‘When do you go?’ she asked Bill.
‘Sometime in June. That will give you two months to prepare. You will have to go through an intensive training programme.’ Bill sat back and waited. He was well aware how dangerous this was going to be, but he was so sure she was right for this job.
Grace remained silent while she looked out of the window. When she turned back to Stan there was a slight smile on her face. ‘You have lost your bet, sir.’
He handed over the five-pound note to Bill, his expression serious. ‘You will still be able to change your mind over the next couple of weeks. After that there will be no backing out, Grace. Bill must be given time to replace you.’
‘I won’t back out, sir. I want to do this.’
Stan nodded. ‘Bill is no stranger to risky missions and I trust his judgement that you are the right person for this. I do have one concern, though, and that is your motive for accepting.’
Grace frowned. ‘My motive?’
‘Yes. It has crossed my mind that you might be taking this on to avenge your husband’s death.’
‘That is something I, personally, cannot do, sir. The only comfort for me, and thousands of others mourning the loss of loved ones, will be the defeat of Hitler and his regime. That will only come about by each one of us working together. My only motive is to play my part by using whatever talents I have. You need have no concerns that I will be a liability to the captain, sir.’
Stan nodded slowly. ‘I believe Bill has chosen well. I will expect to see you both back here by the end of June. Godspeed to both of you.’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Grace stood up when Bill did and they both saluted.
Once in the outer office Bill told her that they would be leaving at once. ‘There is no time to waste, Grace. Pack your bag and I will be waiting outside your billet in a car.’
Bill had only given her half an hour and Grace rushed around the room grabbing items and packing them in her kitbag, and she was glad he wasn’t giving her much time to think about her decision. Well, she wasn’t going to have second thoughts. After Brian had been killed she had wanted to try and find something useful to do – something that would make a difference. At last the opportunity had come.
After a final glance round the room to check she hadn’t forgotten anything, she grabbed her bag and ran down the stairs.
The car was already there with Bill propped up against it, smoking a cigarette. No one would guess from his relaxed, casual attitude that they were planning to embark on a dangerous mission. There was a slightly different air about him, though, making her realise there was much more to this man than she had originally thought. That man always joking and full of tricks was just a mask. It was going to be interesting working with him.
He stubbed out his cigarette and held the door open for her while the driver put her kitbag on the boot of the car.
‘Can we talk?’ she asked quietly once they were on their way.
He nodded. ‘We are going to a manor near Guildford to start your training. Time is short so we will only be there for a week before moving on to the next place. You are going to have to learn quickly, Grace, because you’ve got to be able to take care of yourself if anything happens to me. You are going to be pushed to your limits. There will be times when you are exhausted and wish you had never agreed to this. I will be with you all the time because I must be sure you won’t panic whatever the situation you are faced with. If you do then both of our lives will be at risk. If there is the slightest hint that you might not be able to deal with this, you will be straight back in the office. Is that clear?’
‘Perfectly. I won’t let you down.’
‘I’m confident you won’t or I would never have chosen you.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘I will also be reading your letters to make sure you don’t give anything away.’
‘I’ll have to be careful what I say, then,’ she told him.
‘Very careful, Grace.’ He turned to face her. ‘No one must know what we are doing at these training camps. If you do happen to see anyone you know and they ask what you’re doing there, you are not to say a word.’
‘I know how important that is, Captain.’
‘Call me Bill at all times from now on, even if top brass are around. We’ve got to be relaxed and easy in each other’s company. Forget my rank. I don’t want you snapping to attention and saluting me. That could be awkward in two months’ time. That’s all you need to know at the moment, so relax and enjoy the journey.’
They arrived just in time for lunch and were shown straight to the dining room. Several men nodded to Bill when they walked in and Grace guessed this wasn’t the first time Bill had been here. During the meal she hardly noticed what she was eating, far too interested in her surroundings, and she was surprised to see an empty plate in front of her. She would not consider herself to be the nervous type, but did admit to feeling apprehensive, not knowing what the following weeks were going to be like. There was only one way to deal with this and that was to remember one of her mother’s favourite sayings and take each day as it came.
An officer was striding towards them and she made a quick assessment of him. He was not a young man, but he moved with all the ease of being very fit. Not sure how she should act in this unusual place, she remained seated and only stood up when Bill rose to his feet.
‘Good to see you again, Bill.’ He shook hands with Bill and then turned his full attention onto Grace, his pale grey eyes fixed firmly on her face. ‘And you’ve brought Grace with you. Come and see me when you have finished your meal, Bill, and bring Grace with you.’
‘We’ll be there very soon, Henry.’ Bill grinned. ‘Just in time for coffee?’
‘Of course,’ the officer laughed.
‘Henry makes the best coffee I’ve ever tasted,’ Bill told her as the officer walked away and they sat down again.
