He sent a brief message to London identifying himself and stating that he was taking over from Leonie, who had been arrested and tortured, but was now safe. No message came back immediately and Rob knew that the authorities would be trying to verify if he was genuine. If she had spent some time in German hands, they would think that perhaps her wireless transmitter had been captured and that the message came from a German posing as an operator. Careful checks would have to be made before London would trust him.
And the British pilot would just have to put up with the smell of Raoul’s pigs for a while longer.
Thirty-Three
Beth’s injuries healed, though she still limped as it would take some time for the toenails on her left foot to grow again.
‘I need to get back to work, Emile. I can’t just stay out here doing nothing. I’m a burden on you all.’
Emile put his arm around her shoulders. There was so much he would have liked to say to her, but they were in the middle of a war and living as fugitives and it was neither the time nor the place. However, there seemed to be an understanding between them even without the words being spoken. They sat close together when eating and if it was deemed safe to light a fire at night, they sat in front of it, the flickering flames lighting their faces as they glanced at each other often.
‘You’re not a burden on any of us. Besides,’ he grinned impishly, ‘being the only woman here, it’s taken for granted that you’ll help with the cooking.’
Beth chuckled. Despite what she had done, her role as a woman and a woman’s duties were not in doubt! Then her smile faded. ‘Maybe I ought to go back to England – next time there’s a pick-up.’
Emile’s arm tightened around her shoulders. ‘Don’t you dare. I want you here – with me, where I can keep my eye on you. If you go back, they’ll only send you out again as soon as they think you’re fit and goodness knows where they might send you then. Besides, you’re doing a grand job here. Bruce is itching for you to be well enough to take over the wireless operations again. He’s finding it very tough and dangerous to keep going out to the farm every time to send and receive messages.’
‘But I can’t go back to the farm, can I? It wouldn’t be safe.’
Emile shook his head. ‘No, it wouldn’t. Papa told me only last night when I risked a quick visit to the farm, that he and Maman had been taken into the town for questioning, but allowed home again after a couple of hours.’ He laughed wryly. ‘I think the Germans realized that their supplies would be seriously depleted if they arrested either of them.’
‘Thank goodness,’ Beth said with heartfelt relief. She had been so worried about the old couple.
‘I’ve been talking the matter over with the others and we think we’ve found a solution. On the opposite side of this wood there’s a bit of higher ground and we think you could transmit from there. It would be a bit of a trek, but I don’t think the Germans bring their detection equipment anywhere near there. What do you think?’
‘If they did suspect, though, wouldn’t it bring all of you into danger? I wouldn’t want that.’
‘We’re all aware of that, but it’s more important for us to be in contact with London. We’re already getting short of equipment, ammunition and explosives, though luckily food is no problem. The farmers near here are all partisans.’
So it was arranged. Emile fetched the wireless set from the barn one night and the following day it was hidden in one of the old cottages. ‘It’ll have to be carried there and back each time, but we’ll do that for you and we’ll always have at least two of the group come with you to keep a look out whilst you’re working.’
The new system worked well and soon Beth was back in touch with London. Supplies were dropped and pick-ups arranged quickly and successfully. If it was possible to be happy in such dire times, then Beth believed herself to be just that. She felt comparatively safe now, even safer than she had done living with the Détanges where visits from the enemy were always a probability. But now, even though living rough, she felt a contentment she had not expected.
And she was truthful enough to acknowledge that it all had to do with being close to Emile.
Archie was home from sea for a few days, but he was restless.
‘There’s summat up, Edie. I can feel it. I don’t know what it is, but I’m on edge and I don’t know why.’
Edie glanced at him. This was not like Archie at all. A more placid, rational man you couldn’t meet.
‘I expect they’re planning an invasion.’
‘Who?’ Archie’s tone was unusually sharp.
