Night Falls on Norway

by CW Browning

  “I can only imagine.” Nicolas lifted the cover to the keys and pressed one absently, and then another, picking out a random tune. “It was a shock when he died. We were all completely stunned.”

  “So were we,” she said dryly.

  “Couldn’t have happened at a worse time, could it?” he asked. “I mean, not that any time is a good time to lose your father, but with the war just starting and everything getting thrown up into chaos, it seemed a bit much at the time. At least Tante Madeleine has Agatha with her now to help her through it all.”

  “I’m happy she’s not alone,” Evelyn agreed. “And I know Robbie is too. He was worried about her.”

  “How is he? Still flying Spitfires?”

  “Oh yes.”

  Nicolas was silent for a moment, playing the piano half-heartedly with one hand, then he got up restlessly.

  “What do you think of this whole business?” he asked, glancing at her. “With the war, I mean. Do you think it will get started now that winter’s over?”

  She watched as he crossed the room to a side table and opened a sturdy wooden box. He pulled out a cigarette and held it up questioningly. She nodded and he pulled out a second one, walking over to hand it to her.

  “I think it’s bound to, don’t you?” she asked as he held out his lighter for her.

  “I suppose so.” He lifted the lighter to his own cigarette as she sat back on the love seat, blowing smoke up into the air. “Everyone’s saying the Nazis won’t make it past the Maginot.”

  Evelyn looked up at the tone in his voice. She raised an eyebrow and studied her cousin’s face.

  “You don’t agree?”

  He shook his head and tucked his lighter back into his pocket.

  “No.” He turned to retrieve a crystal ashtray from the table and carried it over to set it on the small, round table near her elbow. “Zell does. She thinks this will all be over by summer. She listens to Marc Fournier and his crowd. They’re idiots.”

  Evelyn laughed. “They’re amusing idiots, though.”

  He flashed a grin. “Yes. And Marc still asks about you. You’ll have to see him before you go back to England. I’ll never hear the end of it if you don’t.”

  “I think Gisele already arranged something for later in the week. Don’t worry.” Evelyn tilted her head looked at him thoughtfully. “What do you think will happen? Do you think the Germans will try to invade France?”

  She knew that Hitler had every intention of invading France. The documents recovered in Belgium in January proved it, along with scores of other intelligence pouring in from around the continent. But she couldn’t tell Nicolas any of that. All she could do was pretend to speculate with everyone else, and keep her thoughts to herself.

  “Of course they will, and they won’t go through the Maginot.” Nicolas shook his head. “If they have any sense, they’ll come through Belgium. The fortifications were never completed there.”

  “I’m sure both our governments have made defensive plans for that.”

  Nicolas made a rude noise and began pacing. “I don’t have very much faith in Daladier. He’s a fool,” he muttered. “There’s an uproar right now because he didn’t do anything to help Finland and now it looks like they’re going to fall to the Soviets. He says there is no immediate threat of invasion. Ha! Hitler will come for France. He has no choice.”

  Nicolas stopped pacing and faced her, pointing his cigarette at her to emphasize his point.

  “And when he does, it will be nothing like the last war.”

  He was right, of course. Hitler had been in the front lines when Germany and France collided in the Great War. He wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes his predecessors had made.

  “You’ve given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?” she asked. “I didn’t know you were interested in any of it.”

  “We all have to be interested now, don’t we?” He resumed pacing. “We can’t just sit and wait for the war to come to Paris.”

  Her lips tightened and she thought of the address in Metz that Bill had given her the night before. She would drive out and meet with Josephine tomorrow because, as Nicolas so aptly said, they couldn’t just sit and wait.

  “I don’t think you have to worry about the war coming to Paris,” she said calmly, inwardly wincing at her own words. “The combined forces of the British Expeditionary Force and your army will stop the Wehrmacht from getting this far in.”

  “Will it?” Nicolas stopped again and glanced at her. “I don’t know.”

  Evelyn studied him from under her lashes, surprised. Her cousin had changed since she’d seen him last August. He’d grown more serious and, as was evidenced by this very conversation, more concerned with the very real threat Herr Hitler posed to France. This set him apart from the majority of his acquaintances now, as she well knew. While it was only natural for the people of Paris to be nervous, most of them were quite happy to trust their government and army to protect them. If the government said there was no immediate threat, then there must not be.

  “I’ll tell you this much,” he said. “If the Germans make it past our initial defenses, France will be lost.”

  “And if that happens?” she asked, stubbing out her cigarette in the ashtray beside her.

  “I don’t know.” He blew out his cheeks and exhaled. “I honestly don’t know. Maman and Papa have mentioned going to England.”

  “Yes, it came up yesterday as well.” Evelyn watched as he put out his own cigarette. “We’d be more than happy to have you, of course. Mum would be overjoyed.”

  Before he could respond, the door opened and Gisele swept in in a swirl of silk and perfume.

  “Here you are!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing in here?”

  “I came in to escape the argument in the parlor,” Evelyn said with a laugh, “and then Nicolas came and found me.”

  Gisele crossed the room to drop carelessly onto the love seat beside her.

