He smiled, moving closer. ‘A woman as beautiful as you does not need gaudy embellishments.’
He was flirting with her! She bowed her head and smiled. ‘A charming compliment, sir.’
‘Do you think your escort would mind if I asked you to dance? Is he the jealous type?’
‘I would be happy to dance with you, and no, he isn’t jealous or possessive. He trusts me.’
‘Lucky man to have found such a treasure,’ he said, guiding her to the dance floor.
During the evening she danced with several of the officers, and often with Bill, but she avoided talking too much to the women in case they caught any hint that she was not quite what she seemed.
Around eleven o’clock she was dancing cheek to cheek with Bill who whispered in her ear, ‘They’ve all been drinking heavily so I’m going to slip out. Quite a few of the women have been shipped in from the village for the men, and a bus is due to take them back at twelve o’clock. If I don’t appear, you are to get on that bus and get out. Don’t hesitate.’
‘I’ll do as you say.’
He asked one of the waiters where the toilets were, then kissed her cheek and walked out.
There was no sign of Bill when the party began to break up, so Grace mingled with the other girls and got on the bus with them. They had all had a lot to drink and didn’t take any notice of her. She was worried sick about Bill, but he had told her to leave and she must obey his instructions. They had just driven out of the gate when there was a huge explosion and alarms began ringing. She held her breath, expecting the bus to be stopped and searched, but it didn’t happen. Something had gone wrong. And why had there been an explosion? Oh, Bill, if you’re still in there, how are you going to get out?
When they reached the outskirts of the village the bus was stopped, a soldier got on and walked along, inspecting each of the women closely. The driver was explaining to another soldier where they had come from. The girls were lively with drink and joked with the soldiers, so Grace joined in, not wanting to stand out from the others. After every inch of the bus had been searched, they were allowed to continue.
Grace bit back a sigh of relief as the bus drove along, but her relief was short-lived. The village was swarming with soldiers searching every home, including the hotel. She was dismayed when she saw one was carrying the wireless set, and another all of their luggage. They were looking for her as well now!
The bus stopped in the middle of the village and they were ordered off and told to return to their homes immediately. They went in different directions and Grace stayed with four who were walking together, all the time looking for somewhere to hide. She couldn’t go back to the hotel, and desperately needed somewhere safe where she could decide what to do.
Her chance came when she saw a place they had explored on their sightseeing trip. When they reached the narrow passage between two houses she glanced around to make sure they weren’t being followed, and then she slipped away from the girls. Once in the passage she removed her shoes and ran as fast as she could for the trees at the back. The area was rough and overgrown and very dark, but she didn’t stop until she was inside the dense forest of trees. The decision when to stop was made for her when she tripped and fell heavily. She stayed on the ground trying to control her ragged breathing, listening for any sign of pursuit.
All was quiet.
How long she stayed like that Grace didn’t know, but she eventually sat up and began to assess her situation. It was dire. She was in an evening frock, battered and bruised from her flight through the undergrowth, and the Germans were searching for her. At least she was still free, and she desperately hoped Bill was also hiding somewhere. He had said Harry would be waiting for her if there was trouble, and the obvious place to make for was the farm. That wasn’t going to be easy because the mess she was in meant she could only move at night.
She dragged herself to her feet, grimacing with pain, and trying to get her bearings. There was still some of the night left so she had better try to cover some ground before dawn. It was imperative that she got out of this area, so she set off, hoping she was going in the right direction.
Dawn was just beginning to lighten the sky when she found a small stream, but as it didn’t look too clean she just moistened her mouth and spat it out. She had left the trees behind a while ago and there didn’t appear to be anyone around so she took the chance to try and clean herself up as much as possible. Then she tore a few inches off the frock to make it shorter and draped that piece of material around the neckline to fill it in. From a distance it should now look more like a summer dress. It wouldn’t pass close up, though.
Grace crept towards a nearby road, needing to find out exactly where she was. It was a huge relief to see that even in all the confusion she had been travelling towards the farm. There wasn’t far to go but it was light now and too dangerous to continue. The only place to hide for the day was in a deep ditch by some thick bushes. She climbed into it, covered herself with whatever loose vegetation was available, and closed her eyes to wait out the day.
Exhaustion overcame her and she slept for a while until hunger and thirst woke her up. At last it was dark and Grace was able to make her way to the farm.
Two hours later she stumbled through the farm gates, hardly able to stand due to the damage she had done to her feet on the journey. It had been impossible to wear her flimsy evening shoes over such rough territory.
Not wanting to put the family in more danger by going to the house, she headed straight for the barn. Climbing up to the loft took the last of her strength, but she made it and collapsed onto a pile of straw.
There were voices. Someone was giving orders. Grace surfaced sluggishly. After all that effort she had been caught!
‘Grace! Wake up!’
English! Her eyes snapped open and she saw Harry bending over her. When she tried to speak nothing came out.
One of the men from the farm held a bottle of water to her lips and began to give her a sip at a time.
