Norah’s knife and fork clattered onto her plate and she stared open-mouthed at Alice. ‘How . . .?’
Alice shrugged. ‘Sorry, I don’t know any details, but Pips wouldn’t have told us unless she was sure it was true.’
Len was motionless, staring into space, his knife and fork suspended in mid-air.
Alice sat down. ‘Of course, he’s still in enemy territory, but we’re sure William will – well – hide him until he can get home – somehow.’
‘But won’t that put William and all his family in dreadful danger?’ Norah asked, her voice trembling.
Alice turned her gaze on her father, who still hadn’t moved or said a word. Slowly, she said, ‘It very well might, Mam, but then, William is not afraid of danger.’
Forty-Eight
‘I must telephone Daisy,’ Robert said when Alice had arrived back home. ‘We must let her know Luke is alive and comparatively safe. We’ve got a number to ring in case of emergencies, haven’t we?’
‘Yes,’ Alice said doubtfully. ‘But would her superiors class this as “an emergency”?’
‘Well, I do,’ Robert said shortly. ‘Poor Daisy is worried out of her mind, to say nothing of what Gill will be feeling. Their superiors can think what they like.’
Alice smiled. She knew he was right; Daisy wouldn’t care if trouble came her way as long as she got the news about Luke.
Robert put on his most persuasive doctor’s voice when talking to the Operations Manager. ‘We have something of a family emergency and I must speak to Daisy. It’s most important.’
‘I’m sorry, Daisy is away at the moment. She will be back later today or tomorrow, all being well. I’ll leave a message for her.’
‘Oh,’ Robert was momentarily deflated. He had so hoped to give Daisy the joyous news straightaway. ‘I thought she might be there, it being Sunday.’
‘The war doesn’t stop even for the Lord’s Day,’ the Operations Manager said a little piously.
‘Can you tell me where she is?’
‘No, I’m sorry. I can’t do that, but I’ll leave a message for her to telephone home the moment she arrives back.’
‘Then is Gill Portus there?’
‘No, she’s away too. I am sorry.’ The woman seemed to unbend a little, but not enough to offer to do anything more to help.
‘Who else can I get hold of?’ he asked Alice as he replaced the receiver.
‘What about Johnny? He might be keeping tabs on where Daisy is. Being in the services too, he might be able to do that when we can’t.’
Robert smiled wryly. ‘Isn’t he a little jealous of Luke?’
Alice laughed. ‘Once upon a time, maybe, but Daisy has convinced him that Luke and she are cousins and the best of friends, but no more. And of course, now that Luke has Gill . . .’
‘I expect you’re right. You women have an intuition about these things. So, do we have a number for him?’
‘No, but we could contact Mitch. He’s sure to know how to get in touch with his nephew.’
‘We don’t have a number for Mitch, do we?’
Alice chuckled. ‘We don’t – but your mother does.’
‘Mother! Mother has a telephone number for Mitch Hammond? I thought she disliked him.’
Alice shook her head. ‘Not any more. I think he charmed her when he looked after her and your father at the time of the unveiling of the cenotaph in London.’
Robert was thoughtful. ‘Yes, I remember. Well, well, well. Wonders never cease. So, will you ask her for it, or shall I?’
‘I’ll go, if you like. She’ll be in the parlour waiting until we’re all ready for lunch. I’ll explain to her why we’re having to follow such a roundabout route.’
Minutes later, Robert was asking the exchange to connect him to the number for Mitch’s flat in London.
‘Hammond,’ a voice answered at last.
‘Mitch – is that you? It’s Robert Maitland here.’
‘Oh Lord, this isn’t about Pips, is it? Is she all right?’
‘As far as we know, she’s fine, but she’s a little difficult to get hold of just now. We have to wait for her to contact us.’
‘Ah yes . . .’
Robert could hear the relief in the man’s voice and allowed himself a small smile as he felt a moment’s sympathy for Mitch; he was obviously still very much in love with Pips.
‘What can I do for you, Robert?’