  “Are you coming out tonight?” she asked, looking at Evelyn. “I think we’re going dancing.”

  “I’ll have to take a pass, I’m afraid. I promised a friend that I would take a package to her Aunt in Metz.”

  “Metz!” Nicolas exclaimed. “When?”

  “I thought I’d go tomorrow, if I can borrow your car, Zell.”

  “I don’t mind.” Gisele yawned and picked up the discarded book on the cushion beside Evelyn, glancing at it cursorily. “Long drive, though.”

  “That’s why I’m staying in tonight. I want to get an early start in the morning.”

  “You may need to get petrol. I don’t remember the last time I filled it up.”

  Evelyn smiled. Gisele’s car was a Bugatti 57s Atlantic sports car that she and Nicolas shared. However, neither of them drove it much while they were in Paris. They were always quite happy to have her borrow it when she wanted, and she unabashedly admitted that she took advantage of their generosity whenever an opportunity arose. It was fast and sleek, and she loved it.

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Do you want some company?” Nicolas asked suddenly. “I’ll come along if you like.”

  She blinked in surprise, but before she could say anything, Gisele clucked her tongue.

  “You can’t go to Metz tomorrow,” she said. “We’re expected at the Gautier’s for their spring luncheon.”

  Nicolas made a face. “Completely forgot about that. Do we have to?”

  “Yes. You know we go every year.” Gisele grinned. “Perhaps they won’t have it next year.” She looked Evelyn. “It really is the dullest thing, and it’s so packed that you can’t even move. We hate going.”

  “Then why do you?”

  “Traditions, I suppose.” Gisele shrugged her slender shoulders. “Especially now, we have to try to keep up whatever semblance of normality that we can.”

  E
velyn raised her eyebrows. It was unlike her pretty cousin to bring up the war. She tended to avoid discussing it as much as possible.

  “Paris seems just the same as ever to me,” she said.

  “It’s not,” Gisele said, surprising her. “This war is like the big elephant in the room that no one wants to acknowledge is there, myself included. But we all know it’s looming over us. The clubs are a little too noisy now, the restaurants a little too packed. Everyone is trying to go on as before, but underneath...” She shrugged. “We’re all waiting.”

  “For what?”

  “Why, for the invasion, of course.” She got up and wandered over to the piano, pressing one of the ivory keys. “You know, Evie, I’m a little jealous of you and your new job with the...what is it called again?”

  “WAAF. It’s the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.”

  “At least you can do something. I’d love to join the army, but the only thing I can do is be a nurse or drive for the Red Cross.” She turned and leaned against the piano, staring pensively across the room. “I suppose if things continue, I’ll end up driving. I don’t think I’d make a very good nurse.”

  “You?” Her brother grinned. “No. But you can drive. If you want to do something, why don’t you?”

  “I don’t know. Why don’t you?”

  “Papa is trying to get me into the diplomatic service,” he said unexpectedly. “If that doesn’t pan out, I’ll have to join something. I’m surprised they haven’t called me up already, to be honest.”

  Gisele looked startled. “But you’ve already done your two years service!”

  “We’re at war, Zell. They’re calling people up now.” Nicolas sat on the love seat next to Evelyn. “If I have a choice, I suppose I’d rather go into the air force. If things don’t work out the way Papa wants, then perhaps I will.”

  “Oh, this whole thing is horrible,” she cried. “Maybe we should just go to England with Maman and Papa and wait it out there.”

  Nicolas frowned. “And leave France?”

  “It would be better than you having to do something you hate and maybe be killed!”

  Evelyn looked from one to the other.

  “Are Tante and Uncle seriously considering going to England?” she asked. “I know it’s been mentioned, but are they really serious about it?”

  Gisele nodded. “Yes. Papa is worried.”

  “What about the chateau?” Evelyn asked.

  “That’s where we will go if we have to leave Paris,” Nicolas replied. “It’s far enough south that it will be safe enough, at least temporarily. I think Papa is worried that it will be like Poland.”

  Evelyn was silent. If and when Hitler finally moved, if the joint efforts of Britain and France didn’t stop him, it very well could turn into Poland. Uncle Claude was right to be worried.

  “Nicki, I know we agreed that if they go to England, we would stay. But if there’s a real possibility that you will have to fight, perhaps we should reconsider,” Gisele said slowly.

  “There was always that possibility,” he pointed out. “What’s changed?”

  “I wasn’t aware of that possibility!” she exclaimed, her blue eyes flashing. “We’ve always done everything together, but I can’t fight with you. And I’ll be damned if I’m going sit at home alone while you go to war.”

  Evelyn couldn’t stop the grin that crossed her face.

  “I think perhaps you’re both getting a bit ahead of yourselves,” she said soothingly. “Zell, if he gets a spot with the diplomatic office, he won’t have to fight. And if he doesn’t, well, they still haven’t called him up yet.”

  “I don’t know how you can be so calm all the time,” Gisele complained. “Aren’t you worried about Rob flying his fighter planes?”

  “Every day, but worrying isn’t going to change anything. All it will do is make me look haggard, and then who will dance with me?”

  Gisele choked on a laugh. “Marc Fournier will always be willing to dance with you, Evie.”