‘The Allies, of course. Who did you think I meant? Not Hitler now. He made a mess of things when he didn’t push for it in 1940, but turned his attention to Russia. Thank God he did’ – her gratitude was heartfelt and sincere – ‘else I don’t know where we’d all have been by now.’
Archie smiled and teased, ‘So you do take a bit of notice of the news, then?’
Edie sniffed. ‘Hard not to when you’re at home and even when you’re away’ – there was no need for her to remind Archie that she deliberately never listened to news bulletins when he was at sea – ‘Lil’s always popping round to give me the latest. She should have been a reporter for the paper. She’s always first with a juicy bit of gossip. And now, whenever she calls in to say hello, Ursula always wants to know what we’ve heard and it all has to be gone through again.’
‘Does she now?’ Archie murmured and frowned.
‘Well, I can’t stand here gossiping all day, Archie Kelsey. This ironing won’t do itself and if you want clean clothes to go back to sea, you’d better get out me way. I’ve got to get it all done today if you’re sailing tomorrow.’ Edie never forgot the superstitions that might help to keep her beloved Archie safe.
‘Right then, I’m off down the pub. Harry might be there. He often pops in at lunch times now when Jessie’s busy. He reckons she’s hardly ever at home.’
Edie looked up sharply. ‘Is he grumbling? Because if he is—’
‘No, no, not at all,’ Archie reassured her swiftly. ‘Not Harry. You know Harry – he never complains about owt. I reckon in his eyes your Jessie can do no wrong.’
‘He’s a good husband, I’ll say that for him.’ Edie glanced up and smiled. ‘We’ve been lucky – me and Jessie – to find such lovely men to marry us.’ She kissed him soundly before turning back to her irons heating on the hob. ‘It’s just a shame,’ she murmured, ‘that poor Jessie and Harry didn’t have children. They’d have made lovely parents.’
‘You know,’ Archie said as he put on his jacket, ‘I’m surprised they’ve never adopted. There’re plenty of poor kids out there who need a loving home.’
‘Aye, and there’ll be a lot more when this lot’s over. The bombing will have left orphans. Archie,’ she stood up quickly, ‘we could—’
‘Now, now, Edie love, I know you’re feeling lonely just now, but you’ll have plenty to do once they all get home after the war.’
Edie smiled good-naturedly. ‘Perhaps you’re right, if only it would hurry up and happen.’
‘Besides, we might be thought too old now, love.’
‘I don’t think Jessie would be, though. I might suggest it to her.’
‘Go carefully, then. It’s a touchy subject.’
‘You could have a quiet word with Harry.’
Archie shook his head and put up his hand, palm outwards as if fending off her suggestion. ‘Oh no. Men don’t talk about things like that. Well, we don’t, any road up. We leave that to you womenfolk.’
On 6 June, 1944, the hoped-for invasion of Europe began. It was a long, long day and the whole country waited, half in fear, half in hope, until news came through at last that the Allies had a foothold once more on French soil.
‘We can’t fail now, can we?’ Lil said anxiously to Edie. ‘Surely we can’t lose now.’
Edie was smiling. ‘Course we can’t. It’s like Harry said when he made that toast at Christmas – this real
ly could be the beginning of the end.’
‘Oh I hope so, I do hope so.’ Lil murmured and then pondered, ‘I wonder where Frank is, Edie. D’you think he’s there?’
Edie’s face fell. ‘I reckon – if he’s had the chance – yes, he’ll be in the thick of it. If nothing else, he’ll want to get back into France to avenge his brother’s death when we were driven out. I just hope he – he keeps safe.’
Lil nodded, her throat too full to speak for a moment. She looked upon Frank as her own son and always had done, even before he became her son-in-law. She didn’t dare to imagine what would happen to Irene if Frank didn’t come back. She didn’t want the same life for her daughter as she had had. She patted Edie’s arm and turned away, managing to say huskily, ‘I’ve shopping to do. I’ve got your list, Edie. I’ll see what I can queue for today.’