‘We’re trying to get an urgent message to Daisy. I expect you’ve heard that Luke was posted missing? Well, I’m delighted to say that Pips has telephoned to tell us that he’s safe, but he’s with William and that, of course, is in occupied territory.’
‘Good Lord!’ Mitch thought quickly and then said, ‘He must have bailed out and found his way there. He’s visited William before, hasn’t he?’
‘Yes, that’s what we thought too.’
‘And Daisy doesn’t know yet? That he’s safe?’
‘No. I rang her superior officer, but she wasn’t exactly helpful.’
Mitch chuckled. ‘They’re not allowed to be, Robert. Don’t blame her.’
Robert laughed with him. ‘No, I understand that. But poor Daisy must be told as soon as possible. We wondered if you could get in touch with Johnny. He might know where she is or be able to contact her more quickly than we can.’
‘Ah, I see now why you’re ringing me, but there is something else, something that is probably even more important than letting Daisy know. If he’s in Belgium, both he and, I’m afraid, William and his family too, if they’re harbouring him, are in dreadful danger. Has anything been said about getting him back home?’
‘No – we haven’t been told anything about that and I don’t expect we will be.’
‘Leave that with me too. I have one or two contacts . . .’
When he replaced the receiver, Mitch was thoughtful for a moment. Then he dialled a number he knew very well. ‘Jeff, I need your help and it’s urgent.’ He explained swiftly.
‘Of course,’ Jeff Pointer said at the other end of the line. ‘We’d better move as quickly as possible.’ He was silent for a moment, thinking. ‘Get Johnny to bring Daisy here. We need her.’
Next, Mitch telephoned the airfield where his nephew was stationed. He was in luck; Johnny was not flying and was brought to the telephone.
‘This is an emergency, Johnny. Can you get leave?’
‘I think so. I’m grounded because I’ve injured my leg. It’s not serious, but they won’t let me fly for a few days.’
‘Can you still ride your motorcycle?’
‘Oh yes, but . . .’
‘Now listen carefully. A message has been received that Luke is safe – for the moment – but he is still in grave danger. Johnny, you have to find Daisy and bring her to London as soon as you possibly can. To Sixty-four Baker Street. Have you got that?’
‘Yes, Uncle Mitch.’
‘Right. I’ll be waiting for you whenever you get there. But make it as fast as you can. This is urgent.’
Johnny knew better than to ask for more information, especially over the telephone. He trusted his uncle implicitly and would do whatever he asked.
Within minutes Johnny was standing in front of his commanding officer. His sense of urgency had communicated itself and he’d been admitted to the CO’s office at once.
‘Sir, I can’t tell you details, I’m afraid, mainly because I don’t know them myself, but one of our chaps who was reported as missing from Hornchurch last Tuesday has been located as being safe, but only for the moment. Sir, will you trust me when I tell you that there are ways I can help, but I need a few days’ leave?’
The CO frowned thoughtfully. Hammond had a good reputation, was known to be not only an exceptional flier, but also trustworthy and honest. He was in line for a promotion very soon, though the young man didn’t yet know this himself.
‘Of course, Hammond. I will see to it. Off you go.’
‘There’s one more thing, sir, if I m
ight ask a huge favour. Could you telephone the senior officer at Hamble? I need to get in touch with Daisy Maitland urgently.’
The CO raised his eyebrows. Had he misjudged this young man? ‘Isn’t she your girlfriend?’
‘She is, sir, yes, but my uncle has asked me to take her to Sixty-four Baker Street in London as quickly as possible.’
The older man stared at him. He had little information to go on, but he – unlike Johnny at this moment – knew exactly what was at that address. Without further hesitation, he reached for the telephone.
They were working at the Langemark cemetery the following day when they encountered the German officer again.
‘It will be good to be seen tending the German graves,’ William had said and so this morning they had come to where the German soldiers from the Great War were buried.
‘Hitler came here for a visit in June 1940,’ William said. ‘Evidently, he served in this area during the Great War.’
‘Did you see him?’
‘No,’ William said shortly. ‘I didn’t know he’d been until later. If I had—’ He turned away quickly and Luke wondered what had been in his mind.