Over the next week Grace didn’t have a moment to herself. They were cramming three weeks’ training into one, and at night she gratefully climbed in bed. Her mind was buzzing with all the things she was being taught, but she was still able to sleep, much to her relief. Bill had handed her over to the various instructors, taking no part in the training, but he was always there, watching and assessing her progress. She was very aware that if he saw the slightest hint she wasn’t able to cope, he would call a halt. There were obviously women around who were fully trained and he wouldn’t have any trouble replacing her. That wasn’t going to happen, she decided, determination surging through her. There were still several weeks to go, but as each day passed, her desire to go on this mission increased. But she would have to prove she was good enough, and that wasn’t going to be easy.
At the end of the week she had to face the instructors for a verdict. This was the most nerve-wracking part of the week; so much depended on their assessment of her abilities.
‘It’s been a tough week for you, trying to absorb everything is such a short time,’ Henry said. ‘When I received these orders I declared that it couldn’t be done. Do you think you have proved me wrong?’
Grace was aware that Bill was standing behind her by the door and he wasn’t going to hear doubt from her. She looked at each instructor and then back to Henry. She smiled and nodded. ‘I have proved you wrong.’
‘You have a quick mind and a determined nature, and, yes, in your case I was wrong. This has been the easy part, though. It is going to get tougher, but as far as we are concerned you have done quite well. We shall watch the rest of your training with interest.’
Grace breathed a silent sigh of relief. Their verdict was not as good as she had hoped, but at least it seemed as if she had done well enough to go on to the next stage. She was obviously going to have to do better or Bill would take her off this mission. As she left the room she glanced at him but there was nothing to show how he felt about her progress in his expression. Bill had stayed to have a word with the instructors and she waited patiently outside for him.
Twenty minutes later he
came out. ‘Time to move on, Grace. Meet me outside as soon as you can.’
‘I’m already packed. I’ll be with you in ten minutes.’ She hurried to collect her bag, wondering what had been said in that room after she left. She would love to know, but knew better than to ask. Bill obviously wasn’t going to say anything until he was sure she was going to make it through the training.
They were soon on their way in the car with the same driver, so she knew it was all right to talk.
‘Where are we going?’
‘There’s a plane waiting for us at Northolt airfield to take us up to the Highlands of Scotland where you will receive commando training. You will only have three weeks so it’s going to be rough.’ He turned slightly to face her. ‘I’m relying on you to be honest and tell me the moment you decide not to go on. I will also pull you out if it is apparent we are asking too much of you. If we had more time I have no doubt you would pass the training schedule, but we don’t have that luxury.’
‘I fully understand that you have to be able to rely on me in a crisis. All I can do at this stage is promise that I will do everything I can to prove myself capable of coping with whatever is needed of me.’
‘I can’t ask for more than that.’ He smiled then. ‘I made the mistake of underestimating you the first time we met. I’ve watched you carefully since then and have come to realise you were capable of more than sitting in an office. We are living in extraordinary times, Grace. Times that are demanding more of us than we thought we were capable of. That has to be faced and accepted because it is the only way we are going to win this war.’
‘I am prepared to face any challenge. I wouldn’t have agreed to this otherwise.’
‘And I wouldn’t have asked you if I’d thought you were content to sit out this war in an office. Have you flown before?’
‘No.’
‘Didn’t James ever take you up in his plane?’
Grace laughed. ‘No, but I often wished he would.’
‘Well, you’ll get your chance today, though it won’t be as comfortable. It will get us to Scotland quickly and that is the main thing. There isn’t any time to waste. This mission must go ahead on time even if I have to go alone.’
‘You won’t have to do that! I’m coming with you, Bill, even if I have to work myself to a standstill during the training.’
‘I’m asking a great deal of you, but there are two reasons for the intensive training. I want you to be able to take care of yourself – and I need you to be fully aware of the dangers we might face while in France.’
When Dan had manhandled her over the army assault course it had been easy compared to this, Grace thought as she eased herself into a hot bath with a groan of relief. She was bruised, battered and ached from head to toe. Bill had said this training was because he wanted her to be able to take care of herself. Well, she certainly would be able to after this! It had been a tough physical three weeks, and many times she had thought it was not possible to endure another day. When at her lowest she would glance across at Bill watching her and she had gathered her strength together and carried on. A smile crossed her face. It had all been worth it, though, because today she had actually been able to throw a man flat onto his back.
Tomorrow they were off to Ringwood airfield, near Manchester, for parachute training. She only had one week to master that. Bill had jokingly said there was nothing to it; when the door opened you just threw yourself out. It was the landing you had to be careful about.
Grace climbed out of the bath, dried off and fell straight into bed. She needed to sleep so there was no point worrying now and keeping awake. It would be time enough to worry when she was facing the challenge. After the parachute training there was only one more stop and that was to learn Morse code, among other things. That should be interesting.
Grace watched the ground rushing towards her and braced for the landing, trying to remember everything she had been told. She mustn’t injure herself now. Concentrating hard, she rolled as she hit the ground, then scrambled to her feet and began to gather up the parachute. Bill had landed in the same field, and as he walked towards her, she grinned.
