“Well, I’m waiting to hear about this mission of yours and why you can tell only me about it.”
“Did you ever hear of a man named Owen Bando—the same last name as mine?”
Gabby was startled. “Why . . . my father spoke of a man called Owen Bando! He flew with him in the war.”
“Yes, he did. That was my father. I don’t think he ever saw your father after the war, but he never forgot him. I’d be interested to know what your father said about him.”
“Well, Dad didn’t like to talk much about the war. When he did, it was usually to mention some friend that he had made, one of the fliers or the mechanics he had gotten close to. But I do remember he spoke very well of your father—more than once. He liked him a great deal.” She thought hard for a moment. “He said Owen had a keen sense of humor and made him laugh even when things were terribly dark. And he liked to play practical jokes.”
“Yes, my dad was like that.”
“Does this have something to do with your mission, Dai?”
“In a way it does. I would have come anyway, but when I found out you were involved with my mission, it made me want to come even more. You see, your father saved my dad’s life on a mission once. A German was on his tail, and he was sure he was a dead man, when suddenly the German plane blew up. He looked around and saw that your father had broken away from his own fight and came to help him. He always felt like your father gave him life, so I heard a lot about him. As a matter of fact, I still have all of the letters they exchanged.”
“Letters from my father to yours?”
“Yes.”
“I-I’d like to see them sometime.”
“Of course, Doctor. I don’t have them with me, but as soon as I get back to Wales, I’ll get them to you.”
“I’d like that very much.”
He shifted to find a more comfortable position on the hay. “I’m going to break the first rule of successful espionage.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t tell anyone anything that you don’t have to.”
“That sounds like a good rule. But I don’t know much about spying.”
“I’m going to break the rule because, well—in the first place, I’ll have to tell you sooner or later anyway. In the second place, I need your help, and you can’t work in the dark. I’ve come to you because my assignment is to get your aunt and uncle out of Germany.”
“Aunt Liza and Uncle Dalton?”
“Yes.”
“I . . . I can’t believe it!”
“I know a little bit about your family and all I could find out about your uncle. He’s needed on our side. He’s like a secret weapon. My superiors tell me he could do terrible damage to the Allies if he gives his keen scientific mind to the Germans, which is what he seems to have done.”
“He’s a very simple man, Dai. He means no harm, but he’s easily swayed. He’s a good man. You have to believe that.”
“I believe it if you say so. You know him, and I don’t. Will you help me, Doctor?”
Gabby hesitated and then said firmly, “Of course—and by the way, my friends call me Gabby.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Grow Old Along With Me”
Betje dismounted from her bicycle and balanced it against the fence. As she headed toward the hospital, she noticed Dai Bando—or Petric, as they were strictly enjoined to call him—loading supplies onto a truck. She paused for a moment, thinking over the past three weeks, during which time she had become very well acquainted with the Welshman. She smiled and changed directions to greet him.
“Hello, Petric,” she said when she neared the truck.
Bando turned and glanced at her, then put the box he was holding on the bed of the truck. “Hello, Betje.” His cap was pulled down over his forehead, and his whiskers had grown shaggy. He looked exactly as he wanted to look, much like a bum. He stooped over, even though no one else was there to observe him, but he knew he had to be cautious. “What are you up to today?”
“I’m here to see Gabby.”
“She’s probably making her rounds now.”
“Good. Why don’t you come over in the shade with me? We can get to know each other.”
“That wouldn’t be too wise,” he said.
“Why not?”
“Someone might be watching from one of the windows.”
Betje shifted her weight to one foot. She reached up and tousled her blond hair while she studied Dai skeptically. “It’s good that you’re being careful. How about if I help you load your truck?”
“Better not. That wouldn’t look right either.”
“Why don’t you show me the ducks down in the canal?” she said with a laugh.
“All right. A break would be nice. You go ahead, and I’ll meet you there.”
Betje nodded and followed the sidewalk that went around the hospital. Behind the hospital was a small grove of trees lining one of the numerous canals that drained the land. She could see one man fishing a ways off in the distance, but other than that, it was an isolated spot. She waited until Dai stepped out of the trees and came over to her. He took his hat off and pulled a handkerchief out of the hip pocket of his baggy pants and wiped his forehead.
“Hot today.”
“Sit down and let’s dabble our feet in the water.”
“You go ahead. I don’t think I ought to be dabbling much. If anybody should happen to come by, I’d have to have my shoes on and get back into my act.”
“Well, sit down with me anyway. I want to know more about you.”
He sat down cross-legged while Betje took off her shoes. She sat down very close to him and kicked some water at him. “You’re going to drown me,” he protested.
“Wouldn’t be a bad idea on a hot day like this.” She took hold of his arm and pressed herself against him. “I like you, Dai.”
He laughed. “Don’t be so shy and retiring, Betje. Just come right out and say what you mean.”
“When I like a man, I like him a lot. Why don’t you and I go out some night and have some fun?”
“And when people see you out with a half-wit, what will they think?”
“How about if we have a picnic in some secluded place?”