In France, Emile, his compatriots and Beth had been busy. Beth now had her wireless working again and had been able to receive and transmit vital messages in preparation for the planned invasion. And Bruce, miraculously undiscovered, had been a vital link. The group had carried out sabotage, blowing up railway lines, bridges, German ammunition dumps and generally irritating the enemy and slowing down the resistance to the Allies, who would now, ironically, be classed as the invaders – but invaders who were this time welcomed by the French people.
‘There’ll be reprisals,’ Raoul warned Emile on one of his night visits to his parents’ farm. ‘They’ve already shot four men from the town.’
‘Is Bruce still safe?’
Raoul nodded. ‘He came here yesterday. He told us about it.’
Emile frowned. ‘We ought to think about getting him out of there. If he were to be arrested now, it would be certain death for him after probably being put through hell first.’
‘He could come here,’ Raoul said, but Emile shook his head. ‘No, you and Maman have done enough. You’re still hiding British airmen when necessary and that’s dangerous enough.’
‘I wish Leonie could come back to us. We miss her.’
Emile smiled. ‘I know, but it would be very unsafe for her and for you too. Besides, she’s doing a grand job with us. We’ve even got her doing the cooking.’
The three of them laughed as Marthe said fondly, ‘Well, give her our love and – both of you – take care.’
Thirty-Four
During the weeks following D-Day, Edie broke her own rule. It had nothing to do with any superstition; it was just a decision. She read the newspapers, both local and national, and readily discussed the news with Lil. Once converted, she became the most avid newspaper reader of them all. She even listened to the news bulletins on the wireless, something she had vowed she would never do when Archie was away. Now that the tide of the war was turning in favour of the Allies, she couldn’t get enough of the up-to-the-minute news. Towards the end of August, she went through the door in the fence and straight into Lil’s scullery.
‘You there, Lil? I’ve got a bit of news for you. They’ll soon be home now. All the family will soon be home. Paris has been liberated and Montgomery is pushing from the north and General Patton from further south. Surely, it can’t be long before the whole of France is free, can it?’
‘I don’t expect so, duck.’ Lil was smiling at her friend and joining in her happiness. Maybe she, too, could start to look forward to Irene and Tommy coming back; she hadn’t dared to before now.
‘Eee, wait till Archie sees this. He’ll be home late tonight. I can’t wait to tell him.’
Beth woke in the hayloft to a scuffling sound. Since the Allies had arrived and the Loire valley and all its towns and villages had been liberated bit by bit, she had been back at the Détanges’ farm. Now, she, Emile and all the others could emerge from their hiding place to be reunited with their family and friends. But all was not quite as they’d expected or hoped. There was much bitterness and locals were seeking out anyone they thought had been a collaborator. Everyone suspected their neighbours, their friends and even members of their own family. And so Beth was hiding in Raoul’s hayloft, just in case someone should come looking for her.
‘It’ll soon be over,’ Raoul tried to reassure her. ‘They’re just going a bit mad at the moment. Just lie low for a day or two. They’ll soon have better things to think about.’
And so Beth was spending her days – and her nights – in the hayloft with Raoul bringing food to her. She woke at the slightest sound, listening intently even through the darkness.
It’s only rats, she thought now, and turned over sleepily in her warm burrow in the hay. But then she heard someone quietly ascending the ladder. She lay still, hoping she was completely hidden in the dark corner, yet the early morning light was now filtering through the opening in the loft. It could hardly be called a window, for there was no glass, but it was the shape and size of one; the place where, for the past three days, she had watched the yard and the lane leading to the farm for any unwelcome visitors. The wireless, still needed to send messages, was hidden behind the boarding in the opposite corner to where she was lying. Her heart began to thud. Had they come for her? Was this really it? Was this to be her ignominious end after all that she had endured and already survived? Were the very people she had helped to save now to turn on her in their ignorance of the true part she had played in their deliverance?