‘I did it!’ Grace was almost dancing with excitement.
‘And I do believe you enjoyed it,’ Bill laughed.
‘I really did. It was the most incredible feeling.’
‘Don’t forget that the next time you jump it will be in the dark. We will go when there is a bright moon, though, so we should be able to see where we’re landing. Ah, here’s the truck. I’ll buy you a drink. You deserve it.’
‘Where are we going next?’ Grace asked when they were settled in a quiet corner of the bar. Bill had been very economical with his information so far, but now they were nearing the end of the training she was hoping to be told more about this operation.
‘A place in the New Forest. I’m cutting that to only five days, so just do the best you can. It’s the beginning of June now and the forecast is for favourable weather in about seven days.’
Her insides tightened at this news, but she smiled. ‘Nearly there, then.’
Bill nodded. ‘I have some final arrangements to make so I won’t be with you this time. I’ll settle you in and then pick you up after. Only when we are ready to go will I tell you the plan.’
Ah, that answered one of her questions, then. She wouldn’t know exactly what she had let herself in for until the very last minute. ‘I understand. When are we leaving for the next camp?’
‘At eighteen hundred hours.’
Grace finished her drink quickly. ‘I’d better go and pack at once.’
They arrived too late for dinner but, evidently, they were used to serving meals at odd times. Grace was starving by the time Bill took her to the dining room. He had left immediately, not even stopping for something to eat. He appeared to know his way around these places, she thought, as she sat down. She had seen a very different side to him over the last few weeks and there was no doubt he knew what he was doing with undercover work. She now understood why he disappeared from time to time. He had once told her, jokingly, that he was a spy, and she had a strong feeling that was exactly the kind of work he was involved in.
‘Hello, Grace.’
The familiar voice had her leaping to her feet. ‘Helen! How wonderful to see you. It did cross my mind that you might be here when I knew we were coming to this area.’
Her friend laughed. ‘It’s good to see you, as well – but I’m not sure I’m too happy to see you in this place.’
‘I’m just here to learn Morse code. Sit down and talk to me while I eat. I’m ravenous. I didn’t dare eat anything before—’ She stopped abruptly, remembering Bill’s warning about being careful what she said if she met anyone she knew. It was hard to keep secrets from her friend, though.
‘Have you seen Tim and James lately?’ Helen asked as she sat down.
Grace nodded and waited while a meal was put in front of her. She talked about the two men for a while, and then said, ‘I’ll be here for a few days, Helen, so perhaps we could have a few meals together.’
‘I won’t be here. I heard you were coming and wanted to see you before I left.’ Helen grasped Grace’s hands tightly and whispered, ‘You take care.’
‘I will, and you do the same.’
The look they gave each other didn’t need words. They knew both of them were involved in dangerous work.
Chapter Twenty-One
The sun was going down and Grace stood by the window watching the light fade. Would there by a full moon tonight? Everyone was confident there would be and they were already at the airfield ready to go at a moment’s notice.
‘Nervous?’ Bill came and stood beside her, placing an arm across her shoulders.
‘Yes.’ There was no point in lying.
‘Waiting is the worse part. You’ll be all right once we are on our way.’
‘How many times have you done this, Bill?’
‘A few. Being able to speak German like
a native is useful, and that is why Stan has tried so hard to recruit Dan. We’d have made a good team, but he’s a fighting man, and a fine one from what I’ve heard. We all have different talents and they must be used to the best advantage.’
Grace smiled. ‘It would be difficult for Dan to blend into a crowd with his height.’
‘Oh, I think he could do anything he set his mind to.’
‘Would you have taken him with you if he’d been available?’
‘Not this time. I need a beautiful woman who speaks fluent French.’
An air force officer came towards them with papers in his hands and a distracted look on his face. ‘Just received the final report, Captain; you’re good to go tonight at twenty-three hundred hours.’
Bill drew in a deep breath. ‘Thank you, sir.’
‘Clear night forecast.’ He nodded to them both and then turned and left the room.
As soon as they were alone again, Bill led Grace over to a couple of armchairs. ‘Time to brief you. The Germans have taken over a chateau set in extensive grounds. It is heavily guarded. Photos have revealed nothing and the resistance have been unable to discover exactly what it is being used for. The only thing we know is that high-ranking officers are continually going in and out. The resistance have to remain hidden, but I don’t. However, this time I can’t do it alone, and that’s where you come in. I am going to pass myself off as a German officer on leave with a French lover who is showing me some of her country. You visited the chateau as a child with your parents to buy wine, and you take me there to see if they still produce excellent wines. When we are denied entry you will need to show great disappointment, upset that you have brought me all this way from Paris for nothing. Speak rapidly in French, and while I am trying to calm you it will give me a chance to be friendly with the guards.’
Day Will Come Page 17