by Kris Tualla
“My condolences, Olav.”
“Thank you sir.” Olav’s voice thickened. “Can I please be discharged so I can go home and run the farm? My mamma can’t do it herself…”
“Are you the oldest son?” Helgesen asked.
“I’m the only son, sir,” Olav answered.
The major nodded. “I’ll send word to headquarters.”
“Thank you sir.” Olav squirmed a little. “Do you know when I might be able to leave?”
Helgesen gave the younger man a kind smile. “You are officially released. You can leave immediately if you need to.”
“Thank you, sir.” Olav stood awkwardly and addressed the seven actors and two remaining crew members. “I guess this is goodbye, then.”
The troupe swarmed the man and wished him well before he hurried out the stage door.
Bennett looked at Jonas. “It’s just us now.”
Jonas turned to Helgesen. “Maybe the new guy could join us?”
Selby’s heartbeat stuttered. Her hopeful gaze shot to the major. “Is that possible?”
His brow flickered. “I can’t say, Selby. Not before I meet him.”
Her cheeks heated. “No, of course not,” she backpedaled. “I only meant that, if he’s acceptable, we could move forward without burdening Bennett and Jonas.”
“While it would be convenient, he might not fit,” Dahl said stiffly. “And anyway, it’s the major’s decision, not ours.”
Major Helgesen’s regard bounced between Selby and Dahl. She doubted Dahl’s interest in her personally had escaped anyone’s notice, least of all their commanding officer.
“Let’s move on,” he said. “We’ll discuss that after we’ve had a chance to talk with him.”
*****
Teigen knocked on the stage door at three minutes to eleven. It was pulled open by a lanky young man in his early twenties with an unruly mop of red-streaked brown hair. He grinned and his eyes met Teigen’s.
“Teigen?”
“Yes…”
“Come in!” Once the heavy door closed behind him, the man stuck out his hand. “Bennett Wilhelmsen. Props manager.”
Teigen shook the proffered hand. “Teigen Hansen, arrested teacher. Nice to meet you.”
Bennett laughed. “You’ve got a sense of humor. I like that. Follow me.”
Teigen made his way past racks of costumes and painted flats of scenery to the actor’s dressing area. He stopped when faced with a circle of a dozen curious faces, only two of which he recognized.
Selby, of course. And Dahl, who left Falko alone on the ground and bleeding.
One man stood up. Judging by the gray in his hair and the crags in his face, he was well over forty. Even so, his back was straight as he met Teigen eye-to-eye.
He also offered his hand. “Major Hans Helgesen, Milorg.”
Teigen shook it. “Teigen Hansen. Sir.”
Helgesen smiled. “Have a seat, Hansen.”
“Ooh. Come sit by me.” The woman who spoke slid over and patted the chair she just vacated.
“Karolina…” Selby chastised.
“Uh, thank you.” Teigen dropped onto the chair. He glanced at Selby who looked excited and nervous at the same time.
“So why don’t you tell us what brings you here today,” the major suggested. “I understand you met one of our officers in Kirkenes, but why don’t you start at the beginning?”
Teigen’s brows flew up. “Of my life?”
Helgesen laughed. “No. Let’s just go back as far as your arrest.”
Teigen’s cheeks grew painfully hot. He nodded and launched into the story of the last ten months of his life, interrupted often by clarifying and probing questions from the major. He ended with, “I realize I was foolish to ignore the obvious. No one can hide from what’s happening in the world and keep a clear conscience.”
He paused and looked around the small group of somber, unremarkable people, all of whom now had his utmost respect. His gaze returned to the major. “It’s time for me to make up for lost time, sir.”
Major Helgesen nodded as he stroked his bearded chin. Steely blue-gray eyes pinned Teigen’s. “What skills do you bring, Hansen?”
“Skills?” Teigen searched his mind for what sort of skills he thought the major might be interested in. “I’m a hard worker, and I’m strong—even though I look skinny now.”
