Amalie applied iodine, and Christine gave a little moan. Then Amalie added lint and sticking plaster. ‘That should do the trick.’
‘I feel better already. Amalie … Was there not an Amalie de Gruchy, a daughter of Albert de Gruchy, the famous wine grower?’
‘Yes. I am she.’
‘But I was told you committed suicide.’
‘I pretended to.’
‘And ran away to join the Resistance? That is incredibly romantic.’
‘Not really. I ran away with my sister.’
‘The famous Liane?’
‘I suppose she is famous. But how did you know of us?’
Christine began to dress. ‘My mission was to contact Monsieur and Madame de Gruchy.’
‘What did you say?’ Amalie cried. ‘You came to France to make contact with Mama and Papa? But why?’
‘Your father has been a British agent for a long time. Did you not know that?’
‘Of course I did not. Oh, if only I had. But you are too late. They were taken by the Gestapo last October.’
‘I know this. But it has been reported, by one of our agents in Germany, that they have been released and sent back to their home in Paulliac.’
‘Mama and Papa? Back in Paulliac? I cannot believe it.’
‘Well, I cannot swear it is true. But my superiors in England believe it is true. That is why I was sent to contact them.’
Amalie scrambled to her feet and ran to the mouth of the cave. ‘Pierre! Henri! Mama and Papa are back in Paulliac. They have been set free!’
Pierre frowned at her. ‘That is not possible.’
‘It is true. Mademoiselle Round was sent here by the British government to contact them.’
‘She told you this?’ Pierre looked past his sister at Christine.
‘Yes,’ Christine said. ‘Because it is the truth.’
‘If that could be true …’ Henri said.
‘And what did the British government wish with my parents?’ Pierre asked.
‘They wish to reopen contact with them. They have acted as our agents for some time. Since before the war.’
‘Did you know of this, Pierre?’ Moulin asked.
‘No,’ Pierre said. ‘No, I did not know of it.’ Could it be true? If it were, while he could understand Papa’s refusal to confide in any of his family before the war, why had he not confided in him, when he had returned from England last year, an accredited English agent? Father had agreed to help him, but had said not a word of his own involvement. On the other hand, it had been impressed upon him when he had been training in England, and by James afterwards, that in their business one was never supposed to know the identities of any other agents, or seek to find out. Papa was certainly the sort of man who would follow such a directive to the letter. ‘What instruction were you to give my father?’ he asked.
‘I do not know. I was told to give him a sealed packet, but when I was captured and searched, the Gestapo found it.’
‘You must eat, and then rest while your back heals up,’ Amalie said.
They went off with Henri, and Moulin and Pierre were left alone. ‘What do you think?’ Moulin asked. ‘If her back really is scarred …’
‘She is telling the truth, or she is a very dedicated woman.’
‘Sent here to destroy us? So she has managed to discover where we are. As long as we do not let her leave us again, she cannot give that information to anyone.’
‘And if she finds out where we are going?’
‘Again, while she is here, she cannot interfere.’
‘But she will have to be watched, day and night, to stop her from using the radio. And most of us are leaving.’
‘I will be here. And Amalie.’
‘It will still be an unnecessary burden. It would be far simpler to execute her.’
‘I cannot consider that, Pierre.’
‘Because you accept that she is a British agent.’
‘Because I have no proof that she is not. I will not execute an innocent woman.’
Pierre sighed. ‘You are too decent a man for this business. I wish Liane were here.’
‘Meaning that you think she would shoot her.’
‘Meaning that she would know, better than either of us, what needs to be done.’
‘Well, there is one way of finding out the truth: we can contact Barron.’
‘Our instructions are explicit: no radio contact until after the raid, or it is aborted.’
‘Except in the event of an extreme emergency. Would you not so describe this business?’
‘I doubt that Barron will consider it more than a domestic problem. I suppose it had better wait until we return.’
‘And your parents? Do you really think they are British agents?’
‘You have known them longer than I, Jean. And probably more intimately.’
‘I have never seen or heard the slightest indication of it. Your mother used to visit England regularly before the war, but as I understood, it was either to see her family or the girls when they were at school there, or for shopping. I suppose she could have been carrying information, but what information could Albert have been obtaining, spending most of his time in Paulliac? Do you believe what the woman said, that they are back there now?’
‘I find that also inexplicable. But I would like to find out.’
‘Simply because they are your parents?’
‘Is that not a good reason? I would like to get them out of there. Because if the woman is telling the truth, and she was carrying some kind of incriminating letter, they are in danger of being arrested all over again. That would kill them.’
‘If that is true, as the Gestapo have the message sent to them, they will have been re-arrested already. For you to attempt to get to them would be extremely dangerous. And if you succeeded in getting them out, what then? I imagine they are finding life in Paulliac far more comfortable than anything we could offer them here. Anyway, that also will have to wait. Barron’s message said that you should leave immediately.’
Pierre sighed, ‘You are asking me to abandon my parents.’
‘If they are there. We do not know that. Even this woman does not know that for certain.’