‘Easy,’ Harry said when she tried to take the bottle. ‘Have some bread as well.’
The two men watched her silently as she tore off lumps of bread and sipped the water. When she’d had enough she managed to say, ‘Thank you.’
‘Where’s Bill?’ Harry wanted to know.
‘I think he was still at the chateau.’ Her voice trembled. ‘I left him behind, Harry. I shouldn’t have done that no matter what he’d told me to do.’
‘You did the right thing.’
She shook her head, the enormity of what had happened finally registering with her.
‘There wasn’t anything you could do.’ Harry gripped her arms, making her focus on what he was saying. ‘If you had been caught they could have used you to make him give them information. For his sake, and everyone involved, you had to get away. Do you understand?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘There’s no suppose about it, Grace. You had to avoid capture. Bill knows what he’s doing. He can look after himself, and being on his own will give him more chance of escaping.’
Of course she knew that, but it didn’t make her feel any better. ‘There was an explosion. Why would something have exploded?’
‘Bill must have found something vital and decided to get rid of it there and then.’
‘But he didn’t have any explosives with him.’
‘Bill, among many other things, is a demolition expert. If he wanted to destroy something, he would have found a way.’
‘Good heavens, Harry! I’m beginning to realise that I don’t know this man.’
‘You’re not the only one to feel that way,’ he laughed. ‘He’s like a chameleon. Now tell me what happened.’
The story was soon told, and when she was finished, Harry cursed. ‘The discovery of the wireless is a real problem. You did well to remain hidden because after quizzing the hotel owners about your appearance they’ll be searching everywhere for you. We’ve got to get you away from this area. Yo
u’ll need new papers and clothes. That will take a few days to arrange. The Germans have already been here so let’s hope they don’t come back. Stay here and rest. The family will take care of you. I’ll be back as soon as possible.’
‘Is there any chance of letting London know what has happened?’
‘The area is in uproar, Grace, and we can’t risk it. You’ll have to tell them when you get back.’
‘How am I going to do that?’
‘Over the Pyrenees into Spain and then on to Gibraltar. It’s going to be a long, tough journey, so eat, rest and let your feet heal.’
Grace looked down at her lacerated feet, grimaced and held up the shoes she had been careful not to leave behind. ‘I couldn’t run in high heels, but I’ll make the journey, no matter how rough.’
‘I know you will. Bill wouldn’t have brought you if he hadn’t been sure you were strong enough, mentally and physically. You were here to give Bill a believable reason to be looking around the chateau. You have played your part well and done exactly what was required of you. Don’t feel upset or guilty about leaving Bill behind. What we’ve got to concentrate on now is getting you home.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
Stan Haydon threw the papers aside, stood up and walked over to the window. Those poor devils on the parade ground must be sweltering in this heat, he thought. August, and still no news! The fact that something had gone dreadfully wrong was now undeniable. There hadn’t been a communication from either of them. Dear Lord, not both of them! Pain laced through him. If they were on the run they would have got a message through somehow, even if they had lost the wireless. If they had been caught they would probably have been tortured and then shot as spies. Stan knew that was always a possibility with missions like this, but it didn’t make it any easier to bear. And the awful thing was they might never know exactly what had happened to them.
He ran a hand over his eyes. They should only have been in France for two weeks at the most. As the days and weeks had passed, hope faded, and now it was clear they weren’t coming back. That is what everyone was saying but Stan refused to let the last shred of hope die.
There was a rap on the door and his temporary assistance looked in. ‘Colonel Askew asking to see you, sir.’
Hell, this was going to be awkward. From the way George had spoken about Grace he’d gathered he felt protective towards her. ‘Send him in, Potter.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Hello, Stan.’ George strode in. ‘Thought I’d pop in to let you know I’ve been transferred here.’
‘You’ve managed to get rid of that desk job at last,’ he joked. ‘Sit down for a moment. I’ll ask Potter to make us some tea.’
‘Thanks. I was hoping to see Grace.’
‘She’s in Scotland with Bill at the moment,’ Stan lied.
‘When do you expect her back?’
‘I haven’t any idea. It might be some time.’
George looked at him intently. ‘From the tone of your voice I would say you are worried. Why would that be, Stan? Remember I have the highest security clearance so whatever you say to me will go no further.’
‘You’re imagining things. I’ve got a lot on my mind at the moment, and I’m missing Grace’s organising skills, that’s all.’ Stan stood up. ‘I’ll see about that tea.’
Potter stood up the moment Stan came into the outer office.
‘Make us a strong pot of tea.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Stan stood for a moment, trying to wipe the worry from his face. He was going to have to be more careful around George. The fact that Grace and Bill were missing couldn’t be hidden for much longer, but he didn’t want to say anything until he had definite news – good or bad. He couldn’t tell the families that he had no idea what had happened to them. He couldn’t!
He returned to his office, a smile on his face. ‘The tea is coming right up. Now, I guess you are back on active duty, so tell me how you managed that?’
They talked about many things over the next hour and Stan was able to avoid any conversation about Grace and Bill.
