Page 38 of Shadows In Paris
‘That is a shame. Thank you for so generously showing me what to do, so I don’t mess it up.’
‘I take great pride in my work. It’s not every French woman who gets posted to a job as prestigious as this. You should be proud of being selected for this role.’
Hannah agreed they were both very lucky and she would do her best to fill her shoes and not let the major general down.
‘You do important work here. I understood from the interview that this office is instrumental in leading the way on the statutes against the Jews.’ Hannah saidJewswith disdain to encourage the secretary to share what she knew.
The woman preened at Hannah’s effusive praise.
‘Yes, that’s correct. It is such important work, and we have only just begun. Herr Major General evaluates the proposed ordinances and decides what to pass on to his superior—the general.’ Her voice grew louder with enthusiasm. ‘They say that soon they will rid us completely of low life Jewish scum.’ She leaned closer to Hannah and her voice dropped to a whisper. ‘You probably won’t see much of the general himself, but there will be correspondence and reports for you to translate and type.’
Hannah looked nonchalant, as if the words didn’t pierce her heart like a sharp blade. ‘Do you mean there’ll be reports to type up about the pending laws regarding Jews?’
The secretary nodded, and her eyes were solemn. ‘That’s right, we oversee all of that, and it’s a mammoth task. There are big plans to speed things up.’
Hannah finished her coffee and rested the cup on the table, sick to the stomach at the dark future the secretary painted with such glee. ‘I will look forward to learning more about that. I have heard the whispers about how they mean to rid France completely of the vermin Jews, just like they did so successfully in Germany.’
‘Well, you’ve got the right job. Herr Major General is extremely passionate in that area. He advises the general closely, you know. He is such a committed man.’
Another bolt of fierce anger ripped through Hannah, and she held her hands stiffly at her sides to retrain herself from attacking the odious woman. Her urge was to grab the cruel collaborator by the scruff of her neck and stick her face in the steaming hot water in the sink until she couldn’t breathe.
There was a cough behind them, and they both turned.
‘We don’t employ you to stand around idle,’ the major general snapped as he strode across the room. The door to his private office slammed behind him and he disappeared.
Hannah arranged her face into an expression of regret. ‘I hope he won’t fire me,’ she whispered.
The secretary flushed. ‘No, no, don’t worry. That’s how he is most of the time. You’ll get used to him. He’s charming beneath his brusque exterior.’
CHAPTER 17
The woman on the farmhouse doorstep looked around and then back at Lizzie before she spoke softly. ‘The frost lays thick on the ground today.’
Her statement startled Lizzie, but then she stood aside and invited the visitor to enter. ‘Come into the kitchen,’ Lizzie said. ‘It’s slightly warmer.’
The woman’s face was pink from the fierce wind that whipped around the house, and Lizzie offered her a cup of tea.
‘I can’t stay long. I only came because I have an important message to deliver.’
Lizzie fixed her gaze on the woman. ‘Go ahead, although Angel isn’t here, I’m afraid.’
‘Yes, she warned me she wouldn’t be around, and I promised only to come if it was critical.’
‘Are you alright? What is it you need?’ Lizzie asked, stepping into her new role as stand-in for Hannah, or Angel, as she was codenamed in the Liberty Network.
The woman’s voice was now so low that Lizzie had to lean closer and strain to hear.
‘There is a Jewish family that needs moving. I reached out to a sympathetic contact who helped us in the past, but they have no room for them now. There was a Nazi search last night, and they took someone in.’
‘I see,’ Lizzie said, feeling like she was already in over her head on the first morning without Hannah. ‘Angel didn’t mention it. What would you like me to do?’
‘Angel probably hasn’t heard yet, but she will know where to hide them. Can you reach her somehow?’
Lizzie shook her head. ‘There’s no way to reach her now. Perhaps later this evening, but I can’t be sure.’
The woman chewed her lip.
‘Who shall I say called when I see Angel? I promise I will pass on your message as soon as possible.’ Lizzie touched the woman’s arm and guided her towards a seat. ‘Come sit. Let me make you some tea.’
