Page 10 of Shadows In Paris
‘Evie’s right,’ Juliet agreed. ‘Except for lucky Lizzie, here. She gets to see her handsome Captain King every day.’
Lizzie shushed her sister and tutted, but her cheeks turned a pale shade of pink. ‘I’ve told you there’s nothing romantic between us. Why do you insist on going on about him so?’
Lizzie turned a fierce stare on Evie to warn her to stay quiet on the matter. Her baby sister was the only one who had seen them together and knew there was something more than a boss-employee relationship between them. She had been sworn to secrecy in the name of the security of the nation, and Lizzie wasn’t beyond threatening her.
Juliet laughed. ‘Because anyone can see you are gaga for each other.’
‘Absolute nonsense,’ Lizzie said. ‘He’s my commanding officer. Those engine fumes must be addling your brain, darling Jules.’
‘Talking of you two,’ Juliet continued, undeterred, ‘Scarlett and Rhett have a big age difference just like you and your captain.’
Now Lizzie flushed bright pink, despite fighting to compose herself. ‘What guff you do talk. Even if it were true,we’re nothing like Scarlett and Rhett. Rhett is almost double Scarlett’s age!’
‘Ah, so you have thought about it,’ Juliet teased.
‘Oh, you!’ Lizzie punched her lightly on the arm and rolled her eyes, but her heart was beating uncomfortably fast, and she was relieved they couldn’t hear it.
‘The film issoromantic,’ Evie said. ‘Who doesn’t love a handsome scoundrel?’
‘It is romantic, although my Oliver isn’t a scoundrel and I’d always choose him,’ Juliet said. ‘I suppose I like a more dependable type.’
‘We’re drawing this conversation to a close right now,’ Rose said. ‘You girls are growing quite wild. I don’t know whether it’s the company you keep in London or the influence of wartime that’s having this effect on you. It’s quite unsettling.’
‘It’s neither, Ma. We’re just growing up, that’s all. And times have changed since you were our age. We can speak more freely,’ Evie said.
‘That you certainly do,’ Rose said, a hint of amusement ringing in her disapproving tone. ‘Come on, it’s time to go back in for the second half. Let’s hope things improve for Scarlett.’
The four of them emerged a few hours later, their faces pink and their eyes red-rimmed.
‘I thought for sure it would be a happy ending,’ sobbed Evie, clutching her handkerchief to her red nose.
‘Whatever gave you that idea?’ Rose asked.
‘Me too,’ sniffed Juliet. ‘I can get sad all on my own missing Oliver. I don’t need to watch a tragic four-hour film to do it. I feel quite distraught.’
‘Oh, come now,’ said Lizzie. ‘Cheer up. It was a sad ending, but like Scarlett said, “Tomorrow is another day.” Wemust be as hopeful as her if we’re to get through this war with our hearts in one piece.’
Rose looked at Lizzie. ‘My goodness, when did you become so wise, darling? You seem to have matured in the blink of an eye.’
Lizzie smiled, touched by her mother’s praise. ‘Well, I will be twenty-two soon, you know.’
Rose laughed. ‘Trust me, some of the oldest people have little real wisdom to show for their years on earth.’
Lizzie wondered why that might be. She felt as though she’d matured a lot since joining the SOE. Her missions in France had changed her profoundly. There was something about seeing your life flash before your eyes that did that to you, she supposed. She could easily have been killed in Reims, and it had given her a greater appreciation for life. Shaking her head, she pushed the frightening images out of her mind before the familiar fear gripped her.
Falling in love with Jack had changed her, too.
Keeping her work and her love for Jack a secret from her beloved family was hard. Only her father knew she was an agent, but she hadn’t confided in him about her relationship with Jack.
They exited the building and joined the throngs of filmgoers flooding into Leicester Square.
‘Let’s go home for a cup of tea with Pa before bed, shall we?’ Rose said.
They all agreed that was a lovely idea, and they huddled in their coats against the biting cold and hurried into the station.
CHAPTER 5
‘The mission is confirmed for the end of next week,’ Jack said with a sense of finality in his tone, the following morning in the office.
