased her about them more than once.

  Pity you can't send them to his wife, you know. They're awfully nice ' she'd be very happy with them ' . But Audrey was too. They showed him as what he was, a thoughtful, intelligent, extremely skilled, perceptive, and probably decent man. She never thought she would say that about any of Hitler's men, and yet she had liked Rommel from the moment they'd met him.

  Twelve days after he reviewed his troops in Tripoli, Rommel began moving them east and attacked Al-Agheila, on the coast, using tanks, and the British withdrew thirty miles to the northeast. It was Rommel's first victory, and he had used both of his favorite tools on the enemy. He favored both speed and surprise. He had also flown above the battle in its initial stages to get a better perspective of things, and by noon he was fighting with his troops in a tank of his own. The battle was won by the end of the afternoon. And by April 10, the British had been forced back all the way to Tobruk, where they dug their heels in. They refused to give up Tobruk and said they wouldn't no matter what. And from Cairo, Charlie and Audrey listened to the tales they heard, and began to worry that Rommel would prevail there. He was a powerful soldier in many ways, and they had been deeply impressed by him. It was frightening to think of him advancing on them now. And the legends that surrounded him grew greater each day. He wore a British officer's desert goggles, spoils he had plucked off the ground following a successful battle, and flew his own plane constantly to get a better feel of the land. He fought side by side with his men, in tanks and on foot, as well as in the air. He seemed to be everywhere from what the returning soldiers said, and it was obvious now that the Afrika Korps was a force to be reckoned with, and new or not, it was clearly made up of some of their very best soldiers.

  The battles with Rommel seemed to rage on for months, while the British attempted to hold on to Tobruk and Rommel fought them for it, and Charles even went there once, snuck in by jeep late one night with a small force sent by General Wavell. Everyone was being extremely careful now. They covered any tracks they made in the desert sand, and even took their windshields out so there could be no reflection on the windscreen. They were learning some of their tricks from Rommel himself, who seemed to know them all. And Charlie was shocked at how bitter the battle was, how many men were lost and how hopeless it seemed at times. But the British would not give in to Rommel.

  Worse, the weather was no longer on their side. The gentle winter months had passed and now the rains made it difficult for tanks to maneuver; then the brutal dust storms of the dry months had sprung up, with walls of fine sand that got into everything, blinding everyone, British and German alike, until one choked with the misery of it. The sandstorms were so powerful that they pushed military trucks over on their sides. Helmets were abandoned and heads were wrapped inst
ead, water became even more precious than before, and everywhere there were biting black flies. Once away from the luxuries of Cairo itself, the battlefield was a miserable place, with soldiers getting lost in the desert storms and dying as they wandered aimlessly, or starved to death in tanks. In fact, in early April, six British generals, staggering in the clouds of dust, had wandered inadvertently into a German camp and were taken prisoner.

  Rommel and the Afrika Korps got to within sixty miles of Alexandria, and he was flying in spotter planes all the time now, but the British held fast in Tobruk, and Charlie was grateful to get back to Cairo at last, and find Audrey waiting for him, relieved that he was all right. She flew into his arms as he came up the steps of the hotel. She had been sitting on the terrace, as usual, with friends, and passing the time while she waited for news of him, and suddenly there he was and she was laughing and crying and kissing his eyes and his cheeks and his beard as he spun her around in his arms.

  Crazy girl, what've you been up to since I've been gone?

  Just waiting for you, my love. She smiled into the eyes she loved so much. I was worried sick.

  I'm invincible, my love, like the British fleet. But there had been reports recently that that wasn't entirely true either. U-boats were taking a high toll of British ships and she looked worriedly at Charlie.

  I was worried about you every minute you were gone.

  That's a terrible waste of time, Aud. She followed him inside and they went upstairs to their room. We've survived everything else that's happened to us, we'll survive this. And think how lucky we are, we're here together, old girl, not like poor Vi who hardly ever sees James anymore.

  I know ' but I like it better when the most dangerous thing you do all day is order a double whiskey and soda at five o'clock on the terrace. She smiled and he laughed at her, and with a sweep of his powerful arms he tossed her into bed, and they never went downstairs again that night. They lay together in the comfortable bed, and he told her what Tobruk had been like, and they talked and made love and dozed until the dawn when he got up and showered, and came back to the room to look down at her sleeping form, like an angel who had fallen from the carved ceiling into his bed, and he thought about how lucky they were ' and how lucky he was ' and then he quietly got back into bed and ran a hand over her flesh again. It did something to him just being in the same room with her, and she smiled as she stirred and opened one eye to look sleepily at him.