The major’s eyes raked over Teigen’s frame. “You lost weight in the camp.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes, sir. I’ve lived through the harshest conditions you could imagine in the last eight months.” Teigen pointed a finger at Helgesen. “But that’s the point. I lived through them.”
“You’ve got tenacity, that’s obvious. And strength. And, since you were a teacher, you’re obviously smart enough to get a university degree.”
“Thank you, sir.” Teigen drew a deep breath and gave his final plea. “Major, I’m going to work as long and as hard as I can resisting the brown bastards and our country’s unconscionable occupation. I’ll do it with Milorg—or without.” He flashed half a grin. “But I’d rather do it with you.”
Major Hans Helgesen threw back his head and guffawed. He slapped his thigh and wiped the corners of his eyes. “Good God, Hansen. That’s priceless.”
Teigen noticed the rest of the troupe smiling. Karolina clapped her hands and rubbed her shoulder against his. Selby grinned at him and winked. Only Dahl was reserved.
Then the realization smacked him.
Dahl likes Selby.
Did she like him back?
That wasn’t important at the moment. He needed to focus on the matter at hand.
Helgesen heaved a deep sigh and regained his composure. “Well I’m completely satisfied. Welcome to Milorg, Hansen. Now we need to decide what to do with you.”
Bennett spoke up again. “Sir, he says he’s a hard worker and strong. Whoever replaces Olav needs to have those qualities.”
Jonas chimed in with, “Moving the sets is hard, rough work, sir. We need another big, strong body to help.”
“Yeah, we don’t want to risk dropping a flat on the actors during a scene change, sir.” Bennett looked seriously concerned.
Helgesen considered Teigen. “What do you think?”
“I’m very willing, of course. If you think that’s where I’m needed.” Teigen kept himself from looking at Selby. “But, if you don’t mind my asking, what exactly does this troupe do, in relation to the fight that is?”
Dahl answered that question before the major could. “We travel with the Germans’ ignorant blessings under the cover of a Shakespearean acting troupe that exists for their entertainment. As we do, we pass supplies and information to Milorg posts from Oslo to Trondheim, and back again.”
Oslo?
Dahl leaned forward and lifted one challenging brow. “The packet Selby recovered from you last night is an excellent example.”
Teigen nodded, distracted from the other man’s challenge by the new information. “I thought it was something like that. Are you going to Oslo soon?”
This time Selby jumped in; she was the only one in the room who knew why he was asking. “We are heading south right now. We stop in Stavanger next. Then Kristiansand. And then Oslo.”
Teigen faced Major Helgesen. “If they’ll have me, I’ll join the troupe to replace Olav.”
A smattering of applause filled the room.
“I’m so glad,” Karolina cooed.
“You do realize that you begin with the rank of soldier,” Helgesen warned. “Bennett Wilhelmsen whom you met first is a sergeant, as is Gunter Salversen over there.”
Gunter lifted a hand. “Second male lead, behind Dahl.”
“Selby Hovland is a lieutenant, and Dahl Holter is the captain of the group.”
“What the major is saying is that they all outrank you.” Dahl smiled coldly. “And I outrank everyone.”
Karolina giggled. “I don’t outrank you. You can boss me around if you want.”
Selby’s eyes threw daggers at the other woman. “Karolina Ingebrigtsen is the troupe’s second female lead. And, my understudy.”
“She never gets sick,” Karolina muttered.
Major Helgesen stood. “Will you come with me, Hansen? We have some paperwork to fill out.”
“Yes, sir!” Teigen shot upright. “But before we go, what do I do after that?”
“Come back here and I’ll put you to work.” Bennett clapped him on the shoulder.
“You’ll have to change hotels,” Selby stated.
Teigen turned to look at her. “I will?”
She shrugged. “You are one of us now.”
“What about Falko?” He didn’t want to abandon his friend.
