“Major Wagner!” Lilly abruptly stood in his path.
“Miss Sommer!” The major smiled warmly at her as though they were close friends. “How is your father?”
“Doing well, thank you,” Lilly replied as she tried to match his false cheer.
“I’m so glad to hear it.” He looked at her with such genuine relief that Lilly, for a moment, almost thought he was pleased to know that he was recovering.
“Miss Castell.” Lilly offered a polite, small curtsy to the Society leader, who returned an indifferent gaze as though she was struggling to remember who Lilly was.
“I don’t mean to be impolite, Major, but may we speak alone?” Lilly asked as she glanced at Clementine. “I have some news about the Jewish family who lived in our property.”
“I’ll see if our reservation is available.” Clementine nodded and left the two of them.
“That would be so kind of you.” The major held his hands behind his back as he watched her enter the restaurant.
Yet as soon as she was out of sight, the major grabbed Lilly by the arm and jerked her towards him with all the hate he could muster.
“How dare you?!” he spoke through gritted teeth. “It’s imperative that I make a good impression with her.”
The bell from a bicycle rang a fair distance behind Lilly, and she grinned as she looked up at the major, recognizing Wilhelm’s signal that he was closing in for the kill. All Lilly could contemplate was exacting her revenge for the brutality he had done to her father, the family in the square, and all the other innocent lives who didn’t deserve his wrath.
“I thought you enjoyed the game, Major?” Lilly offered a wry smile as he squeezed tighter on her arm.
“Are you playing?” The major looked down at her with malice.
“I am, and you’ve just lost.” Lilly wrenched herself free.
Again, the bell rang, and Lilly watched as time ground to a near halt while Wilhelm, still unnoticed by the major, who was preoccupied with his wrath towards Lilly, rode by on his bike. In this near suspension of time, Lilly began to exhale in the cool, winter air and watched the steam from her breath rise. She examined the wicked man in front of her, who was the incarnation of evil, with a loathing she didn’t know that she could possess. He had beaten her father, killed a family with no conviction, and threatened to do worse.
Then, as Wilhelm drove just beyond the major, Lilly dropped to the ground in the event that he missed the target and covered her ears as she screamed as loud as she was able.
Startled by the reaction, the major still hadn’t taken notice of Wilhelm, and he looked down at Lilly with the greatest perplexity and embarrassment.
With the major’s attention fixated on her, Lilly watched Wilhelm, from her position on the ground, as he removed the pistol and, trembling as he took aim, fired.
The shot reverberated throughout the square, and the major collapsed beside Lilly as he gasped for air. The smell of gunpowder and blood flooded her nostrils and, for the first time, she relished the scent.
Still, Lilly understood that she couldn’t waste any time savoring the major’s demise and, assuming the role, Lilly let out another bloodcurdling scream, acting the part of the shocked victim. The surrounding crowds descended into chaos, scurrying away from the crime scene, yet Lilly remained in place as her task was not yet complete.
With a quick, wide-eyed glance at Lilly, Wilhelm sped away on his bike and followed the frenzied crowd in their panic.
“What happened here?!” a guard asked after arriving on the scene, his weapon at the ready, and in shock to see the major on the ground in serious pain.
“A man shot the major in the back while he was talking to me!” Lilly wept. “Please! You have to catch him! He went that way!” She pointed in the opposite direction of Wilhelm.
“What did he look like?!” the officer shouted.
“He was older, maybe in his forties. He had a long beard and a gray hat.”
Blowing his whistle, the officer turned and ordered some more guards arriving at the market to spread out and search for the man that Lilly had described while others attended to the major.
“Stay where you are!” The guard pointed at Lilly. “We may need more details.”
On cue, Wilhelm returned, dressed in his Hitler Youth uniform, which he had concealed underneath his normal clothes.
“I don’t feel so well.” Lilly grew faint and fell to her knees.
“She needs to get to the hospital.” Wilhelm put his arm around Lilly’s shoulder.
“I need her to stay where she is.” The guard shook his head.