Pierre nodded. ‘You’re right, of course. I will summon Jules and Etienne and Henri as soon as we have eaten, and we will plan our move.’
*
Oskar Weber lowered himself into the chair in front of Heydrich’s desk. ‘She is there. She made her escape a week ago, and has not been heard from since.’
‘She could be lying dead in a ditch. Have you any means of getting in touch with her?’
‘You know that is impossible, Reinhard. Her business is not, under any circumstances, to give herself away, but to be in there, and, shall I say, stir them into unwise activity. We must be patient.’
‘I put your woman in, Oskar, because I want these people cleaned up at the earliest possible moment. They are almost certainly recruiting, and if they are left unchecked they will grow into a formidable organization. What about the de Gruchy parents? Do you suppose these people know they are back?’
‘Christine will certainly make sure they know of it, so we may expect some developments there also.’
‘I hope so. Was there anything else?’
‘Three things which may interest you.’ Heydrich lit a cigarette while he waited. ‘One concerns British airmen.’
‘Is that our business?’
‘It could be. These people come over and bomb us, and suffer casualties. But only a few are destroyed in the air. In several cases their planes are badly damaged, but they attempt the return journey, obviously. Those who don’t make it come down either in the North Sea, or in Belgium or Holland. In most cases the crews parachute and are picked up by our people when they land, but quite a few manage to evade capture, sometimes for a couple of days. Their idea is to reach the coast and hope to find a fishing boat which will carry them to England, and needless to say they are assisted by the local po
pulation. I may say the success rate from their point of view is very low.’
‘Isn’t this a Gestapo matter?’
‘It is, on the surface. However, over the last month there have been a couple of disquieting events. We have positive information that the crews of at least two aircraft have come down alive and uninjured, and have simply disappeared.’
‘Well, tell the local Gestapo commander to make it quite plain that anyone found hiding British aircrew will be shot. And then shoot a few.’
‘I will certainly do that. But it is not as simple as you think. I have just received a communication from one of my people in Lisbon. My team there watch all arrivals and departures, either by sea or by air, and they are certain that two men seen boarding a steamer for England last week were British aircrew.’
‘You mean they were in uniform?’
‘No, no. But that is in itself a clue. My people got close enough to them to hear them speaking. Not only did they talk like airmen, but they were both obviously well-educated men, public school types, yet their clothes were ill-fitting, their shoes down at the heel. They were also accompanied and being seen off by a man who we know to be in the employ of the British government, but who is not on the embassy staff.’
Heydrich stubbed out his cigarette. ‘You are saying that they may have made their way the length of France, across Spain, and into Portugal? Isn’t that rather far-fetched?’
‘It is quite feasible, if they were assisted.’
‘That is also rather far-fetched. The journey must have taken several days. They must have been very fortunate to find so much assistance. Once or twice, perhaps. But every day for a month? And without papers and travel permits? It is simply not possible.’
‘That is exactly my point, Reinhard. These people must have had papers and travel documents. And they must have known where to go and when and for how long to wait while further travel was arranged. Their escape was not a matter of good luck. It was carefully planned and orchestrated, obviously by a well-organized group of people who are taking their orders from London.’
‘We will have to do something about that. You will have to do something about that.’
‘Unfortunately, my people are stretched a little thin on the ground. I think it would be best if we put Gestapo headquarters in Paris on to it. If they don’t already know it’s happening they are incompetent.’
‘You mean that idiot Kluck? We know he is incompetent.’
‘I was thinking of Roess. I have mentioned him to you before. He is one of Kluck’s aides, and is the best of the lot. He has monitored the placing of Fräulein von Ulstein in the midst of the guerillas, and appears to have handled it very successfully. I would like him placed in command of a special unit whose sole task will be the finding and destruction of this escape route.’
Heydrich nodded. ‘Have the order drawn up and I will sign it. You said there was something else?’
‘Indeed. The woman Jonsson is back.’
Heydrich sat up. ‘When did she arrive?’
‘In Berlin? A week ago.’ He held up his hand as Heydrich looked about to explode. ‘I know. It is sheer incompetence. She came in from Sweden, as usual, but while the people at Lubeck noted her entry it went on an ordinary report and did not reach my desk until yesterday. I immediately called for a report from the team maintaining surveillance on Frau von Helsingen, and they say that Jonsson did pay a call on her, four days ago.’
‘You mean virtually the moment she arrived in Berlin. And you were not informed immediately?’
‘Again, it was a bureaucratic fuck-up. The team makes a report once a week. Jonsson visited Helsingen in the middle of their week, so it was not reported until yesterday.’
‘What a way to run a security service,’ Heydrich grumbled. ‘Right. Bring her in. There is no need to make a fuss about it. Arrest her, rough her up just enough to scare her — we do not want any permanent bruises — and then let her go with a warning.’
‘Unfortunately, she is no longer here.’
‘What?’
‘Another report I only received this morning. She left yesterday, by train for Zurich.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, Oskar. Your people need overhauling.’
