by CW Browning
“I’ll drink to that,” Daniel said, lifting his glass. “Here’s to an uneventful week!”
Anna stared across the small table at Evelyn, a cigarette in her hand and a look of stunned disbelief on her face.
“You’re here to do what?”
Evelyn shrugged and sipped her drink. Daniel had departed after dinner, and she and Anna had moved into the cocktail lounge to have a few drinks before calling it a night. Evelyn had taken the opportunity to confide the true purpose of her visit to Oslo.
“Daniel doesn’t know,” she said now. “It’s better if he doesn’t. It’s less complicated that way.”
Anna shook her head and rubbed her neck, a reluctant smile crossing her face.
“Well, that’s certainly not what I was expecting to hear,” she said, reaching for her drink. “And I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you’ll have a bit of an uphill battle. No one wants to get involved in the war, especially to do anything that might incite the Germans to retaliate.”
“I understand.” Evelyn hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward. “The thing is, Anna, they might not have a choice. All of our intelligence suggests that Hitler will try to move north into Sweden or Norway, or both. If he does, not only will we need eyes and ears here, but you will need help from England and France as well.”
Anna blew out smoke and frowned. “I know,” she agreed. “I’ve seen the reports. I know the threat is real. The problem here is that most of us don’t think there is any need for us to be involved. They don’t believe that Germany will bother with Norway. The general feeling is that if we don’t poke the bear, the bear won’t notice us.”
“And if it does?”
She shrugged. “Then they will face that problem when it arises.” She paused for a moment thoughtfully. “Although, there are some that might be willing to consider the possibility. I’ve just remembered someone who went to school with my brother. He might be worth approaching.”
“Oh? Why?”
“He’s a wireless radio enthusiast,” she said unexpectedly. “Been mad about the things for years. My brother still sees him occasionally when he’s in the south and speaks very highly of him. If Erik respects him, I can assure you that there is more there than just a man who likes to play with radios.”
“He uses them for a living?”
“God no.” Anna laughed. “He’s a fisherman by trade. The radios are just a hobby, but according to Erik he’s a genius with the things.”
Evelyn tilted her head thoughtfully. “Does he know you?”
“Oh yes. I haven’t seen him for a few years, but he knows me. Would you like me to contact him? He might be a good place for you to start. Erik said that he has some very strong political views and it was my impression that he is very concerned about this war.”
“If you could, that would be wonderful. I’d like to begin getting a feel for how people are feeling and what they will do if, God-forbid, Germany does come after Norway.”
“Of course.” Anna stubbed out her cigarette. “And I’ll see if I can think of anyone else. I assume you’re looking for people with useful skills?”
“Not necessarily. Anyone can be helpful, even workers in factories. Intelligence can be gleaned anywhere. You just have to know where to look and how to recognize it.”
“And Daniel knows nothing about this?”
“No.”
Anna tilted her head and looked at her questioningly. “Why?”
“There’s no reason for him to know, and it would only cause complications with his job at the embassy. There can be no suspicion that he may be aiding in violating Norway’s neutrality, especially now.”
“And if he has no knowledge of your actions, there can be no accusation of him trying to undermine the government’s stated policy,” Anna said slowly. “England isn’t supposed to have any active agents in Norway, yet here you are. Of course, neither is Germany and look what happened in November.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s all rather ridiculous, really, isn’t it? It’s like a game where everyone knows what everyone else is doing, but everyone pretends that nothing is going on. What’s the point?”
“To avoid an all-out conflict,” Evelyn said promptly. “We all know that Hitler will use any excuse possible to justify walking into a country and taking control. There’s no point in handing him one.”
“Do you think he will attack us anyway?” Anna asked suddenly, her dark eyes probing Evelyn’s.
Evelyn swallowed. She’d forgotten Anna’s uncanny ability to put her on the spot suddenly and unexpectedly.
“I don’t know,” she said finally. “All I know is that, despite your country’s determination to remain neutral, there are too many reasons why it would behoove Hitler to come here.”
“You’re talking about Sweden’s iron mines,” Anna said. “They supply Germany with all of their iron, and if they come into Norway then they can protect them. But then why not invade Sweden?”
“Norway has the Atlantic Ocean.”
Anna sat back in her chair heavily. “And ports.”
“Yes.”
She stared at Evelyn thoughtfully for a long moment.
“England would have the same benefits if they established themselves here,” she finally said. “They would be able to block the iron from getting to Germany, as well as limit access to the north Atlantic.”
Evelyn resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably and instead laughed shortly.
“Chamberlain won’t even bomb Germany. Do you really think he’ll deploy troops against a neutral country?”
“I think a lot of leaders are doing things that, at one time, we all thought were impossible and ill-advised,” Anna replied dryly. “The fact that you’re here shows that England is thinking of Norway in strategic terms. I don’t blame your government, understand, but there are many who would. They don’t understand what’s at stake.”