Dai grinned at her broadly. He had liked Betje from the first time he had met her. She was a loyal member of the underground, and aside from that, she seemed to have only one aim in life, and that was having a good time. As she clung to him, he knew exactly what her invitation meant.
“This job is too big, Betje, and dangerous. If we can pull it off, it’ll be a miracle. And it’s going to take all of my attention.” He tried to pull his arm away, but she held it fast. She laughed up at him, and he saw that she was enjoying her game. He let his arm remain where it was, acutely aware of her figure and the invitation in her eyes.
“Did you ever read the story of Joseph in the Bible?” she asked suddenly.
“Why, sure.”
“You remember when he got sold as a slave into Egypt?”
“Yes, into the house of Potiphar.”
“That’s right, and Potiphar had a wife, didn’t he?”
“Sure did. She gave Joseph a hard time.”
“I’ve always thought she wasn’t much of a woman.”
“Well, her morals certainly weren’t what they should have been.”
“If I had been married to Potiphar, Joseph would have been in trouble.” Without warning, she put her hand behind his neck and pulled his head down until they were nearly nose to nose. “What kind of woman do you want, Dai?”
“I guess every man has an idea of the woman that would make him happy,” he said thoughtfully as he gently pulled away. “It’s usually not one woman but the combination of the qualities of many of them.”
“What does that mean?”
“I mean he sees one woman with a beautiful figure, another who is generous, another who will be faithful to death. So he makes up a composite of all of these.”
“That’s not
very fair, is it? He’d never find a woman perfect in all those ways.”
He shook his head. “I guess when he finds the woman he wants, he has to give up some of those things—but he probably finds some other qualities he likes. I guess every man wants sweetness and honesty in a woman.”
“Have you ever had both of those things in a woman?”
“I . . . thought I did once.”
Betje tightened her grip on him and pulled him so close he could smell the sweetness of her breath. “I think you did find it and you walked away—or she walked away. Most of us do that. Then we’re desperate to fill that void, so we rush into another relationship and wind up with just a wreck of a love.” She sighed. “Do you think you’ll ever find a woman who’ll make you happy?”
“I hope so. Every man hopes that. Our life is made up of little things, Betje. Little pleasures that don’t shake the world. Maybe a beautiful sunset that makes you want to cry. A good friend you can count on to the very death. Things to remember when you’re old.”
Betje suddenly felt sad for him. As she pulled his head down and lifted her face, she felt his arms go around her. She leaned toward him while he kissed her, and she sensed his strong desire. The pressure of his arms told her he was lonely and maybe even discouraged, and she decided he might have a wild side if he would allow it to break out. At the same time, though, from what she had learned about him in the last couple of weeks, she felt sure that this man was decent and would never mistreat a woman.
Ordinarily, she would have prolonged the kiss. She could tell he was struggling to control his desires. She knew all the tricks to stir a man, but she suddenly had no desire to try to take advantage of Dailon. She pulled back and studied his face.
“You know how to make a man want you, Betje.”
“I guess so.” As she looked into his eyes, she recalled all the men she had known and wished it were not so. She straightened up and murmured, “A woman can ruin a man, Dai. You can never do anything about that. Don’t try to.”
A touch of sunlight came out and bathed her face, and her eyes seemed innocent. She dropped her head and put her cheek against his chest. He knew she was saddened and grieved, and with an unusual gesture, he stroked her hair. He said nothing, nor did she, but finally she pulled back and said almost roughly, “I’ve got to get going.” She yanked her feet out of the water and kicked them until they dried before putting on her shoes. As she stood up, she said, “Don’t look for things in women that they can never give you, Dai.”
He watched her as she left and pondered her last statement. He decided there was much more to Betje than what appeared on the surface.
Betje walked back to the hospital and found Gabby just coming off her rounds.
“You got a minute, Gabby?”
“Yes, let’s step outside.”
They went outside, and the two talked of matters that affected the covert cell. They had to take these moments when they could. As they talked Gabby saw Dai walk across the green grass. Her eyes followed him, and her thoughts were interrupted when Betje said, “He’s good at what he does, isn’t he?”
“Yes. He goes around muttering in Welsh, making everybody think he’s a half-wit. He’s actually very intelligent.”
“He’s very good-looking, isn’t he,” Betje said.
“Oh, I suppose so. Not handsome like a movie star but very masculine.”
“Did he ever make a pass at you?” Betje asked, her eyes wide.
“No!”
“Did you ever make one at him?”
“Betje! You know I would never do that!”
Betje laughed. “You ought to try it sometime, Gabby. It might be good for you.”
“Don’t be foolish!”
“Someday you’ll find a man worth giving everything for. You’ve always held back—for as long as I’ve known you. A man deserves all you have, Gabby.”
“There’s something wrong with that, Betje. You know I don’t believe that’s right.”
“I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.”
Gabby watched her friend leave and then turned to see where Dai had gone. She found him not far away, turning over the dirt in a flower bed. She walked across the lawn, noting the greenness of the grass and thinking of how the beauty of the world about her was so different from the world that man had made. She came up to Dai and said hello to him.