“We’ll take care of him once he’s released,” Dahl promised. “In the meantime, when you get back here after your meeting with Major Helgesen I’ll go to both hotels with you and get you moved.
Teigen decided to take the strength position in whatever contest Dahl might think they were engaged in. “Thanks, Dahl. I appreciate it. And I look forward to working with you.”
He turned to follow the major from the theater when Helgesen stopped and faced him. “I neglected to ask what subjects you taught.”
“Secondary school chemistry.”
The major’s face spread wide with a surprised grin. “You can make bombs!”
*****
Selby startled every time the stage door opened, but it wasn’t until after two o’clock that Teigen and Dahl returned to the theater.
“He’s all squared away,” Dahl told Bennett. “He’ll bunk with you for now, so you can answer his questions and tell him what he needs to know.”
“I don’t mind a roommate,” the affable props manager replied with a shrug. “Now that Olav’s gone, Jonas can have his turn for a little privacy.”
“What about his salary?” Selby asked.
Teigen’s bright green eyes widened. “Salary?”
“Didn’t Dahl tell you?” She threw the actor an irritated look. “Were you going to at some point?”
Dahl scowled at her. “Of course I was. We just hadn’t gotten to it yet.”
Selby looked up at Teigen who was more than a foot taller than her. Without the scraggly beard and hair, he was actually as good-looking as Dahl—if not more so.
“We get a small salary as Milorg soldiers. That’s what I was talking about. Dahl should give you an advance since I assume you don’t have any money?”
Teigen huffed a laugh. “No. The Germans in Kirkenes didn’t pay us to unload their ships or build their roads.”
“Or feed you, by the looks of you.” Bennett jokingly poked him in the ribs, then his jaw dropped. “Jeez, man. You are thin.”
Teigen looked uncomfortable. “I’m working on it.”
Selby’s heart broke a little. None of them really knew what he had been through. And she wasn’t certain she wanted to know.
“The troupe as a business pays for our hotel rooms,” she continued. “And that includes one meal a day, usually breakfast. It also pays our passage from town to town.”
“Okay…” Teigen was clearly doing mental budgeting.
“The money for all that comes from ticket sales. After we pay the theaters their percentage, of course. Just like any theater troupe.”
Teigen looked at Dahl. “Is the troupe profitable?”
“Considering the situation we’re in, we’re lucky to break even,” the actor admitted.
Teigen’s face twisted. “Well… Have you considered doing plays that are more… modern?”
Dahl shook his head. “As long as we’re doing classic works, the Germans pretty much leave us alone.”
“And making a profit isn’t why we exist,” Selby reminded him. “We have a different goal here.”
Teigen nodded slowly. “I understand.”
Dahl reached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet. “There’s one week left in the month…” He pulled out a few bills and handed them to Teigen. “So here’s a hundred kroner. We’ll all be paid for the month on the first of December.”
“Thanks.” Teigen stuffed the money in his pocket.
“Your salary as a soldier will be four hundred a month.” Selby looked at Teigen apologetically. “I know—it’s not much. Certainly a lot less than your teacher’s pay. I’m sorry about that.”
Teigen nodded. “It’s less than a quarter. But I don’t have to pay for a room. And I get fed every morning. I’ll make it work.”
“You’ll get a raise after a while,” Bennett assured him. “And I’m guessing a promotion won’t be too far off, either.”
“It’s fine.” Teigen flashed a crooked grin at the trio. “I just thank God that I’m here now, and not where I was at the beginning of the month.”
When his smile softened and moved to Selby she knew she was in trouble.
What have we done?
Chapter
Eighteen
February 17, 1943
Oslo, Norway
Nearly three months after Teigen joined the Royal Shakespearean Acting Troupe, and exactly one year and one week after Elsa irrevocably broke their engagement, Teigen disembarked from their ship into Oslo. The rush of emotions he felt unexpectedly swamped him.
