Read Online Aiding the Enemy (War Girls) by Julie Rowe - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie Rowe
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recognized. He examined her face for a long moment before saying, “Come with me.”
She followed him down several hallways, seeing no one else along the way. They ended up at a poorly lit doorway. He opened it and gestured at her to go ahead of him.
She found herself outside in an overgrown garden with vines roping over the stone walls on either side. Something was very, very wrong. Were they going to shoot her now?
“What is this? Where are we going?”
“Say nothing,” the young soldier said in a low tone. “Someone will be here soon.”
“But—”
“Three months ago,” the soldier interrupted, “you saved my brother’s life.” He inclined his head. “Wait here for your escort.” He shut the door in her face.
Full darkness enveloped her in a soothing blanket of hope. Fear nibbled at the edges, but she held firm. Only minutes ago she’d contemplated what might happen to her. Nothing good had seemed certain. But now...now nothing seemed certain at all.
A shadow rose out of the darkness and she nearly cried out. A male hand covered her mouth while another snaked around her waist, pulling her close to a body much taller and broader than hers.
She raised her hands to push him away and sucked in a desperate breath through her nose.
His scent.
She knew it better than her own. Soap, a trace of ether and something uniquely woodsy.
Herman .
What was he doing? He’d already expressed his anger and hatred. Did he have more to say?
“Rose,” he whispered, his voice confirming his identity. “Don’t scream.”
Of anyone, he had the right to ask for her silence. She nodded and he took his hand away. “Are you all right? Have they hurt or abused you?”
“You actually want an answer?”
“Of course I want an answer.”
“But—”
“Just answer the question, Rose.”
“No. I was absolutely terrified for the first few days, but I’ve discovered a limit to the amount of terror I can feel. I was mostly numb...until earlier.” She gave herself a moment to strengthen her resolve to endure whatever came next. “Did you want to say something more to me privately?”
He snorted. “I have a great deal to say, but it can all wait until we’re safely away from here.”
“I don’t understand. Am I being transferred to another location?”
“In a manner of speaking. Follow me.” He turned to leave, but stopped when she didn’t follow.
“I’m very sorry for deceiving you, sir,” she said quietly. “Very sorry.”
He loomed over her, crowding her against the stone wall. “If you call me sir again, I swear I’ll turn you over my knee and spank you.”
She gasped. “What do you want from me?”
He leaned down, putting his palms on the wall behind her, his mouth next to her ear. “To save you. I’ve known about what you were doing for a long time. Confronting you with your so-called crimes was my way of getting inside this place—and giving me an opportunity to get you out.”
Relief turned her bones to butter and she relaxed against him, her hands clutching at his shoulders for support. “You’re not angry with me?”
He hugged her with equal fervour. “Oh, I’m angry, but not for the reasons you think. We don’t have much time. Come with me.”
He released her with a slow preciseness that told her he was aware of how frightened she was. He slid one hand down to hers and took it in a firm grip, pulling her down the garden path.
The moon was barely a sliver in the sky, making the stars seem brighter than they should be, intensifying the darkness of the night. His hand was her only link to the rest of the world and yet she felt as if she weren’t connected to the world at all.
He guided her off the path and through heavy shrubbery that grabbed and clung to her dress and apron. They walked for several minutes, passing through a wooded area before emerging in a graveyard. Herman stopped long enough to look about before they headed for the church on the other side of the sea of
She followed him down several hallways, seeing no one else along the way. They ended up at a poorly lit doorway. He opened it and gestured at her to go ahead of him.
She found herself outside in an overgrown garden with vines roping over the stone walls on either side. Something was very, very wrong. Were they going to shoot her now?
“What is this? Where are we going?”
“Say nothing,” the young soldier said in a low tone. “Someone will be here soon.”
“But—”
“Three months ago,” the soldier interrupted, “you saved my brother’s life.” He inclined his head. “Wait here for your escort.” He shut the door in her face.
Full darkness enveloped her in a soothing blanket of hope. Fear nibbled at the edges, but she held firm. Only minutes ago she’d contemplated what might happen to her. Nothing good had seemed certain. But now...now nothing seemed certain at all.
A shadow rose out of the darkness and she nearly cried out. A male hand covered her mouth while another snaked around her waist, pulling her close to a body much taller and broader than hers.
She raised her hands to push him away and sucked in a desperate breath through her nose.
His scent.
She knew it better than her own. Soap, a trace of ether and something uniquely woodsy.
Herman .
What was he doing? He’d already expressed his anger and hatred. Did he have more to say?
“Rose,” he whispered, his voice confirming his identity. “Don’t scream.”
Of anyone, he had the right to ask for her silence. She nodded and he took his hand away. “Are you all right? Have they hurt or abused you?”
“You actually want an answer?”
“Of course I want an answer.”
“But—”
“Just answer the question, Rose.”
“No. I was absolutely terrified for the first few days, but I’ve discovered a limit to the amount of terror I can feel. I was mostly numb...until earlier.” She gave herself a moment to strengthen her resolve to endure whatever came next. “Did you want to say something more to me privately?”
He snorted. “I have a great deal to say, but it can all wait until we’re safely away from here.”
“I don’t understand. Am I being transferred to another location?”
“In a manner of speaking. Follow me.” He turned to leave, but stopped when she didn’t follow.
“I’m very sorry for deceiving you, sir,” she said quietly. “Very sorry.”
He loomed over her, crowding her against the stone wall. “If you call me sir again, I swear I’ll turn you over my knee and spank you.”
She gasped. “What do you want from me?”
He leaned down, putting his palms on the wall behind her, his mouth next to her ear. “To save you. I’ve known about what you were doing for a long time. Confronting you with your so-called crimes was my way of getting inside this place—and giving me an opportunity to get you out.”
Relief turned her bones to butter and she relaxed against him, her hands clutching at his shoulders for support. “You’re not angry with me?”
He hugged her with equal fervour. “Oh, I’m angry, but not for the reasons you think. We don’t have much time. Come with me.”
He released her with a slow preciseness that told her he was aware of how frightened she was. He slid one hand down to hers and took it in a firm grip, pulling her down the garden path.
The moon was barely a sliver in the sky, making the stars seem brighter than they should be, intensifying the darkness of the night. His hand was her only link to the rest of the world and yet she felt as if she weren’t connected to the world at all.
He guided her off the path and through heavy shrubbery that grabbed and clung to her dress and apron. They walked for several minutes, passing through a wooded area before emerging in a graveyard. Herman stopped long enough to look about before they headed for the church on the other side of the sea of
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