by Dan Walsh
“But I can already tell, you will do wonderfully.”
“But I don’t—”
“Miss Bouchard, I have been asking around. Your family is well-respected in the area. And it’s obvious, you have handled our intrusion here today with tact and great poise. Besides, it doesn’t seem you have much choice.” He said this still smiling. “Where would you go? You have no other family in the region, I understand you have a brother who is gone. And what about your poor mother upstairs? What would you do with her? As you said, she is quite unwell.”
Renée knew he was right. She was terrified to know he knew about Philippe. This was all so horrible.
“I’ve been given the responsibility to oversee the Arras area,” Fromm said, “and the surrounding towns and villages. As of this moment, I have chosen your home to serve our Fuhrer’s purpose. My intention is to do my best to get along with the local population and work together during this…difficult time. I am offering you, Miss Renée Bouchard, the chance to stay in your home. You and your mother can both stay, in whatever rooms you choose. I will instruct these rooms to be off limits to my staff. As long as I am here, you will never want for food, drink or clothes. On the contrary, as my hostess, you will have the finest of everything.”
Renée felt cornered. What else could she do? “We have no staff, Colonel. You are aware of this? And the house needs so much work.”
“This is not a problem,” he said. “I have the funds to fully staff this home. You may go into town tomorrow and offer jobs to anyone we will need. Cooks, maids, laundry, handymen…as my hostess, you will be in complete charge of this.”
Renée looked down toward the floor.
“Come, Miss Bouchard. Let us not begin as adversaries. We will be here together for a long time. Who knows, perhaps in time, we may even become friends.” He held out his hand. “Do you accept the position of hostess?”
Renée shook his hand, “I suppose I will.” He held her hand a few seconds too long; she pulled it away gently. She feared in that instant his real intentions may not be to move their relationship from adversaries to friendship, but from hostess to mistress.
She would never allow that to happen.
47
The two German officers left. Renée wasn’t sure whether they’d be back again this evening or tomorrow. She also wasn’t sure what the Colonel’s expectations were for the house staff. He spoke as if she were being given a blank check, to do whatever she pleased. But even after giving the matter just a few moments thought, a dozen questions surfaced. Details, specifics. She really didn’t feel comfortable making all these decisions without speaking to him first.
One thing Fromm did make clear before leaving, his assistant Hartmann would be there first thing in the morning with a truckload of soldiers to move everything they didn’t want into the shed. She instantly disliked him and was at least grateful the Colonel seemed like a more reasonable man, and that he was Hartmann’s superior.
She glanced once around the downstairs, wondering if any of the things she was looking at now would still be in the house after tomorrow. Then she went upstairs to check on Mother.
She rapped gently on the door then entered after her mother said to come in. “Do you need anything?”
“I’m fine for now. A little tired, but that seems to always be true at any time of the day now. Have the men left?”
“For now. Did you hear anything about what was said?” Mother shook her head no. “It’s as we were expecting. They have taken over the house indefinitely. I’m thinking it won’t officially start until tomorrow morning.”
Dread appeared on Mother’s face. “What will become of us?”
Renée walked closer to the bed, leaned against it and took her mother’s hand. “I don’t think things will be as bad as we feared. He said, the colonel in charge that is, that we could both live in the house in whatever rooms we choose and that he would instruct his staff not to disturb us.”
“Really?”
“They also plan to remove most of our furniture, rugs and drapes and replace them with much finer things. But I was able to persuade him not to throw our things away. He’s going to store them in the back shed.”
Mother’s face brightened a little more. “This officer seems much more reasonable than the Germans who have been in this town since they took over. The stories Philippe told me were awful and frightening. I got the impression all Germans are ruthless and cruel. Did you know, they executed six local men the first week they were here? The men hadn’t done anything seriously wrong. They’d just committed small infractions, mostly stemming from things they didn’t understand. Without a trial, or even being given a chance to defend themselves, they were dragged out into the street and shot.”
“I don’t think you have a wrong impression of the Germans, Mother. The Colonel’s assistant certainly seems like a man who would act that way. And Colonel Fromm may be just as bad. But perhaps since he’s here to govern, and since we are already a conquered foe, maybe some things will start to improve.”
“So, what did you have to do to get all those concessions from this man? I can’t imagine he did all these things with no strings attached.”
Renée hesitated before giving her answer. Mother would not approve. “I am to serve as his hostess.”
“What? His hostess? What does that mean?”
“I’m not exactly sure. But he seems to want me to be in charge of all his domestic affairs. He’s given me permission to hire anyone in town I trust to work here and help me get the house running again, everything in tip top shape. Maids, cooks, kitchen staff. The whole bit. So, I’m going to need your help, Mother. You remember how to manage a house staff, from back before father died.”
“But most days I can hardly get out of bed.”