He knew he was here to confront Elsa with her deception. The fact the troupe was performing here was actually secondary to his plans. He just needed to do what they told him to in the meantime.
Taking orders from anyone grated on his ego, but taking them from Selby was particularly difficult. The petite spitfire wasted no time in making sure he understood that her word was his command.
Sometimes he thought she ordered him around just because she could.
Teigen, on the other hand, looked for ways to show his own strength of mind and character, taking initiative on projects both with the stage productions and with their work with Milorg.
The ingenious box he designed and built from scrap lumber was one example. Labeled Comments and placed in the lobby of the theaters they performed in, he told the highest-ranking officers in the cities where they appeared that anything placed in that box would be acted on.
The second night that the box was in the lobby at Kristiansand a tip about a raid on a house appeared. Teigen left the theater after intermission and warned the family, who were then able to hide the Jews they were sheltering somewhere else for the night. He also told them that he would make certain the fugitives received new identity papers.
“Teigen, you can’t just go running out in the middle of the show like that,” Selby scolded him afterwards. “What if something happened?”
“Something like what?” he countered. “Selby, there was a family of four living in that basement. All of them would have been sent to the German camps immediately—if they weren’t shot on the spot. What would be worse than that?”
“I understand, but—”
“Not to mention what might have happened to the couple whose house they’re hiding in.”
“UGH!” She stomped her slippered foot on the rug in the dressing room. Her eyes flashed with pale blue fire which ignited a frustrating flame in his groin.
“Teigen! Listen to me!”
He drew a deep breath and held it, trying to calm his body which was waging war with itself. When it came to Selby, he either wanted to bed her or strangle her. There seemed to be no middle ground.
“Dahl and I are your commanding officers—”
“I know.”
“So act like you know!”
Teigen dragged his fingers through his lengthening hair. This repeated argument never got them anywhere. She was always going to try to control him, and he was always going to buck.
“I’m sorry,” he offered. “I’ll try to ask you next time.”
“Please do.” Her stiff frame relaxed a little.
Teigen wanted to hug her to show her that they stood on the same ground, but he knew that would be a mistake. Selby was very reserved when it came to touch
, even with Dahl whom she had known for years.
At least it’s not only me.
“There’s one other thing,” he ventured.
Selby folded her arms and glared at him. “What?”
“I promised we’d get them new identity papers.” He tried to look hopeful. “Do we have any left?”
Selby’s lips pursed as her eyes narrowed. Clearly she was deciding how to answer him. That meant that they did have some. It also meant that she hated to admit he was right.
“What ages?” she asked.
And that was that. Teigen delivered the papers the next day. And to his credit he never gloated once.
Both Dahl and Selby knew about Elsa’s ploy and Teigen’s need to confront her, now that he was returning to Oslo.
“Let me talk to the major here,” Dahl told him before they docked. “He’ll have some suggestions, I’m sure, about how to go about this.”
Teigen agreed, though his nerves were on edge and he felt like a mountain cat coiled to attack its prey.
The troupe went to the venue first, the National Theater near the Royal Palace. Bennett, Jonas, and Teigen oversaw the moving of the scenery flats and trunks of props, while character actress and costume mistress, Ingeborg Rossen, ordered the stevedores at the dock to be careful with her voluminous creations.
All of the actors helped, however, since the job was daunting and there were only ten of them in the group. Three hours after docking, their traveling show was organized enough in the backstage area of the theater that they could go to their hotel and take time settling in before meeting for supper.
When they reached the hotel, a trio of letters waited for Teigen.
“This one’s from Falko,” he told Bennett as he tore it open.
Falko had opted to remain in Bergen and work there, saying, “This city is a crucial point. Lots going on here. Besides, I’ll see you four times a year.”
Teigen scanned the news. “He’s been promoted to captain.”
“Good.” Bennett was clearly not listening.
No matter. Teigen opened the letter from his parents next. He skimmed over the content looking for any bad news, planning to savor the rest of the news later.
