Page 62 of Summer of Fire
‘You can still back out, Lizzie. Do you see now why I said it was too dangerous?’
She shook her head. ‘No, I’ll do it. It was a shock, that’s all.’
‘Jack told us a German soldier attacked you. No one will think badly of you if you decline. We can find someone else if we need to, can’t we?’ Camille said, looking from Lizzie and back to her husband.
A flash of doubt crossed Pierre’s face. Then he cleared his throat. ‘Yes, I’m sure we can. It’s just a matter of finding the right person at short notice.’
Lizzie said, ‘Every day we delay means more bombs targeting London. I owe it to everyone back home suffering through the Blitz to do whatever I can, even if it only slows the bastards down.
A few strikes averted can mean hundreds, if notthousands, of lives saved. And all the houses they are bombing. If you saw it, you’d be horrified,’ Lizzie said.
Images of the destruction in London since the daily bombings began entered her mind and she was more resolved to overcome her fears than ever.
The following morning, when Lizzie walked downstairs, she heard voices and held back to catch what they were saying. She mustn’t show herself if it wasn’t someone from the Resistance.
‘She’s determined to do it,’ said Pierre.
‘No, not Lizzie. She’s supposed to be on the demolitions team with me. I need to show her what to do so we can come back and forth.’
‘Yes, but the girl we had lined up is out of action.’
‘Perhaps she’ll be fit again in a few days.’
‘A broken leg isn’t going to miraculously heal overnight, Jack.’
She heard Jack curse, followed by the striking of a match.
Lizzie pushed the kitchen door open tentatively. Knowing Jack was here made her heart skip a beat as she peered around the door.
Jack pushed back his chair and stood to greet her. ‘Ah, there you are. Welcome back.’ His voice was deep and rich, and the sound of it made her spirits sing.
Lizzie threw him a stiff smile, unsure how to act after what had passed between them the last time they saw each other. Camille emerged from the pantry and served them all a cup of coffee. ‘I told you Jack would come soon, didn’t I?’ she said to Lizzie.
Lizzie took a seat near Pierre and avoided meeting Jack’s eyes that were drilling into her. She could feel the force of his gaze as she sipped her coffee.
Eventually, she gathered the courage to look at him, andthe look he gave her was intense. Was she reading him right? Had he missed her too?
His skin was more tanned, and he was dressed in farmer’s clothing. A cap lay next to him, discarded on the table. The stubble on his face had become a lustrous black beard, and he fitted the image of a raven even more. He was a different version of the suave Jack she knew from London. She gulped.
‘I understand you volunteered for the secretary role at the airfield office,’ Jack said.
‘Yes, it makes sense that I step in.’
‘The plan was for you to practice demolitions in the field alongside me. Destroying the airfield is a one-off operation, but we’re only just getting started blowing up railways, trains, and bridges. We aim to create sustained chaos with Resistance targeted attacks. This is where you can be of the most value, and the reason I messaged Val to send you back in.’
‘I understand. Could I not do both?’
Jack stubbed out his cigarette and fell silent as he contemplated the ceiling.
‘One mistake and they will torture and kill you. Do you understand what you are signing up for?’
Lizzie nodded. ‘I understand and I am ready.’
‘It could work if we prepare you properly. The Resistance member worked as a French secretary before. That’s why we chose her.’
‘It’s not like I haven’t done office work,’ Lizzie pointed out. ‘That’s how you found me.’
‘True,’ Jack said. ‘How is your German?’