“You won’t need to. I’ll do the work. I just need your advice. A lot of it.” Renée sighed. “I didn’t ask for this assignment. The Colonel asked me, but then, in a roundabout way, made it pretty clear that I really didn’t have a choice. We have nowhere else to go and no means of paying our way. If I do this, we cannot only stay here, but he said everything we need will be fully provided.”
“That sounds… pretty nice to me,” Mother said. “But the look on your face, what are you not telling me?”
“Mother, he knew about Philippe, that he was gone.”
“What? How does he know? Did he say anything? Does he know where he is?”
“I don’t know how he knows. I’m sure the Germans have ways of finding out anything they want. But I don’t think he knows where Philippe is. If they did, wouldn’t they go get him? Do you know where he is? Do you have any idea?”
“No, I don’t. But I’m the one who told him to leave. At first, he didn’t want to. You would have been proud of him, Renée. The way he took care of me. But I knew if they sent him away to Germany, we would probably never see him again.”
Renée wanted to say, if Philippe joined the resistance and they catch him now, he would be shot. How was that better? But she held her peace. “I just hope he doesn’t do anything stupid and wind up getting caught. But let’s don’t talk about this anymore. Are you up for helping me make a list of things I need to do, and the kind of staff I’ll need to make this a functioning manor house once again?”
Mother sat up a little straighter. “I think so. We can make a good start at least.”
“Do you know where I can find a pen and some paper?” Turns out, Mother had both in a little drawer on the nightstand beside her bed. “Okay then,” Renée said, “where do we begin?”
48
Dainville, near Arras, France
1 Month Later
Finally, all the Colonel’s dinner guests had left. Renée had wondered if the last few would ever leave. But they did and even though they had hinted about being allowed to stay in one of the guest rooms for the night, Colonel Fromm hadn’t taken the bait. Instead, he had ordered several junior officers to help the drunken senior officers get to their st
aff cars and see to it that they were safely tucked into their beds at the main hotel in downtown Arras.
Renée walked slowly through the living room, parlor and formal dining room to survey the damage. The staff she had hired to help her with these special events was now running like a well-oiled machine. But they had been working nonstop for the last two days to make this dinner party a success. At least two more hours of work lay ahead just to put everything back the way it was before the guests arrived.
The Colonel came up the front steps, walked through the door into the foyer. “Once again, Renée, the evening was a great success thanks to you. All my guests were greatly impressed by how everything went, from beginning to the end. I was just talking with one of the generals. Do you know what he asked me?”
“No, Colonel. I can’t imagine.”
“When I told him that you were managing not only the entire house staff, but organizing all these dinner parties for me, as well, he asked how could someone as young and beautiful as you also be that competent and intelligent.”
Renée was used to this by now. It was the Colonel’s way of complementing her indirectly. She was well aware of his interest in her. She’d catch him staring at her numerous times during the day when he thought she wasn’t looking. And he regularly hinted at how much he would like their relationship to “grow and mature” into something more satisfying for them both.
When he did this, she would always find a way to change the subject or come up with a task that needed her immediate attention. She could tell it frustrated him but, thankfully so far, nothing more had come of it. It seemed he was intent on winning her affections through charm and patience, wholly unaware that such a pursuit was completely futile.
Her heart still, and only, belonged to Jack. She wondered even now what he was doing at this very moment.
“Renée?”
“I’m sorry, Colonel. Is there something else?”
“I suppose not. I’m tired. I’m sure you are.”
“I am, sir. And so is the staff. With your permission, can I let them go home now? Most still have a long walk home. As we’ve done other times, they will be back in the morning to clean everything up and make everything in the house good as new.”
“I suppose that would be okay.” He walked a few steps up the stairway. “Oh, I almost forgot. That general I just mentioned, he asked if I would schedule a time to have you come to his residence to do an analysis of his house staff. He’d like to see if you can help them make the kind of changes necessary so that things there ran as efficiently as they do here. I told him we could certainly do that.”
“Of course, Colonel. If I can be of any help to him, I am willing. Just let me know when you decide.”
“Very good. Well, good night then, Renée.”
Renée headed back to the kitchen. As soon as she stepped inside, she could tell something was wrong. Everyone seemed tense. She stepped back out into the dining room then through the foyer into the living room, to make sure there was no one else around. Then she returned to the kitchen. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
At first, no one spoke. But everyone’s eyes kept shifting toward the back door.
“What is it? What’s out there?”
Marie, the oldest woman in the kitchen staff gestured with her finger for Renée to come closer. As she did, Marie walked toward the back door. Renée followed. “What is it, Marie? What’s going on?” Marie opened the door. The outdoor light was turned off. Renée reached for the switch.
“No,” Marie said. “Please Ma’am, leave it off. You’ll see why in a moment.” She stepped outside into the darkness with Renée right behind.
There was a sidewalk that ran along the back of the house between the house and the shed. The trash cans were also out here. Behind them, thick woods. “Where are we going? Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see, Ma’am. Just another moment.”