The staff car pulled to a halt outside the cemetery and the officer strolled amongst the graves, reading one or two inscriptions and then pausing for a long moment beside the rectangular box shape that marked the mass grave that contained thousands of dead.
Then, still limping on the uneven ground, he came directly to William.
‘Do you get – what is the word – vilified by the locals for tending enemy graves?’
William shrugged. ‘No, I remain completely neutral. They know that – and accept it.’
The man gave a curt nod, his gaze still roaming around the sombre place and finally coming to rest upon Luke, who was working a short distance away, his head down.
‘Wilhelm,’ the officer said softly, ‘I have come to talk to you about your – relative.’
A stab of fear shot through William, but he straightened up and faced the officer, keeping his face expressionless.
‘First, I will explain why I am about to do something for which I could be shot.’ They were standing in the middle of the cemetery. No one could overhear what was being said, not even Luke.
‘You will remember the first Christmas of the last war when up and down the lines soldiers from both sides climbed out of their trenches and met in no-man’s-land?’
‘I do indeed,’ William murmured.
‘You played football, I believe, with each other.’
‘Yes, that’s right. We did.’
The officer was silent for a moment before saying, ‘I could not play. I was lying very ill in our trench. There was no one available from our lines so one of my friends persuaded one of your doctors to see me.’
William gasped but said nothing, allowing him to continue. ‘Your doctor said that if I did not get immediate attention, I would die.’ Slowly, he turned to look straight into William’s eyes. ‘You carried me from our trench across no-man’s-land to your first-aid post. Your doctor amputated my foot and your nurses cared for me.’
‘My God,’ William said hoarsely. ‘You’re Hans?’
‘You remember me?’
‘Of course I do. When you were well enough, I took you to the nearest casualty-clearing station, from where, I presume, you were eventually taken to England as a prisoner of war.’
Hans nodded. ‘I was, but I was treated well, with courtesy and kindness. You – and your fellow countrymen – saved my life. And now, I owe it to you to save your – relative.’
William frowned. ‘I appreciate your sentiment, but – how?’
‘Whilst I am here – in charge of this area – he is safe, but I have been recalled to Berlin.’ He smiled wryly. ‘Perhaps they think I am not doing a good job here. I have been notified that my replacement will arrive this coming Saturday, the sixteenth. I cannot guarantee that my successor will look so kindly on him. You and your family are safe – it is in the notes at our headquarters in Ypres – but there is nothing about him. Wilhelm, you must get him away from here by Friday morning at the latest – send him home, if you can. For the next four days, you will not be watched. I promise you that, but afterwards . . .’ Hans said no more, but William understood.
‘We’ve been lucky that you were posted here.’
‘No coincidence, I assure you. I asked for a posting near Ypres. I wanted to come back here, though, of course’ – he smiled faintly – ‘I didn’t know then that I would be able to help one of the men who saved my life.’
‘Hans, I would like to shake your hand to thank you properly, but your driver is watching.’
With his back turned towards his driver, Hans smiled. ‘It is better not. Just – do what you can, otherwise the young man may be taken prisoner and I cannot say what might happen to him then.’
Inwardly, William shuddered.
‘I may not see you again before I leave, so I hope all goes well. Viel glück.’ He gave a curt nod and, setting his face in a serious expression, he turned and walked back to his vehicle without even glancing in Luke’s direction.
Forty-Nine
‘Waldo – I’m so glad you’ve come tonight. We have a problem.’
William, Brigitta and Luke were sitting in the firelight, with the blinds drawn. Swiftly, William related all that had happened between himself and Hans earlier that day.
‘Can you trust this German, Father? You don’t think it’s a trap?’
‘I think we have to, Waldo. It’s our only chance to get Luke away before Hans leaves this district. His warning was clear. Someone else will not be willing to turn a blind eye to Luke’s presence here and we only have three days left. We have to get Luke away by Friday as the German officer’s replacement arrives on Saturday.’