  “As would any man in his right mind,” Nicolas agreed with a grin. “How did we get so melancholy all of a sudden? This is will never do.” He stood up and looked down at Evelyn. “Are you sure you won’t come out with us? I think we need a few drinks and some dancing to forget about all this for a few hours.”

  “I’m sure.” She smiled up at him. “I’ll come out next time. I promise.”

  Nicolas nodded and glanced at his sister. “Come on, Zell. Let’s forget about all this for a few hours.”

  She nodded and Evelyn watched as they left the room, closing the door behind them. She picked up her discarded book, but it sat on her lap unopened as she stared across the room, a frown on her face. If France was invaded, and Gisele and Nicolas remained in France, they would be in a perfect position to help her feed information back to MI6. With their connections, they would be able to move freely and see and hear all kinds of things. While she, on the other hand, would be in France under a completely different guise.

  Her lips pressed together thoughtfully. She knew they could never know about her own activities, but perhaps Bill could find a way to pull them into a new network. They were trying to rebuild the networks that had been destroyed by the Venlo incident, and here were two perfect candidates that could be invaluable. They both wanted to do something for the war, but had no idea what. They were exactly the type of people Bill was looking for. Why had neither of them considered it before?

  After a long while, Evelyn finally set the book aside and stood up, moving towards the door. Gisele and Nicolas couldn’t know about her or Bill, but that didn’t preclude them arranging for an introduction to someone else. Someone who would report back directly to Bill.

  Someone like Josephine Rousseau.

  Chapter Five

  ––––––––

  Evelyn steered the Bugatti to the side of the road and turned off the engine. It was a little after noon when she entered the medieval city of Metz, driving through picturesque streets that took her breath away. She’d never been to the city, and now she gazed about in appreciation. The narrow, curving streets were lined with old, beautiful buildings that had stood for centuries along the Moselle River. As she progressed through the city, following Rue de la Tête d'Or, Evelyn continued to be impressed by the sheer beauty of the old streets. It reminded her forcibly of Strasbourg and she wondered why she had never ventured east to explore these regions before now.

  Reaching over to the passenger seat, she picked up her purse and got out of the low-slung sports car, closing the door and looking around. She was to meet Josephine at the Porte des Allemands, or the German’s Gate, which spanned the River Seille. It was part of an old fortress constructed in medieval times, and she could see the bridge leading to the turreted, fortress-like gate at the top of the street. With a swift glance around, she started up the street towards the bridge.

  It was another beautiful day and the sun shone over the ancient streets while a soft breeze blew off the river, stirring her blonde hair under her hat. Breathing deeply, she inhaled the scent of aged stone mixed with the river and sighed.

  Oh, how she loved France!

  As her fashionable heels clicked along the pavement, Evelyn sobered. Metz was close to the German border, and one of the most heavily fortified regions in the Maginot Line. When the Germans came, and they would, this city would be one of the first to be attacked. She looked up at the buildings next to her and wondered, suddenly, if they would be spared the wrath of the Luftwaffe, Germany’s Air Force.

  It had been well over a year since she last saw Josephine Rousseau. The young woman had been in Strasbourg on that fateful day in August, 1938, when Evelyn had gone to pick up a package for Bill. If it weren’t for Josephine, she wasn’t entirely sure that she would have made it back to Paris. When she arrived to meet the man from Munich, it was only to find out that he’d been followed out of Germany by an SD agent. Hans
Voss.

  Evelyn shivered despite the mild spring day. It had been her first experience with the Nazi Sicherheitsdienst, the intelligence division of Himmler’s SS, and Josephine had helped her escape. She had hoped that would be an end to her dealings with the SD, but she had run into them again in Oslo this past November. It was a different agent, but he had been even more persistent and determined than Voss.

  As she made her way up the street towards the bridge, Evelyn wondered if Josephine had been surprised to hear that she was still working with Bill. When she last saw her in the streets of Strasbourg, there had been no guarantee that Evelyn would continue down this road. At the time, she was simply doing an old friend of the family a favor. Her lips curved faintly. She had often wondered in the months that had passed if Bill had already known what her decision would be the day he asked her to go to Strasbourg.

  She paused on the corner and waited for a break in the traffic before running lightly across to the bridge on the other side. The sun glinted off the waves of the Seille, an off-shoot river from the Moselle, and the breeze pulled at the little rose-colored hat on her head. It was all in the past now, in any case. She had decided to continue with SIS, now called MI6 since the war began, and now she was meeting the French intelligence agent who had saved her neck all those months ago.

  She started across the ancient stone bridge, the round tower of the medieval gate looming over the bridge like a sentry. An ornate iron railing ran along the bridge on either side, allowing an unimpeded view of the river in either direction. A group of tourists stood in the middle, clustered together at the railing while they gazed over the water and chattered together in what sounded suspiciously like Dutch. As she approached the center of the bridge, a woman emerged from behind the large group and walked towards Evelyn. Her black hair was tied back with a ribbon and covered with a brown hat. She was dressed in a simple brown suit and looked just like any of the other Frenchwomen moving around the city. Evelyn smiled, meeting her dark gray eyes over the distance.