‘I said, she only left yesterday. And this was reported immediately. With her American passport there was no way she could be stopped.’
‘And why has she gone to Switzerland?’
‘I have no certain knowledge of this.’
‘There has to be a reason. I think this is a line of inquiry worth pursuing. And the third matter?’
‘That is probably the most disturbing of all. The Wehrmacht have captured a senior Russian intelligence officer. Someone quite close to the top. He was of course handed over to my people, and under interrogation claimed that Stalin was informed by the British — he said by Churchill personally, although I doubt that; the two men hate each other — last December, that we intended to invade Russia, but that he discarded the warning as British propaganda. In the context of what is happening, this is not relevant. However, in the context of what might have happened, had Stalin believed the British warning … Were there plans to invade Russia last December?’
‘The plans were actually drawn up last October. But they were absolutely top secret. Only the Führer’s innermost circle and the top brass at OKH knew of them. Even I was not informed until the new year.’
‘Well, then, someone in the inner circle, or at the top of OKH, is a traitor.’
Heydrich studied him for several minutes. Then he said, ‘That is a very serious accusation.’
‘It is a very serious business. Tell me, where is Helsingen at this moment?’
‘God knows. They are advancing so fast he could well be in Smolensk.’
‘But in such an advance, there will be very little opportunity for sending or receiving letters, and none at all for leave. I would like your permission to arrest Frau von Helsingen.’
‘You are determined to play with dynamite, Oskar.’
‘Just consider for a moment. Stalin was warned by the British. The British could only have obtained that information from one of their agents here in Berlin. But it is not possible for the British to have an agent in the top ranks of OKH or in the Führer’s inner circle. At least, I hope it is not. But someone must have let something slip to someone. Now, who do we know who is a member of the Führer’s inner circle, who is married to a French wife, a wife whose siblings are wanted outlaws, and who is good friends with an American journalist who comes and goes from Germany as she pleases?’
‘My God!’ Heydrich said. ‘This is a matter for the Führer.’
‘I do not think that will be necessary, yet. Let me arrest her for questioning as to the activities of Jonsson. There need be no rough stuff. I do not think any will be necessary; I do not think she is a very strong character. If she has no information for us, we will apologize and let her go. But I would estimate that we may well glean something of value.’
‘And if it is her who is the traitor, and you find this out?’
Weber smiled. ‘Well, then, Herr General, we will be in the position of a man playing a rubber of contract bridge who is dealt thirteen cards of the same suit.’
*
‘Where are they going?’ Christine asked as the men assembled. Everyone was heavily armed and carried a fortnight’s rations of bread and cheese; they would expect to obtain extra supplies en route. Henri carried a small radio set.
‘It is a secret,’ Amalie explained. ‘No one knows where they are going, except Pierre, Henri and Jules.’
‘But you know where they are going. And Monsieur Moulin.’
‘Well, yes. But we are the only two others.’
‘Meaning that you do not trust me.’
‘I am sorry, Monica. I must obey orders.’
‘The British trust me.’
‘I am sorry,’ Amalie said again.
‘But you must obey orders. I understand. What I do not understand
is how they propose to get where they are going — I presume it is in the occupied territory — carrying all those guns and ammunition and equipment, and not expect to be found by the Germans. Or are they going to attack something in Bordeaux?’
‘They are not going to Bordeaux. They will split up into small groups, and move only by night. Then they will rendezvous on an appointed date.’
‘And will your sister be joining them?’
‘No, no. I told you, Liane is in Paris.’
‘You mean she is living there? She has abandoned you?’
‘Good lord, no. She is working for the Resistance, setting up an organization in Paris.’
‘But is that not terribly dangerous? Isn’t there a price on her head?’
‘Isn’t all war dangerous? Wasn’t it dangerous for you to be landed on the beach? If that car hadn’t skidded, and you had been taken to Paris, they would probably have hanged you.’ Amalie squeezed her hand. ‘It is better not to think about it.’ She ran down the hillside to say goodbye to her husband.
*
Thirty men went with Pierre. Six remained, with Etienne, the two women, and Moulin. Although her back was still very sore, as were her feet, Christine insisted on playing a full part in the life of the little community, going with Amalie to the stream to draw buckets of water to empty into the vat, and helping with the cooking. ‘She is a treasure,’ Amalie told Moulin.
‘A very pretty treasure. The lads are quite smitten.’
‘Do you still not trust her?’
‘Pierre is the one who does not trust her. I am keeping an open mind. Anyway, she can do us no harm while she is here, and she is certainly pleasant company. Just make sure she is never left alone with the radio.’
*
‘It must be terrible for you,’ Christine said the next morning as they went down the slope with their buckets, ‘knowing that your parents are only a few miles away and being unable to visit them and make sure that they are all right. Aren’t you going to try?’
‘Pierre says we must do nothing until he gets back.’
‘Pierre, Pierre. Always Pierre.’
‘Well, he is the head of the family. At least, when Liane is not here.’
‘I would really like to meet Liane one day.’
The Game of Treachery Page 9