“I don’t think that’s something you have to worry about,” Evelyn said, reaching for her drink. Yet, she added silently.
“I think it’s something we all need to worry about,” Anna said, leaning forward. “As I understand it, we have a choice between Hitler or allowing our waters to be mined and our ports blockaded. Neither scenario will sit well with my countrymen, and that is what you will be facing in this quest of yours.”
Evelyn pulled a cigarette case out of her purse and extracted a cigarette.
“Are you having second thoughts about helping me this time?” she asked with a quick grin.
Anna laughed. “Not at all. I’ve already told you that I understand what is at stake. I’ve seen the Gestapo up close and heard the stories firsthand. I know what lies in store if the Nazis are allowed to continue gobbling up territory. I’m just trying to illustrate what you may run into here. We Norwegians may seem nice and easy-going, but we have a particularly stubborn streak in us when it comes to our business.”
“As do the English.” Evelyn lit her cigarette. “Let me ask you this. If Hitler sent his army and invaded Norway, do you think there would be a fight? I don’t mean by the army. Of course your army would defend Norway. I mean by people. If all else failed and you were occupied like Poland was, would your countrymen organize and fight back?”
Anna pressed her lips together thoughtfully and was silent for a long time. Then, finally, she nodded slowly.
“I think we would,” she said. “Perhaps not everyone. There would be those who would go along to keep what they have and protect their families. But there would be others, like my brother Erik, who would do everything they could to resist. And there might be more like him than we think.”
Evelyn blew smoke upwards, her eyes never leaving Anna’s face. The other woman was being truthful, she decided. There would be a resistance if Germany invaded. That is, if the Gestapo and SS didn’t round up all the people like Anna’s brother first.
“Do you really need to ask?” Anna demanded with a short laugh. “I’m going to help you find spies for your government while we’re still neutral. Of course I will. I’d fight until they killed me. And then I’d probably come back and haunt the bastards.”
Evelyn laughed. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“What about you?” Anna asked after a minute. “What if Hitler invades England? Would you fight?”
“If Hitler invades England, I won’t have a choice. There is no happy ending for me if England falls.”
“No, I don’t suppose there is.” Anna sighed. “When did the world become such a mess?”
“When people got desperate. They began to starve and when their governments wouldn’t help them, they turned to men who could.”
“And now you’re at war and I’m caught somewhere in between my country and my convictions.”
Evelyn nodded slowly. “Something like that.”
Anna picked up her glass. “Well, at least we know exactly where we stand,” she decided. “Here’s to us. May we always have our convictions and the will to continue!”
“Cheers to that,” Evelyn said with heartfelt sincerity, lifting her glass.
Chapter Ten
––––––––
Evelyn looked out the window as the train rocked and swayed over the countryside. Anna sat across from her in the first class compartment reading a magazine as they traveled south. The day after they’d had dinner together, Anna had telephoned her brother’s friend. After speaking to her, he agreed to meet them for supper the following day.
Now, looking out of the window as the winter scenery sped by, Evelyn was having second thoughts about her ability to do what Jasper had asked of her. How on earth was she going to convince someone to send information to them at the risk of their own freedom and, quite possibly, their own lives? If the Germans did invade Norway, and if they were caught, they would be killed. How exactly was she supposed to sell that?
“Cheer up,” Anna said, breaking into her thoughts.
Evelyn looked at her, startled, to find the other woman peering at her over the top of her magazine.
“What?”
“You look as if you’re on your way to the gallows.” She closed the magazine and tossed it onto the seat next to her. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” Evelyn hesitated, then shrugged. “Well, nothing that can be fixed, at any rate.”
“Would you care to share? Maybe I can offer some insight.”
“I’m just wondering how on earth I’m going to convince your fellow countrymen to do something so potentially dangerous,” she said reluctantly. “You’ve seen how quickly things can go off the rails, especially if the SD gets involved. Why on earth would anyone voluntarily jump into this war?”
Anna looked at her for a moment, a faint smile on her lips. “You did.”
“Yes, but I...well, I had my reasons.”
“And so will they. It’s not your job to convince them to be patriotic. It’s your job to give them an option to help their country if the worst happens. That’s all.”
Evelyn nodded slowly, shifting her gaze to the window again. She was right, of course. It wasn’t her job to convince them to take the risk. All she could do was offer them a way to move the information that they would come across in the course of their daily lives. It was up to them to decide whether or not the risks were worth it.
“What’s his name?” she asked, glancing back at Anna. “This friend of your brothers?”
“Kristian,” she replied. “Kristian Nilsen.”
“And he doesn’t think it’s strange that you’re coming down to see him suddenly out of the blue like this?”
“Not that he said, no. It’s not as if he doesn’t know me, after all. I told him that I’d seen Erik recently and that he’d mentioned him. One thing led to another and I brought up his radio.” Anna grinned. “I’ll warn you right now: he gets very passionate about his hobby. I didn’t understand most of what he went on about. When I said I had a friend who was interested in speaking to him about what he was picking up on the thing, he didn’t seem surprised at all.”
