Page 9 of Love in the Shadows

“Yes, Frau Neumann, we know the house well,” Frau Tussaud interrupted.

She grabbed her granddaughter’s arm, presumably to silence her before she spoke her mind any further. Wise woman. Johanna held the fraulein’s intense gaze, matching it with her own silent caution. Then she gave her attention to the older woman and smiled. The younger one continued to glare at her.

“We were not asked to serve the previous kommandant,” Frau Tussaud said.

“If you have any special food requirements, please do let us know,” Fraulein Brun said.

She didn’t hide the cynicism in her tone. Fortunately, Johanna wasn’t a stranger to being challenged, nor was she phased by it, any more than she was naïve to the impact of rationing and the injustices between them that became more evident as the war went on. She was just fortunate, but she also had her duties to perform for the Reich, hosting important guests from the Gestapo and the SS, and to that end Fraulein Brun would have to learn to rein in her anger and curb her tone.

The older woman tightened her grip around her granddaughter’s arm. “We have prepared a chicken and some vegetables for this evening, and a peach tart, which we hope will please you, Frau Neumann. It is not a lot, but it is fresh…mostly.”

“I’m sure the kommandant will be very happy. And chicken is one of my daughter’s favourites.”

“And what about you?” Fraulein Brun asked.

Johanna held her gaze and gave a tight-lipped half-smile. “I do not eat meat these days, nor do I like peaches.”

The older woman looked down. “We are very sorry, Frau Neumann. We were not informed of this.”

The younger woman bit the inside of her lip as if holding back, then looked Johanna up and down as if assessing her. She seemed to register something amusing because she half-smiled, and her eyes gained a slight sparkle. “We can grow vegetables more easily, Frau Neumann. I would advise Hauptmann Kohl not to kill any more of the hens. We can make omelettes instead and that way the food will last longer.”

Johanna couldn’t disagree with her logic. The woman reminded her of herself before the war, and of many a student Johanna had mentored and debated with. She admired her spirit given her inferior position, though she knew Gerhard and the other officers would not be as empathetic. Nor would they be pleased to eat eggs when they could have meat. She hoped Fabienne Brun was smart enough to not speak her mind in front of the men, otherwise she would get herself shot before they got the chance to know each other a little better.

Fabienne smiled at her as if she’d read Johanna’s thoughts.

Johanna cleared her throat and got down to the matter of business. “My husband and our nanny will take breakfast at six in their rooms, unless they say otherwise. Astrid and I will eat at seven-thirty in the dining room. The bedrooms will need to be cleaned every day before ten. Astrid will take lunch with Nanny at twelve-thirty, and I will eat alone at one. Dinner will be served when my husband returns. Nanny will take hers before us. She will tell you when. I will discuss the meal options with you daily. The house must always be kept spotless, and any repairs and maintenance must be carried out as quickly as possible. It seems the gutter at the front, over the archway, needs fixing and I noticed there are lightbulbs missing from the chandelier in the foyer.”

“Lightbulbs!” Fabienne said. “We are under strict instruction to minimise the use of electricity. Bulbs are not available, and we do not have access to proper cleaning materials either.” She lowered her gaze. “Frau Neumann,” she added, softly.

“I will speak to my husband about acquiring what you need. A soldier will always be with you when you move around the house.” She didn’t want a guard in the house all the time, but Hauptmann Kohl had insisted these were the kommandant’s instructions and until she found the time to speak to her husband, she had no choice but to obey. “If you need assistance with maintenance tasks, he can help you. Now, I must get ready for dinner.” She turned away, then remembered the issue in the cellar. “There are rats in the wine cellar. Can you get hold of traps?”

Both women shook their heads.

“Can one of you get me a cat?”

“Yes,” Fabienne said.

“Good.” Johanna turned away.

“Excuse me, Frau Neumann.”

The fraulein’s steady gaze was slightly unnerving, though Johanna couldn’t say why exactly. Perhaps she was more of a threat than she had thought. “Yes.”

“I have been working at the dairy, with the kommandant’s approval, of course, before coming to the house. Can I assume that this will still be possible? It is important to make sure the soldiers get milk, cheese and butter.”

Even with the polite request, Johanna felt an unease about the way the woman looked at her and her tone. She was impressed with her work ethic though not entirely convinced by her justification. However, they needed workers at the dairy probably more than she did at the house. “As long as the work is done here, I see no reason why not.”

Fabienne bowed her head. “Thank you, Frau Neumann.”

Johanna softened inside, as if released from the fraulein’s hold over her, and made her way through the dining room, aware that she was in direct sight of both women, feeling the heat of the gaze of the gutsy young French woman on her back. There was something about her that Johanna liked, but there was also the voice in her head that reminded Johanna they were on opposite sides.

***

“You must be careful not to antagonise her,” Mamie said. She took the chicken from the fridge and cranked up the fire in the stove.

“Guarded while we work. Putain, c’est fou!” Fabienne took the packet of Gauloises from her trouser pocket and lit a cigarette. The simple act of inhaling the smoke deep into her lungs and releasing it slowly helped to calm her.

“Yes, it is crazy, but it is as it is. I’m sure the new guard will soon get bored, as has Captain Kohl.”

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