Joshua took the light and scrutinized the rushing water for the signal of their boat. Jacob took Chloe by the hand and practically dragged her to her parents. Remy and Rachelle waited on a tree root, but Remy stood when they approached.
Jacob halted in front of them and bent down on one knee. "Chloe Fabius, will you marry me and be my wife?"
"What are you doing, Jacques?" cried Joshua.
"Watch the river, Josh."
"Mai oui, mon Capitaine."
"Chloe, will you marry me?"
"Oui."
Rachelle stood beside Chloe, and they turned to face Remy.
He took his daughter's hand. "Do you, Chloe Fabius, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?"
Chloe hadn't looked at Jacob, so he took her chin in his hand and turned her face toward him.
"I do."
"Jacques Conran Jacob Cohen, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
Chloe's eyebrows arched at the announcement of Jacob's real name, but she didn't comment.
"I do."
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Jacob wasn't about to put Chloe on the spot. He held her hand to his mouth and gently pressed his lips against her knuckles.
As he dropped her hand, he realized he had no ring. "I'm sorry, but I don't have a ring to give you."
"That's all right…"
"Chloe, Jacques, I saved this for the day when Chloe would marry. It was her grandmother's." Rachelle handed a ring to Jacob.
He held it before Chloe with a question in his eyes. She nodded, and he carefully slid the ring over her finger, and holding her hand up, kissed it again.
"Get down," said Joshua urgently.
Jacob reacted instinctively. He forcibly grabbed at Chloe and Rachelle, dragging them to the ground. Remy dropped beside them.
"Keep your faces hidden," Jacob whispered.
The whir of a boat motor drifted across the water, and a bright light searched the shoreline. No one moved. What should they do? If they allowed the patrol to motor up and down the shore, it might catch their comrades before they could make contact. Jacob waited for the light to move away and then reached for his pack.
"Stay here."
He dropped back further into the trees and scanned the river. When he caught sight of the boat, he moved through the trees to draw up parallel then ran to the edge of the water.
"Help, help!"
He was covered with mud and blood, and he was yelling in German. That ought to attract their attention. The searchlight zoomed in on him, and Jacob held his arms loosely against his sides, blinking against the strong light. The light lowered, and the boat came closer. When it hit the shore, he stepped forward.
A German voice called out. "Are you injured?"
"Ja, mein arm." Jacob let his left arm hang limply while he studied the boat. Only two men. While one helped him aboard, he could shoot the other. But it would only work if they were caught off guard. If they suspected anything, Jacob wouldn't get a chance to pull his gun.
One of the soldiers clambered over the side of the boat to help Jacob. Had they known he was a Jew, their humanity would have been short-lived. That thought spurred him on as he let himself be lifted over the edge of the boat. When he had both feet inside, he put his right hand in his pocket and pulled out a hammer. The first soldier went down before the boat even moved. The other soldier had no idea what happened. He stood, startled, and Jacob hit him also.
He dumped the bodies in the water then climbed back on board. If only their deaths would be attributed to the chateau's explosion. Just one more thing to trust to God. After re-starting the engine, he steered to the bank where he'd left Chloe and the others.
He called out as he pulled in. "Chloe…Joshua, it's me."
He didn't have any more flashlights so he had to keep calling.
Joshua ran forward to pull the boat to shore. "You're just plain crazy! No wonder they call you the Lion."
Once again, they huddled on the bank to wait for the signal boat.
Jacob spotted a glimmer, J-J-J. "Josh, have you still got that light?"
"Oui, I saw it."
Joshua flashed a Morse code signal the appropriate number of times, K-K-K-K, then they waited.
The return signal assured them it was the right group. Joshua flashed the light one more time, and the boat drew near. When both groups caught sight of each other, a cheer went up. They had accomplished both missions without any loss of life.
The elation didn't last long for Jacob. Saying farewell to Chloe's parents was an emotional moment. He thought Chloe would cry, but when she turned away, her face was dry.
"We already said our goodbyes," she said. "I'm ready."