“Does he know you’re working for the British Embassy now?”
“Yes. I think he’s probably put two and two together. Kristian was always very clever.” She looked at her watch. “We should be there soon. He said that he was looking forward to meeting us both.”
“I hope he’s not disappointed,” Evelyn said with a short laugh.
Anna looked at her, obviously amused. “I doubt that he will be. I’ve seen how you turn heads,” she said dryly.
Evelyn waved that away, turning her attention back out the window.
“Don’t wave me away,” Anna said with a laugh. “It’s true. The problem with you is that you don’t see it as a weapon.”
“A weapon?” That got Evelyn’s attention again. “What are you talking about?”
“You! You’re sitting over there worrying about how you’re going to recruit people, especially men, to your cause and you’ve never once considered the biggest advantage you have!” Anna shook her head at the blank look on Evelyn’s face. “You, you silly goose!”
“But I’m not up for grabs!” Evelyn protested, laughing despite herself. “I may be a very independent and modern woman, but I’m not that modern!”
“You don’t have to be. They don’t have to know you’re not available. Trust me. They don’t even have to necessarily want anything from you. Sometimes it’s enough just to know that they’re doing something that will make a beautiful woman very happy.” Anna leaned forward. “I’m being very serious. If this war continues, and you and I both know that it will, you’re going to have to use every weapon you have available. We all will. And yours is the face and body that you see in the mirror. Use it to bend people to your will.”
Evelyn frowned. “You make it sound so calculating.”
Anna threw her head back and laughed. “But it is, Marlene, my dear! And so are you! You have to be. You may not think of yourself as a calculating woman, but you are. You’re trying to build a network of people who will die to get information to help your country win a war that they have nothing to do with. If that’s not calculating, I don’t know what is.”
“Oh God, you make it sound so cold and heartless!”
“But it is,” she said practically, sitting back on her seat. “War is cold and heartless. Its warriors must be as well. And please don’t make the mistake of thinking you are not one of England’s soldiers because you are every bit as necessary and formidable as one of your British Expeditionary Forces, or one of your fighter pilots. You’re just fighting in a different way, and in a different theater of operations.”
Evelyn stared at her for a moment.
“When did you become so wise?” she asked finally, her lips twisting wryly. “I thought I was the one with all the experience here.”
Anna shrugged.
“I’ve learned so much over the past few months,” she admitted. “And it began in Stockholm. On the train back, I realized that I was wasting my time translating boring court documents for solicitors and doing an odd job on the side for Carew. I decided I wanted to do more. You were blazing all across Scandinavia in service of your country, and I was doing nothing for mine.” She paused for a moment, then grinned. “I suppose I’m still not. I’m doing it for yours.”
“Which will benefit yours in the long run,” Evelyn said.
The other woman nodded.
“That’s the hope, yes. And so I’ve been learning as much as I can under Daniel Carew and doing what I can. And in all of this I have come to realize that what you do is warfare. The threat to your life is every bit as high as it is for an infantry soldier holding a rifle. Perhaps even worse because there is no respect or q
uarter given to spies, whereas prisoners of war are simply interned until the war is over.”
Evelyn swallowed, uncomfortable with hearing herself referred to as a spy. She had grown used to thinking of herself in terms of the word agent, or even more generically as a courier. But she had gone far beyond the scope of a courier now.
“Well, I do try not to think of that,” she admitted. “I’d rather just focus on what needs to be done.”
“Do you know, I think my brother would really like you,” Anna said suddenly. “He’s a no-nonsense army lieutenant. He thinks in much the same way.”
“Well, since the odds of our ever meeting are non-existent, I don’t suppose we’ll ever know.”
Anna grinned. “Pity. That’s an introduction I would have loved to have made.”
When Evelyn and Anna walked into the waterfront restaurant, the Friday evening crowd was just starting to roll in. As Anna searched for Kristian, Evelyn looked around, taking in the low ceilings and warm atmosphere of the establishment. It was warm and cozy after the bitter wind coming off the water and she felt herself relaxing as the heat began to seep through her coat.
“Anna!” A voice called. “Here I am!”
A man of medium height pushed his way through the crowd, his curly blond hair shining in the muted lighting. Evelyn watched as he approached Anna, a wide smile on his boyish face, and she liked him immediately. He had an open countenance and his curly hair reminded her of a puppy somehow.
“Kristian!” Anna greeted him, holding out her hands. “How are you?”
“I’m well, I’m well!” He grasped her hands and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You look fantastic. City life agrees with you.”
She laughed. “Thank you! Kristian, this is my friend Marlene. Marlene, this is Kristian Nilsen.”
Evelyn smiled and held out her hand. “Hallo!”
“Hallo!” Kristian grasped her hand, his eyes meeting hers as he smiled at her. “It’s very nice to meet you.”