Page 16 of Whispers At Dawn
Lizzie stretched before standing and climbing into the jumpsuit, one hand gripping Jack’s shoulder. He bent to close the parallel zips. ‘You look great in a striptease suit!’
Lizzie remembered how funny she thought it was when she prepared for her first mission and learnt the jumpsuit was called a striptease suit. ‘I hope the only striptease I’ll be doing is taking this bloody thing off after we jump,’ she said.
‘Don’t be a spoilsport, darling. I’m sure we’ll have time for a proper striptease in Toulouse.’
‘You’re remarkably confident about us being welcome to stay at the château, considering your uncle doesn’t even know we’re coming, and he dislikes the English.’
‘It’ll be fine. He’ll be happy to have the company. You’ll see.’
The navigator’s voice rang out through the cool night air. ‘Ten minutes to the drop zone.’
‘That went quickly,’ Lizzie said.
‘We’re flying over the South of France now. It’s nearly time. You ready?’
Lizzie nodded, and she kissed Jack quickly, her expression sombre. ‘Good luck, Raven.’
‘Good luck, Seagrove. Do you want to go first or second?’
Lizzie replied without hesitation. ‘First, definitely first.’
They donned their helmets, and the navigator entered the small cabin to attach the ripcords ready for them to jump. Then he addressed them both. ‘It’s almost time.’
They moved into position as the hatchflipped open.
Wind whirled into their faces and Lizzie’s eyes watered. Her heart pounded, and she stood there trying to calm herself, feeling like she was in a dream.
’10, 9, 8 …’ The navigator counted.
CHAPTER 8
Toulouse, June 1941
Jack watched Lizzie prepare to jump. He’d watched her hurl herself into the night once before, and now his heart buffeted in his chest as fiercely as the wind hit the aircraft.
It would be the usual procedure, for him, the captain, to take the lead, but Lizzie was not the usual kind of woman, and if she preferred to jump first, then jump first she would.
Jack wasn’t typically a praying man, but beseeching words flooded his consciousness, and his lips moved silently as she jumped. If anyone had heard the noise of the engine and was waiting below, it would all be over for them before it begun.
There would be no reception committee to welcome them, like in Reims. Toulouse was virgin territory for the SOE, and they had no established network to pave the way.
All that would change if the mission was successful. Reims Resistance Network was still fully operational, but unfortunately, The Liberty Network they had set up in Paris was out of action for the time being. It was too dangerous for Hannah or Lizzie to show their faces in Paris after their lastdeadly operation, so they had alerted all contacts to go dark until further notice. They were here now because the South of France was wide open for recruitment.
Jack looked downwards, and the breath snagged in his chest as he watched Lizzie’s silk chute open.
Thank God. He could breathe again, and he inhaled deeply several times. The moon was full, and its silver light bleached the inky sky so he could glimpse Lizzie below as the plane hovered, ready for him to join her.
And then he took the leap and felt his weight sail through the air until mercifully his chute opened, and his feet bounced several times before he tumbled onto the hard ground, his limbs tangled in the material.
Lizzie appeared, looking down at him, and she offered him her hand to help him to his feet and he took it gratefully.
‘How was it?’ he whispered.
‘Fine,’ she said. ‘I’m glad you’re with me. This is the really hard bit when you don’t know where to go.’
Jack raised her hand to his lips and kissed her cold flesh. ‘I told you, we’re together all the way.’
Lizzie had already removed her jumpsuit, and Jack hastily stepped out of his. ‘We need to bury them,’ she said.