Jacob had one last instruction for Remy. "If there's any way, dump those dead soldiers in the moat."
Remy nodded, and Chloe's parents disappeared into the thick woods of the shoreline. Both boats revved their motors and steered toward Lyon.
Chloe sat nestled in the front of the Gestapo boat. "We would never have fit on that little boat with the other team," said Chloe. "You knew that, and yet you brought me anyway."
"I told you God was going to provide for your needs, Chloe."
"You're just lucky, Jacob."
"There's no such thing as luck. Call me Jacques. No one but your family knows that other name."
"You're a strange man, Jacob Cohen. You trust your life to a group of total strangers."
"Every day. Get some rest, Chloe girl."
Chloe's eyes flew open.
"What is it?" Jacob asked. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said. "My brother used to call me that."
Jacob smiled as Chloe lay back to rest. Thank you, my Father. Already, you have shown yourself to Chloe.
Chapter 12
The group traveled on the water almost three hours. They could have made the trip much faster, but the boats were louder at high speeds. By moving slowly, they were also able to scan the banks for possible danger. Although the full German forces weren't supposed to move into the Unoccupied Zone for six more days, the Vichy police could be just as troublesome. The saboteurs kept their heads down and the boats dark, running blind.
As they neared Lyon, Jacob cut his motor and allowed the other boat to pull alongside. When they were close enough, he asked the question they all wondered.
"Do you think we should continue all the way in the boats or abandon them here and walk?"
Joshua shrugged. "I'm unfamiliar with the police movements in this area. Your call, Jacques."
"Let's chance it. It's pitch dark and no moon now. If we continue into town on idle, it will be faster than walking, and we'll get out at the right location to hide in the traboules."
With sleepy eyes, Chloe watched Jacob discuss their situation. She'd heard of the underground tunnels in Lyon, but she'd never seen them. This was to be another of many firsts in her new life with the Resistance.
At about three in the morning, the two boats cut their engines and glided to a stop. To proceed closer would invite trouble. If they boated all the way to the city docks, the noise of the engines was sure to attract the attention of some industrious police officer or an informant.
They couldn't risk leading the Gestapo back to Lyon, so they scuttled the Nazi vessel in the middle of the river. With the other boat pulled on the bank and concealed, they all needed to find a place to hide. They also had to radio England so the warning could be given of the November 11th invasion into the Unoccupied Zone. The task of radio contact was left to Jacob. The other saboteurs split up to lessen the chance of drawing attention to themselves and the citizens that hid them. Joshua remained with Jacob.
Jacob took Chloe by the hand as they entered the traboules. With the aid of the flashlights, they searched for any sign of recent activity but found none. It took only one collaborator to ruin it for every Resistance worker in Lyon, and Jacob had been gone for several days.
Anything could have happened since then. He moved cautiously, keeping Chloe at his back in case of booby traps.
They reached the area where he'd hidden a radio, and he showed Chloe where she could sit and wait. After setting up the aerial, the transmitter, and a car battery, Jacob put on his headphones and inserted the crystal plugs for the radio.
"What are you doing?" asked Chloe.
Jacob paused to glance at her. She looked utterly exhausted, leaning against the cold stone wall, but she watched his movements with interest.
"I have to send a message to the head of Allied Resistance. A couple of weeks ago she was secreted out of France in a mailbag and sent to London."
Jacob turned back to the radio. It took several tries to find a transmission frequency that worked.
"Stronghold, this is Lion. Come in." Jacob repeated the advance several times, waiting for a response. "Lion to Stronghold: Come in."
He was near to giving up when he recognized the familiar answering code.
"Hedgehog to Lion: Have the walls of Jericho fallen? Stop."
"Lion to Hedgehog: Jericho and Flashdown total success no casualties stop. Confiscated Nazi intel shows traitor in Resistance stop. Unoccupied Zone becomes occupied Nov. 11th stop."