“She’ll be at the hospital.” Wilhelm pressed as he looked at the guard with great concern. “I won’t let her out of my sight. When you arrive, just ask for Ursula. Please, she’s in shock. If we don’t get her medical attention, then you won’t be able to question her at all.”
“Fine, go!” he barked, but then pointed a finger in Wilhelm’s face. “I’m holding you personally responsible for her, Wilhelm.”
“Understood.” Wilhelm nodded and then positioned his arm around Lilly in support to help her walk.
Glancing over her shoulder as they walked away, Lilly watched the major struggle to take even shallow breaths. The men assisting him were applying pressure to his wound, and Lilly caught his wide-eyed, desperate struggle for survival.
Yet what she thought would fulfill her desire for retribution only produced a wretched uneasiness. She felt the horrid gravity of taking another’s life as blood spewed from the major’s mouth, and the snow around him was stained crimson. She felt as though a chain had been wrapped around her soul, and she would always be held captive to this moment, despite its necessity.
Returning her attention to her escape, Lilly could scarcely believe that the mission had succeeded. Not only had they purged Marburg of an evil man, but they had also saved their family.
“I think we’re in the clear.” Wilhelm took her hand as the two sped away.
Running through the city, they crossed the bridge over the Lahn River and, being careful to avoid any patrols, arrived at the rendezvous point, which was an abandoned shed on the outskirts of Marburg.
“Wait.” Lilly looked up at him in confusion. “Why are you taking me here? I thought this was our backup in case we got split up?”
“Well”—Wilhelm looked back at her, flustered— “I don’t know. I just figured this would be safest.”
“Whatever the case, I need a break from the cold.” Lilly shivered and rubbed her arms. “Let’s get inside.”
Throwing his shoulder into the rickety door, which was being less than agreeable in the snow, Wilhelm pushed the door open and led Lilly inside. Then, after Wilhelm closed the door behind her, the two stood uneasily in the shed as neither of them were sure what to say, let alone think.
“We did it.” Lilly tried to sound cheerful, but the image of the major spewing blood still haunted her, and she felt as though she might vomit.
“Do you think he’s dead?” Wilhelm rubbed the back of his neck and tried to ease the pressure on his shoulders.
“I’m sure of it.” Lilly nodded as, again, the image of his wide-eyed struggle flashed before her eyes.
“I shot him in the back.” Wilhelm rubbed his chin. “I didn’t wait to see what happened afterwards.”
“He fell to the ground.” Lilly searched her memory, which suddenly felt so foggy. “It’s strange, really, that I suddenly feel so detached from what was happening. I know that the guards were assisting him, but there is no way that he could survive.”
“Good.” Wilhelm bent over and began to hyperventilate.
“Are you alright?” Lilly put a hand to his back.
“I’ve never taken a life before.” Wilhelm stood upright and ran his hand through his hair as he struggled to contain his emotions.
“Hey! It’s alright!” Lilly tried to calm him down, but he began to pace impatiently.
“I know he was a horrible person,”
Wilhelm began, “but he was still a human. I…um…I…”
“Don’t worry.” Lilly threw her arms around him, and she felt the tension in his shoulders lessening with her gentle touch. “Just give it some time. You just need a little distraction right now.”
“What do you have in mind?” Wilhelm asked as he looked down at her, but she noticed that his eyes lingered on her lips, and Lilly didn’t require divination to perceive his intentions.
Placing a hand to his cheek, Lilly felt the warmth of his skin and noticed his heart beating in his neck. She recognized what he desired and, if she were honest, didn’t believe that she could retain her virtue. Her emotions were surging in such polarizing directions that she didn’t know how to even reason properly. She had aided in the major’s assassination, which disturbed her more than she imagined, and now she found herself alone with a man who had entranced her senses.
Moving her hand slowly to his mouth, Lilly ran her thumb along his lips, and her stomach swirled with reckless abandon as her only thought was intimacy. She had never experienced an affection of this measure. She felt the heat of his chest against her arm, and the sweet scent of his cologne flooding her nostrils. She gasped as his strong hand ran along her back.