He hadn’t quite got away with it, though, because as George left he said, ‘When you’re next in touch with Grace, ask her to write to her parents. They are getting worried.’
‘Will do.’ They shook hands and as George left, Stan knew his story about Scotland hadn’t been believed. That had been awkward and would only get worse now George was stationed here. He had to do something.
There was only one thing he could think of, and that was a very long shot, but it would make him feel as if he was doing something useful. It was obvious now that either their wireless set wasn’t working, or they had lost it, so it was a case of searching for any snippet of information they could find. Alex Stewart was a good man and would help if at all possible. Stan dialled a number and waited. Eventually Alex came to the phone and Stan explained the situation to him.
‘Can your wireless operators help me, Alex? We’ve tried everything we can to get in touch with them, but you might be able to pick up something from that area.’
‘It isn’t very likely after all this time, but I’ll ask them to try.’
‘Thanks. Can I have your permission to come there?’
‘Of course. When do you want to come?’
‘Now!’
‘Right, I’ll alert security. Would you like to stay for a couple of days?’
‘I’d appreciate that if at all possible.’
‘No problem. Get here in time for dinner. Jane will be pleased to see you as well.’
Stan replaced the phone, sat for a moment to gather his thoughts, and then dialled another number. There were a few things he must deal with before he left.
An hour later he had a small bag packed and climbed into the waiting car.
‘Where to, sir?’
‘Chicksands Priory, Bedfordshire. Do you know where it is?’
‘No, sir, but I’ll find it.’
‘I’ve been there once so I’ll give you directions when we get close.’
‘Nice place, sir.’ His driver said as they drove towards the priory entrance. ‘I didn’t know this was here.’
‘And you still don’t know.’
‘Understood, sir. Will you need me while you’re here?’
‘No, I’m staying for a couple of days. You can return and I’ll contact you when I’m coming back.’
The driver nodded and held open the car door.
Alex met him as he entered the building. ‘Good to see you again, Stan. I’ve got a couple of girls doing sweeps to see if they can pick up any news. Would you like to see the ops room?’
‘Very much. I really appreciate this, Alex.’
‘Don’t thank me yet. It’s most unlikely we shall discover anything of use to you, but we’ll give it a try. Have you told their families they are missing?’
‘No, I’ve been avoiding that but I can’t put it off much longer.’
The wireless operators were all WAAF and concentrating on what they were doing. Not one looked up when they walked in.
‘All women,’ Stan remarked.
‘Yes, they’ve replaced the men, releasing them for other work. They are very good. Their patience and concentration is excellent.’ Stan walked over to one girl and touched her shoulder to gain her attention.
She removed her headphone and looked up. ‘Sir?’
‘Eileen, I want you to meet Major General Haydon. It’s his operatives you are looking for. Anything yet?’
‘No,’ she stood up to face Stan. ‘If there’s anything out there we’ll find it, sir.’
‘I’m sure you will.’
Eileen sat down again and resumed her work.
Alex looked at his watch. ‘There’s still an hour to dinner. Would you like to stay and watch for a while?’
‘That would be interesting.’
‘Well, if you will excuse me I’ll come back for you in a while. They’ll search through the night as well, Stan,’ Alex sai
d kindly, and then left the room.
Over the next two days Stan spent most of his time in the ops room, fascinated by the skill and diligence of the operators. Collecting information was a vital part of the war effort and no small detail was dismissed as insignificant. Every time something was picked up Stan’s heart leapt in hope, only to be dashed time and time again. Of course, coming here had been a vain hope, but it was better than waiting in the office hoping for news.
‘Anything?’ Alex asked, coming to sit beside him.
He shook his head. ‘Not a whisper of anything unusual. Thanks for trying, anyway, Alex. The SOE haven’t been able to find them and you were my last hope. I’d better be getting back.’
‘Sir!’
Both men surged to their feet when Eileen called. She was listening intently and shaking her head, frowning deeply. Then she sat back and removed the headphones. ‘They’ve gone. I could hardly hear it and there was only a short burst of two words, repeated once. Do the words “Jesters lost” mean anything to you, sir?’
Stan felt as if he had been hit in the stomach. ‘Did it say “Jesters” or “Jester”?’
‘I couldn’t be sure, sir. It wasn’t very clear.’
‘What does it mean?’ Alex asked Stan.
‘That either one or both have been captured or killed. Did the sender give his code?’
‘It sounded like “Saturn”, but whoever was sending it was in a hurry and didn’t want to transmit for long.’
‘That isn’t a call sign I know, and it certainly wasn’t sent by Grace or Bill, so how the hell did they know about Jesters? They wouldn’t have given that information to anyone else.’
‘Unless they were forced to, Stan.’
That would be Stan’s worst nightmare, but every angle had to be considered. Someone out there had information only known to the two Jesters.
‘It’s looking bad. That message should only have been sent by one if the other was lost, and then it should have stated Jester one or Jester two, so we would know which one it was.’
The Day Will Come Page 19