"Hedgehog to Lion: Confirm traitor stop. Alliance in danger of collapse stop. Gibbet deported Navarre to Mauthausen camp stop. Do not contact group members stop. Cricket's sector captured stop. Seagull and Lynx reported killed stop. Deer and Unicorn suspected down stop. Disaster extends regions east Brittany Normandy stop. Eagle, Wolf, Seagull, Triton, Nahout, Jack Tar all lost stop."
"Lion to Hedgehog: tragic news stop. Do not give up, survivors loyal stop. Forward the Alliance stop. Much love end."
Jacob turned off the radio set and sat with his head in his hands. How many operatives had they lost in the raids? Twenty…thirty? More? How he would like to wallow in the pain of such betrayal, but he had others to consider. Joshua was already busy, taking down their aerial and packing up the radio while Jacob stared into space. Where could they go?
Chloe sat in fascination of the exchange between Jacob and London, but she had no idea at the news he received. No one, however, could miss the sorrow he displayed when he terminated the connection.
She waited a few seconds to see what would happen, and when Jacob didn't speak to them, she asked Joshua. "What happened? Is something wrong?"
Joshua continued packing the gear, but he answered. "We've been betrayed. Our colleagues are dead or imprisoned. We have nowhere to go, and no one can come for you from England."
Chloe put her hand on Jacob's back to reassure him. "Jacques, we can help you. We aren't afraid to fight."
Jacob glanced up at her, wondering how he would convince her of God's faithfulness now. He shook his head. "I can't take you anywhere. I don't know who to trust. I don't even have a way to take care of you."
Chloe shrugged. "We'll make do."
She could have thrown it in his face that he'd refused to let her bring the money, but she didn't. He appreciated that.
He stood and gathered their things. "We'll go back to the farmhouse of Antoinette and Ferdinand Darnel outside of town. Perhaps they made it through. Their place is far enough away for us to sit and watch without anyone catching us."
"I don't see what else we can do." Joshua rested the pack of gear over his shoulder. "We should go."
Jacob wanted very much to gather Chloe in his arms and thank her for being so brave. Already, he was finding new reasons to love her. He smiled instead. "Thank you for understanding."
With a little bob of her head, she turned and followed Joshua out of the tunnel. Jacob let her go, though he was heavy-hearted. They had a long walk ahead of them, and now certainly wasn't the time to break through Chloe's defenses.
When they left the tunnels, the town of Lyon appeared dark and quiet. Chloe shivered, and Jacob rushed forward to put his arm about her shoulders. His filthy Nazi uniform had dried long ago, and he enjoyed the feel of her under his arm. For a while, she withstood the weight and intimacy of his arm. She walked stiffly, without looking at him. But as their journey wore on, she drooped, leaning into Jacob.
This was Jacob's forth traipse through uneven woods, and his feet protested loudly from the cuts and bruises he'd sustained during the first march. The tight shoes added to his misery, but he was determined to show no weakness in front of Chloe. They saw no one during their journey and heard not a sound, save the crunch and rustle of fall leaves still heavy on the ground. Jacob desired to push on quickly, but he hadn't the heart to urge the others. Their lagging steps meant they were reaching the limits of their endurance, especially Chloe.
About half a mile from the farm, he left them beside a shallow ditch. "Wait for me here. If I don't come back in twenty minutes, Joshua will take you back to the traboules. He can use the radio and beg for help." He ran a hand down Chloe's cheek and wandered off.
When Jacob reached the outskirts of the Darnel farm, he searched for any sign that the Gestapo had intercepted the couple. There was nothing obvious, so Jacob decided to risk entering the dwelling. He found the back door locked, but that didn't slow him for long. He picked the lock and slipped silently into the house. The ground floor was in perfect order. Another indication that the Darnels were still safe.
Creeping up the stairs wasn't as quiet as entering the house, the steps creaked under his weight. He would either frighten the Darnells or get shot as an intruder.
At the top of the stairs, he got a surprise, a shotgun leveled at his chest. "Stop, or I'll shoot! What is a Nazi soldier doing in my house in the middle of the night?"
