Page 46 of Summer of Fire
Lizzie peered at the paper and read the text. ‘Oh dear. The bastards are bombing London now. Where is this from?’ she asked, curious to see the latest British news in occupied France.
‘Some intrepid soul delivers leaflets to our post box, and we get the occasional update.’
‘The Resistance really is quite incredible, isn’t it? Do you know the messenger?’
‘Quite possibly. We know most people round this way, but Pierre says the less we know, the better. If we don’t know names, we can’t name them, which is better for everyone. We do our bit by sheltering those in need, but we won’t help the cause by getting ourselves shot. That’s what he says, anyway. Whoever is delivering these leaflets has some guts.’
Lizzie was impressed that anyone would dare to do that right under the noses of the Nazis, and she said as much.
‘Well, what you and Jack are doing is just as brave—more so. He’s a professional from before the war, but this is your first operation, as I understand it. Weren’t you scared to drop into enemy territory like that?’
‘I was, but my brother is away fighting, and I thought if he can do that, then I can do this. I try not to think about it too much.’
‘Smart girl.’ Camille served breakfast for Lizzie, just as the door opened and Jack entered.
‘You always did know when it was mealtime,’ Camille laughed. ‘Sit yourself down. We’re about to have eggs.’
‘I’m ravenous,’ Jack said, taking a chair opposite Lizzie. ‘What’s that?’ He pointed to the leaflet.
‘Not good news,’ Lizzie said.
Jack read the leaflet and swore under his breath. ‘Yes, the Battle of Britain is getting worse. Not only are our boys fighting in the skies, now the Luftwaffe has bombed London too.’
Camille had eaten earlier, but Pierre came in when she called him from the window and joined them for the meal. He wished them good morning and added, ‘If anyone arrives, make yourselves scarce. We get soldiers turning up to collectthe produce at random times, always trying to catch us out, it seems.’
‘We’ll stay out of sight for the rest of the day and leave when it’s dark,’ Jack said.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to leave too, whilst you can? Reims is full of German soldiers and the Gestapo are everywhere you go. You’re in grave danger here and it’s only getting worse.’
Jack finished his eggs. ‘No, I must look for Hannah and I want to assess what’s left of the Reims Resistance. Don’t worry. I’ll be on my way soon.’
‘It’s not us, I’m worried about,’ Pierre said. ‘Stay here as long as you want.’
Lizzie’s heart palpitated. She was terrified he would be captured after she was gone, and violent stabs at the mention of Hannah added to her tumultuous feelings. She’d never experienced jealousy like this, and she didn’t like it one bit.
It was tearing her apart and she couldn’t think straight. He was right about one thing—it was dangerous to fall in love with someone on an operation.
They laid low in the old farmhouse, barely speaking, the tension between them sharp as a knife’s edge. Lizzie was upset, and Jack kept his distance. The day passed slowly until finally it was time to leave. They said their goodbyes to Pierre and Camille and set off quickly under cover of darkness for the pickup zone. They had a long hike ahead of them and Jack insisted on carrying her case.
‘You may be angry at me, Seagrove, but I’m still a gentleman and will make sure you get back safely. That’s why I came here, after all.’
‘Is it? I thought your main goal was to find Hannah.’
‘Not at all. My boss insisted I bring you back. I tagged on, searching for Hannah whilst I’m here.’
He’d only come to get her because he was ordered to. Her having these feelings for him was ridiculous, she decided. She was making a complete fool of herself, and she quivered with indignation.
The silence between them was palpable as they rushed across the damp fields.
‘It’s a beautiful night,’ Jack said, after they’d been on the move for some time. ‘The moonlight is strong too, so the conditions are with us for your return to London.’
Lizzie swallowed her pride and said in a small voice, ‘Won’t you reconsider and come back to London too? I understand you want to help Hannah, but you heard Pierre. It’s too dangerous for British agents here now.’
Jack didn’t reply for a moment. ‘I wish I could, but it wouldn’t be right. If there’s even a slim chance I can find Hannah and get her to England, I must try. Besides, there is a lot of work to do here now. The Resistance is in tatters. They need galvanising into action.’
They passed the rest of the way in silence, and all they heard was the occasional hoot of an owl or the movement of a fox in the undergrowth. The moon glowed in the dark velvet sky and twinkled with stars like a bejewelled cape. The air was warm, but not stuffy, and under different circumstances, it would have been the perfect night.
They heard the distant hum of an aircraft. ‘This is it,’ Jack said. ‘You ready, Seagrove?’