Waldo sighed. ‘Our escape route overland has been compromised. Two British airmen were caught only recently and have been taken to a prison camp in Germany. Sadly, two of our Resistance workers were shot.’
Brigitta made a little sound and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with fear. Waldo touched her arm. ‘We have to do this work, Mama. You know we do.’
She nodded, but could not prevent the tears from falling. Facing danger herself was one thing; knowing her beloved sons were facing it every day was quite another.
‘So,’ Waldo turned to Luke, ‘we have to get you away from here. We have to get you picked up by an aircraft. I’ll send a message to my contact in England tonight.’
‘I don’t want anyone losing their lives for my sake,’ Luke said worriedly. ‘I’d sooner hand myself in. I’ve still got my dog tag. I can prove I’m RAF – not some spy.’
Waldo grinned and slapped his shoulder. ‘You leave me to worry about that. It’s what we do, Cousin Luke.’
Waldo left soon afterwards to send his message. Despite his father’s trust in the German officer, Waldo was not willing to take unnecessary chances.
‘Where on earth are you taking me at this time of night?’ Daisy said, throwing her trousered leg over the pillion seat of Johnny’s motorcycle. Johnny had ridden his motorcycle to Hamble as soon as he had left his CO’s office. Luckily, it was to find that Daisy had just arrived back at the ferry pool after a long train ride from the north of England. Fortunately, she had been able to catch a little sleep on the journey. ‘You must have worked your charm on Ma’am for her to allow this.’
‘I think it was more my CO’s charm – God bless him. From the look on his face, I think he knows more about this than we do at this moment. We must get on, but before we go, I have to tell you that this is about Luke. He’s been located. He’s safe for the moment, but we have to act quickly. Uncle Mitch has told me to take you to an address in London. He’ll be there waiting for us.’
‘Oh Johnny. Thank God! I must tell Gill at once.’
‘No time. We must go.’
‘But—’
‘No “buts”, Daisy. Hang on.’
She wound her
arms round his waist and leaned her head against his back as he kick-started his motorcycle and they roared off into the night.
The unfamiliar streets of London were shrouded in complete darkness. The only people abroad were fire-watchers and air-raid wardens. Although the London Blitz was deemed to be over, raids still occurred and the authorities were ever watchful.
They had to stop and ask for directions three times before they turned into the street, but at last they halted outside the number they’d been given. Johnny parked his machine and, as they approached the door, it opened and a figure emerged. ‘You made it,’ came Mitch’s familiar voice out of the darkness. ‘Come in quickly.’
Once inside, with the blackout safely back in place, Mitch turned on a light.
‘Is it true, Uncle Mitch? Is Luke really safe?’
‘For the moment, Daisy, yes, but we haven’t long. There’s been another message from their contact in that area just come through to us. It’s even more urgent than we thought. He has to be got out by Friday.’
Daisy gasped. ‘But where is he?’
‘He’s near Ypres – with your Uncle William.’
Daisy stared at him and then began to smile. ‘And you want me to go and fetch him?’
‘Certainly not, young lady. The very idea. What we do want from you is for you to brief our pilot on the area, which you know so well.’
‘But . . .’
‘No “buts”, Daisy. This is what the SOE do.’
‘Is that where we are?’
‘Yes, this is SOE headquarters. And now, there’s someone I’d like you both to meet. I think you might remember him.’
He led them along a corridor, up a flight of stairs and along another corridor to an office at the end. Opening a door, he ushered them inside and as the man behind the desk rose, Daisy gasped.
‘Jeff!’
Jeff Pointer smiled at her and held out his hand. ‘Hello, Daisy. Good to see you again. Do sit down – all of you. I’ll have coffee brought in.’
When they were sitting down with a cup of coffee and biscuits, Jeff came straight to the point. ‘Daisy, we need your help. We have to get Luke out by Friday morning at the latest. I don’t know why, but this is what our contact says and we trust him. His message read “Parcel collection before dawn Friday. Imperative no later.” When an operator uses the word “imperative”, we know it’s desperately urgent.’
The Spitfire Sisters Page 30