Jacob threw up his arms as a reflex action. He'd forgotten the uniform. Thank God, they hadn't fired first. "Ferdinand, it's Jacques Conran. It's Lion! Don't shoot."
"Jacques, we were so worried." The shotgun lowered, and Ferdinand embraced him. "What happened to your mission? What of the others?"
Antoinette tiptoed out of the bedroom. "Oh, Jacques, it's been horrible! So many have been caught!"
"Hedgehog told me. Look, I can't talk now. There are others waiting for the go-ahead. I'm sorry I frightened you, but London told me not to trust anyone, and I had to be sure you were still free before I brought my team here. Can you hide us until we determine where to go next or at least give us a night's rest?"
Antoinette put her hands on her hips. "Don't be ridiculous! Of course you can stay. If we have to put them on the floor, we will. How many are there?"
"Joshua and my wife."
Antoinette and Ferdinand gasped. "Your wife!"
Ferdinand was the first to recover his voice. "I didn't know you were married."
"Why didn't you tell us before?" Antoinette asked.
"I got married tonight. I'll be back as soon as I get them." Jacob started down the steps. "They'll probably be thirsty. It's been a long time since they had water," he yelled back over his shoulder.
He enjoyed calling Chloe his wife, maybe someday she would enjoy hearing it along with all the other things he wanted to tell her.
Jacob ran all the way to their hiding place. His feet throbbed, but he kept a goal in his mind. I just have to make it back to the farm.
Joshua saw him coming and got Chloe to her feet. Jacob, breathing hard, stopped and doubled over a few seconds. "It's safe. They said we were welcome."
They made slow progress. The short rest had robbed their remaining strength instead of rejuvenating them, and Jacob's run had nearly wiped him out. They came straggling to the back door where Antoinette waited. She greeted each one with a glass of water, introducing herself and asking if they were hungry. Ferdinand stood off to the side, smiling with welcome. When the weary travelers refused offers of food, Antoinette led the way upstairs.
"This is the bath. Feel free to wash before bed." They followed her down the hallway. "This is for Joshua." She pointed to a room with the blankets pulled back invitingly. He thanked her, and she walked on. "And Jacques, this is for you and your b
ride." She offered them a bright smile. A beautiful white lace quilt had been draped over the bed, and white lace dripped off the dresser.
Heat crept up Jacob's neck, and he felt himself turn red. "Antoinette, it's…"
Chloe grabbed the woman's hands. "It's beautiful. We thank you."
Jacob went to take a step back and nearly fell. He'd put all his weight on a particularly sore cut.
Ferdinand caught Jacob's arm. "Jacques, are you hurt? You've been limping."
Chloe moved to his side. "He was forced to escape by swimming the Saone then he ran through the woods without any shoes. He injured his feet. Would you permit me to bathe him?"
"Of course, of course," said Antoinette. "Jacques, that's terrible. You should have told us."
Jacob tried to back further down the hall. "Absolutely not. I don't need a woman to bathe me. I manage quite well on my own."
Antoinette gave Chloe a knowing look, chuckling. "He's embarrassed. Men are such babies compared to women. I'll put some things out for you. He may need medicine and bandages."
"Thank you." Chloe followed her into the bathroom.
Jacob looked after them askance. "They're not listening to me."
"You get used to it." Ferdinand studied Jacob's attire. "But you know, after swimming in the river, you probably need a bath. Especially before getting into bed with a new wife."
Ferdinand winked at Jacob and headed down the stairs, chuckling to himself.
Antoinette came out of the water closet. "Chloe is drawing your water. Take off that uniform so I can hide it."
In that respect, Antoinette was right so Jacob traipsed nervously into the bathroom. Chloe perched like a dainty china doll on the corner of the tub. She didn't look up as he came in.
He cleared his throat. "I can handle it from here, Chloe, merci."
"I don't think there's a man alive who can reach the bottom of his feet for medical care."
"All the same...I'll manage."
"Tell you what, Jacob, I'll step out while you get in the tub then I'll get your dirty clothes and give them to Antoinette. When you get out of the tub, I'll check your feet."
All Things New Page 14