She wanted to pause this moment and experience every second stretch into hours. While she had envisioned her first time with a man in an entirely different setting, the location was of little consequence to her as she waited, with waning patience, for Wilhelm to lean in and kiss her.
“Just be with me,” Lilly whispered as their mouths were mere inches apart. “We don’t know when we’ll have another moment like this. Let’s take this time to be free.”
Not requiring any further persuasion, Wilhelm picked up Lilly in his arms as she let out a quick, surprised yelp, and carried her over to a large, steel workbench with a wooden top.
“I suppose this makes two things not to tell your father about.” Wilhelm set Lilly down on her back as he climbed over and lay beside her.
“Let’s keep him out of the conversation for now, if you don’t mind.” Lilly patted his chest, though her hand lingered, and she looked longingly into his eyes.
Then, Wilhelm placed his rugged hand to her cheek as he looked sweetly into her soul, and Lilly’s stomach swirled again. Returning the romantic gaze, Lilly didn’t contain the words to express the happiness she was experiencing in this moment. The sorrows of existence melted away in the passion of affection, and the apprehension of what lay ahead appeared so inconsequential in this fleeting encounter that she felt would last a lifetime.
Slowly, Wilhelm leaned in and placed his lips against hers. It was awkward at first, but Lilly recognized that neither had experience in this arena. Eventually, she felt that they were finding a rhythm, although Wilhelm was still graceless as his chin jutted into hers. Still, she was pleased that he held nothing back in the way of passion.
With her eyes closed, Lilly unbuttoned his shirt while he, in turn, loosened her dress. With his chest exposed, Lilly ran her hand along his skin, feeling the smoothness of his flesh.
“Wait!” Wilhelm broke away and closed his eyes in what Lilly understood as remorse. “I can’t do this.”
“What do you mean?” Lilly wondered what she had done wrong.
“I can’t be dishonest.” He shook his head.
“To whom?” She sat upright and crossed her arms, feeling a little used with her dress nearly falling down.
“To you, to me, to your father, to your sister, to my grandmother, to my grandfather, to my—”
“I get it.” Lilly held a hand up to stop him.
“Sorry.” Wilhelm put a gentle hand on her arm. “I hope that you can understand.”
“Every other man would’ve jumped at this opportunity,” she spoke spitefully in her humiliation. “A young, beautiful woman is throwing herself at you, but my dear Wilhelm, you’re showing restraint which only leads me to question your interest in me.”
“I’ll be kicking myself during later moments of weakness, don’t you worry.” He scratched the back of his neck as he grew uncomfortable. “Please understand that this is not a reflection of my, um, attraction to you.”
“The Society did express their approval for, well, you know, relations.” Lilly leaned back on the workbench again.
“I suppose that’s why I’m hesitant.” Wilhelm couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eyes.
“I’m not following.” Lilly squinted in her confusion.
“I’m afraid that I have a rather rebellious nature.” Wilhelm chuckled to try and ease the tension, but it failed measurably and, noting Lilly’s disagreeable disposition, continued, “I like you, a lot, but—”
“But what?!” Lilly tilted her head. “Do you realize how this makes me feel?! Why won’t you allow yourself a moment of permissible pleasure with someone that you like?”
“Because I think what we have goes beyond what the Society and the Youth have deemed as permissible.” Wilhelm stood as he looked down at her, and Lilly returned the intense gaze. “I love you. I realize how foolish that is, being that we’ve only known each other for a short time, but it’s the truth. I’ve never experienced this level of obsession or fascination with anyone else before. Frankly, I didn’t believe these feelings even existed outside of fiction. I lay awake at night wondering how you are, what you might be doing, and how I can prove myself to you.”
Lilly watched him as her eyes welled. She knew that she loved Wilhelm, but she was oblivious to how fervent his feelings were towards her. Struck silent in her amazement, Lilly simply sat and listened as he continued his amorous monologue.