A soft voice came out of the half-light. ‘Beth?’ It took only a second for her to recognize the voice. She pushed her way out of the hay and sat up. ‘Emile. Oh, Emile . . .’ And she stretched her arms wide to him. His arms were about her, his lips warm and sweet on her mouth as he lay beside her.
‘Where have you been?’ she whispered between kisses. ‘I’ve been so worried.’
After he had brought her back to the farm, he had disappeared and she’d had no idea where he’d gone.
‘My darling,’ he murmured.
She pulled at the buttons on his shirt, her need for him surging through her. They struggled out of their clothes and then clung together, kissing and caressing, all else forgotten in the release of a mutual passion that had, for so long, been denied.
‘Oh my love,’ he said, as he buried his face in her neck. ‘I’ll never let you out of my sight again. I promise you.’
His lovemaking was tender and yet there was a desperate need that he could no longer hide. He had loved this girl for so long – perhaps even from the time he had first known her in happier times when they’d been so young and carefree and innocent. Then had come the war and the danger, and that love had had to be denied. And yet, she had known of his feelings and had adored him in return. But now, the war was at an end and the future was theirs.
They lay together cosy and safe in the warm hay. ‘Beth,’ he said, daring now to use her real name. ‘Will you – please – marry me, my darling?’
Beth giggled deliciously. Her fears were forgotten. Nothing and no one could hurt her now that Emile was by her side. ‘I think I’d better, don’t you?’
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close as they whispered and laughed together, planning their hopes for the future.
Between kisses, he said, ‘I heard a funny story yesterday from Rob. He said I was to be sure to tell you.’
‘Mm,’ Beth murmured, sleepily. She had no need of amusement; she had everything she wanted right here beside her.
‘It was about a woman agent who was captured and sent to a prison camp to await execution, but then they found out that she was related to Montgomery.’
At once Beth was wide awake. ‘Good Heavens! Monty! Isobel Montgomery – it’s got to be.’ She sat up. ‘Oh Emile – is she . . . ? Did they . . . ?’
‘She’s safe and well. Evidently, her captors didn’t dare to execute her. In fact, as the Allies advanced, a German officer actually drove her to them, hoping that it would save his miserable neck.’
Beth laughed. ‘Oh, that’s priceless. Good old Monty. After it’s all over I must—’ she began, but it was then that they heard the shouts o
f a band of villagers coming down the lane towards the farm.
Emile peered out of the window. ‘They’re coming.’
Beth stifled a sob. After everything that had happened, after she had come through it all and should now be safe, and now that they were free to declare their love, was she to lose her life at the hands of the very people she had helped?
‘Stay here,’ he whispered as he grasped her hand briefly. ‘I’ll try to stop them coming up here. Get right into the corner and I’ll move these bales in front of you. Quickly now.’ She clung to him for a moment and then did as he asked.
‘I love you, Beth,’ he whispered as she heard him move to the ladder and climb down. Then she heard a scrape and a thud as he moved the ladder away from the loft opening to try – in a vain attempt she was sure – to lure the searchers away from where she was hiding.
Emile stepped out of the barn door as the gang of men entered the farm gateway. For a moment, the man in the front – obviously the self-appointed leader – stopped and stared at him. Emile faced him squarely, his arms folded.
‘Emile – you’re back,’ the man said unnecessarily.
‘As you see,’ Emile answered shortly. ‘What brings you here, Maurice Arnaud?’ As if I didn’t know, he thought bitterly.
‘The girl. We want the girl. She’s a collaborator and you know what we do to them.’
From D-Day, Edie followed the news avidly and visits to the cinema were now just an excuse to see the Pathé news too. By the middle of the month, De Gaulle was back in France visiting the liberated areas and towards the end of August, he entered Paris and the people of the city celebrated with him.
‘It’s been bad enough here, Lil, but I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have your country occupied.’
‘It doesn’t bear thinking about, Edie, but they’ll soon be free now. The Allied armies are advancing rapidly across the whole of France now, so the papers say.’
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