They walked in total darkness. Renée could barely make out Marie’s silhouette. Marie stepped off the sidewalk toward the trees and stopped.
“Are you still here?” she whispered.
“I am.” A man’s voice, coming from the trees. He sounded familiar.
“I brought her,” Marie said quietly. “I brought your sister.”
Philippe? Could it be?
“Renée?”
It was him. The voice was a little deeper, but it was certainly him. “Philippe?” she said quietly. “Where are you?”
“Walk to my voice. Toward the trees.”
Marie stepped out of the way as Renée stepped forward. Instantly, two strong hands gripped her forearms and pulled her forward. A moment later, his arms were wrapped around her, squeezing her tight.
“Renée,” he said, now crying. “I’ve missed you so much.”
49
Renée and Philippe continued to hold each other for several more seconds. She felt the urge to cry also but restrained it, fearing it would make too much commotion. She looked back at Marie, standing in the shadows, and nodded. “Thanks Marie. But you better go back inside. Please tell the staff the Colonel said, as we’ve done several times before, they can leave for the night but be back first thing in the morning to clean up. And thank them all for me for doing such a great job.”
“I will, Ma’am. Don’t stay out here too long.” Marie turned and headed back for the kitchen.
Philippe gently grabbed her wrist. “Follow me. I know the path through these woods. We’ll just go far enough in, so we can talk without fear.” They walked about fifty yards or so and stopped in an area free of branches.
Renée could just make out the back-door light through the trees. “We should be able to talk here, but let’s still keep whispering. Guards patrol the house all night long.”
“Do they ever come into the woods?”
“No. We should be fine, if we don’t make any noise.”
“How have you been? How’s Mother? I am so sorry I had to—”
“You don’t need to apologize. I agree with what you did. Neither of us wanted you to be taken to Germany. But what are you doing now? Where are you staying?”
“We never stay at the same place very long.”
“Who is we?” she asked.
“I’m not on my own. A resistance group is forming in this area. Well, it’s pretty well formed already. Similar groups are forming all over northern France.”
“So you’re sleeping, what, outside? What are you doing for food? Are you getting enough to eat?”
“I’m fine, Renée. Really. Look at me. I may have even gained some weight. Only our younger members are hiding all the time. If we are seen, they will arrest us and send us away. Many in our group are living their normal lives, helping us in secret. They’re bringing us food and water, blankets and other things. Really, we’re fine.”
“But Philippe, if you’re part of the resistance and you are caught, they won’t just arrest you and send you away. You’ll be shot.”
“That may be true, but what choice do I have? Become their slave? I would rather die than do that. At least with this, I have a chance to do some good. A chance to do my part.”
Renée sighed. There really wasn’t anything else to say. “Please be careful, Philippe.”
“Always. None of us want to get caught, either. So, how was England? How is Elliot?”
“England was fine. Other than missing you and Mother, I was enjoying my time. Until the German planes started attacking. Then it became very bad. London was being bombed every night. Probably still is.”
“Did any bombs go off near you?”
“Many times. Buildings and homes all around where I lived and worked were destroyed. Hundreds of people have been killed. I told Jack in my letter that I would actually be safer here than in London.”
“Who’s Jack? Isn’t Elliot with you anymore?”
“Jack is Elliot’s twin brother. He’s an RAF pilot, and an American.”
“An American? How is that possible?�
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“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it another time. But I wound up spending more time with Jack than Elliot. Elliot’s duties kept us apart most of the time.”
“Speaking of duties,” Philippe said, “I am forgetting mine. The real reason I’ve come here tonight. Well, of course, I wanted to see you and hear about Mother. But there’s another reason I’m here. Our group knows all about what’s happened here with our house. About the Colonel taking over and using it for his headquarters, as well as all these dinner parties like tonight.”
“How long have you been out here watching the house?”
“I came as soon as it was dark enough to move without being seen. The point is, Renée. We know you’ve been forced to serve this man. I made sure everyone knows you are not a willing collaborator. But as we talked about it, we realized, you being here like this can actually serve to our advantage.”
“You’re advantage? How?”
“Like tonight, I must’ve counted four or five high-level German officers leaving the house. I’m sure with you being there every day, you see and hear things, valuable things that will help us know what the Germans are up to.”
Renée felt a wave of fear. Now she understood. “Philippe, you’re asking me to be a spy?”
“Not officially. You don’t have to snoop around or dig up any secrets. No one wants you to put your life in danger. We’re just talking about the casual things you hear and see every day. I will come by every so often, like tonight, and give word to Marie that I am in the woods. And whenever you think it is safe, you can come out and fill me in. What harm is there in doing something like that?”
Renée didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t expecting something like this. “You’re right, Philippe. I do hear them speaking about things from time to time, but I can’t see how any of the things I hear could benefit your group. You’re not an army. How many of you are there?”