“So, in essence”—Wilhelm took a deep breath— “I rebel against the demands of the Society and the Youth who, really, only want Aryan children to serve the Reich.”
“For future reference”—Lilly shook out of her trance with a slight grin— “when you’re trying to convince a woman not to engage with you, it would be best to start with the topic of the Reich. That would put any reasonable woman off.”
Wilhelm chuckled as he looked bashfully back at Lilly.
Standing, Lilly placed a gentle hand on his cheek and turned his face towards hers. “Honestly, I think that your self-control only makes me love you more.”
“Love?” Wilhelm shot his eyebrows up in pleasant surprise. “You, um, you love me, too?”
“Yes, I love you.” Lilly smiled. “It’s not a passionate or reckless affection, if you’ll disregard my previous attempt at persuasion, but rather, a deep, unyielding anchor. You keep me from drifting away during our storms. I don’t know any other man who makes me feel this way. It’s not the burning in my spirit that I usually feel. It’s—”
“Something further within,” Wilhelm added with a smile. “I love you, my Lilly, and I would prefer that we did this properly.”
“What are you proposing then?” Lilly narrowed her gaze slightly.
“Well, that’s just it.” Wilhelm cleared his throat.
“What is?” Lilly shook her head in confusion.
“I’m proposing.” Wilhelm tried to hide his uncomfortable smirk, but it was painted permanently on his face.
“Well, I, um…” Lilly’s eyelashes fluttered as she tried to think. She was flattered, of course, but she had imagined a proposal with a more romantic setting than in an abandoned shed.
“I know, I know.” Wilhelm held up his hands to calm her. “It’s a little quick, and in not the most idealistic atmosphere, but—”
“Oh, no, I always dreamed of the musky smell during a proposal,” Lilly added sarcastically.
“I can’t help how I feel.” Wilhelm ignored her jest. “You don’t have to say—”
“Yes!” Lilly covered her mouth with her hand in disbelief at her own outburst, but it was as if her soul couldn’t wait another moment.
“Yes?” Wilhelm looked shocked.
“Yes! Of course I’ll marry you!” Lilly jumped into his arms, and the two embraced.
Cha
pter Fourteen:
Laying Low
“The dead soldier’s silence sings our national anthem.”
Aaron Kilbourn
“So, how should we tell everyone?” Wilhelm asked Lilly as the two walked back through the town towards their house.
“About the major?” Lilly glanced up at him, although she wasn’t entirely listening as she was concerned about the extra patrols running throughout the city. “I’d suggest that we don’t say anything.”
“Never mind,” Wilhelm replied quickly, understanding the severity of the situation.
“Oh, you mean about us?” Lilly asked as she caught the disappointment in his eyes.
“We should hurry!” Wilhelm grabbed her hand as they sped along.
“There you are!” Mrs. Baumann burst out of the house and was about to berate them when she noticed they were holding hands.
Stunned into silence, Mrs. Baumann’s countenance contorted from excitement at their union, then back into anger for their absence, and finally into confusion as she squinted suspiciously.
“I’m not sure which line of questioning to begin with.” Mrs. Baumann narrowed her gaze.
“Sorry, we had to take the long way to avoid the patrols,” Wilhelm explained as he let go of Lilly’s hand.
“That’s fine.” Mrs. Baumann still seemed a little stunned. “We should meet with your father, Lilly, to go over the plan.”
“Of course!” Lilly nodded.
“Do you need me as well?” Walter shouted from inside the house.
“Nobody needs you, dear.” Mrs. Baumann rolled her eyes.
“That wasn’t very kind,” Walter spoke softly, and Lilly smiled.
“You’re so sensitive.” Mrs. Baumann walked back into the house grumpily. “Come on then, if you want to be part of the discussions, you’d best hurry.”
Chuckling slightly at the cute couple, Lilly glanced up at Wilhelm but noticed that he was staring at the pavement with a troubled expression.
The Daughters of Marburg Page 24