“Hello, Gabby.” He kept his head down and didn’t stop working.
“Betje just left.”
“I know. She . . . talked to me.”
“Is that safe?”
“Don’t worry. It’s all right. We went over by the trees on the canal.”
“I don’t think that’s very wise, Dai. You’re supposed to be an idiot—not courting women.”
“We were very careful that no one saw us.”
“I think it would be smart to be even more careful in the future.”
Dai dug a shovelful of earth and dumped it to one side. “We’ve got to make a move to contact your uncle,” Dai said as he continued digging. “Have you written to him?”
“Yes, I have. But his letters to me are censored. I don’t even know if he gets those I write. I couldn’t put anything in a letter, could I?”
“No, I don’t think so. It’s going to take more than that.”
“You don’t understand, Dai. I tried everything I could, and so did his wife. Neither of us wanted to go to Germany. Both of us were afraid of Hitler and what he stood for, but Uncle Dalton is naïve when it comes to politics. He’s almost like a child. Oh, I know he’s a genius in his field, but when it comes to some matters, he’s really quite simple.”
“We’ve got to change his mind about leaving the country.”
“I just can’t think how. It seems to me—”
The sound of an automobile approaching at a high speed caught Gabby’s attention. She broke off and saw it was the German staff car that Erik always traveled in. It was too late to hide, so she waited there until the car stopped.
Erik got out of the passenger door and came over to her. “Good afternoon, Doctor,” he said as he gave her a slight bow.
“Good afternoon, Commandant.” She turned and addressed Dailon. “I’m not going to stand for this type of behavior. You’ll either straighten up, or you’ll have to leave. You understand me?”
Dai nodded and mumbled his words. “Ja. No more, Miss Doctor.”
Gabby turned her attention back to Erik and said, “Come inside. I just had to have a word with this fellow.”
“Why do you keep a man like that around?” he asked as they started toward the door.
“The director hired him. It’s very hard to find people to do the hard physical labor, and he works cheap.”
“He could be dangerous, Gabby. He could harm you.”
“Oh, I don’t think so. He’s not dangerous.”
Erik took her arm and turned her around. “I can’t stay. I just stopped to ask if you would have time to see me. I know you won’t go out, but perhaps I could come to your house.”
“You think that would be private?”
“I don’t like sneaking around.” Erik shook his head. “It’s not right. I won’t be here long, and I need to have a little time with you, Gabby.”
“Well, you can’t come to my house. I have a reputation to guard. If the commandant of the occupation force came to my house, why, not a person would speak to me. I’m sorry, Erik, but that’s the way it is.”
“I see. But I’m not giving up. I’ll figure out a way even if I have to put on a false beard.”
She smiled. “I’d like to see that.”
“Gabby, tell me. Don’t you have any feelings in your heart for me?”
Had she been wise, she would have said no instantly. But she wanted to be honest with him. “I . . . think at one time we had a chance, but the world’s moved on. We’re two different people now.”
“I think you’re wrong.” Erik stepped toward her but caught himself. “I’ll call
you tonight. If I have to sneak around in the dark for you, I will, but I insist on seeing you, Gabby.”
She didn’t answer. She just watched as he got in the car and his guard drove away. She was sick at heart, for she knew that no good could come of trying to regain what they once had.
****
For two days Gabby did not hear from Erik, which was a relief. Neither did she speak to Dai. She had to be careful not to be seen talking to him too much, or his cover might be blown. She stayed busy spending more time at the orphanage than usual and staying overnight with Dorcas one night. When she came out of the hospital on Thursday it was late, and dark had already fallen. As she walked toward her car, she was startled when Dai suddenly appeared beside her.
“You get around as quiet as a cat,” she exclaimed.
“Yes, I’m a sneaky fellow. It has served me well a time or two.”
“Do you need to talk?”
“Yes. Get in your car, and I’ll scrunch down so nobody will see me.”
“Scrunch? Is that a Welsh word?”
“No, it’s American, I think. Those Yankees have a language all their own.”
Gabby smiled as they both got in the car, with Dai down on the floor until they were well clear of the hospital. As she drove, he said, “Tell me more about your uncle. Everything you can think of.”
“Dai, I’ve told you everything.”
“There must be some things you haven’t thought about in years. I need to know everything I can about Dalton Burke.”
“If it were just Aunt Liza, you would have no trouble. She would leave in a minute.”
“Suppose I kidnapped her. Would he leave then?”
“Are you serious?”
“I suppose not.” He sighed. “Would you pull over here? I need to walk back to the hospital.” He waited until she had stopped the car, and then he moved from the floor to the seat. “I don’t think kidnapping would be a particularly good plan. He needs to come of his own free will, Gabby.”
She was very much aware of the strength of the man beside her as he went on to discuss various possibilities. She knew they would not have sent a weakling for this job, but his mission was far from her mind at the moment. When he fell silent, Gabby asked abruptly, “Are you married?”
The Gypsy Moon Page 16