glanced at them and stood. “I’ll leave you alone,” she said, and closed the door behind her.
Danielle grabbed the damp telegram and pressed it to her lips, smelling the thin soggy paper, then tore it open and began to read. “Family not at home. Neighbor reports family left in automobile.” She stared at the telegram, then let it fall from her hand, her hope plunging along with it.
They’re still missing
.
“Good, they’ve escaped.” Max rapped his fist in a staccato rhythm in his hand, and began to pace. “They’re probably in hiding.” He stopped. “Do you feel well enough to travel?”
Danielle reached for a chair and leaned into it, her heart racing. “Are we going home?” She knew that Max, in one of his many meetings, had visited British officials to enlist aid for their plight. As a German citizen, Max could return to Poland, but they feared the risk of Danielle’s return.
“Not you, my darling. I want you to go to France.”
She turned cold inside at the thought of Max leaving her. “Without you?”
“It’s the only way, darling. With France at war with Germany, I can’t enter France. And in your state, you should be with your family.”
She realized he was right, and nodded in numb acquiescence. A flutter of knowledge filled her. “Then you’re going home.”
Max nodded and knelt before her, his expression earnest, droplets of rain still clinging to his face. “The British government has also asked me to work for them.”
Her eyes widened in astonishment. “Why?”
“My asylum here is temporary. If I don’t work
with
England, then officials assume I’m against them. I could be imprisoned.” His mouth tightened. “Or worse.”
“Just for being a German national?”
Max took her hands and rubbed them. “I can’t blame them. My only choice is to travel into Germany as part of a British intelligence team.”
“You mean, as a spy?” She fought the urge to scream. Outside, the rain grew harder, pelting against the roof like pebbles. “How can you even consider this?” she snapped. “Is it not enough that our family is in danger?”
“I have no choice, Danielle. It is done. I leave next week.”
“Can’t you get our family out without having to spy for the British government?”
“No, it’s part of our agreement. From Germany, I’ll be able to enter Poland to find Mother and Nicky and Heinrich. Then Jean-Claude will help us send them on to France.”
She paused as his words registered, and her heart sank. “Won’t you be with them?”
“No, I’ll continue working for the British secret service. They need me, Danielle. My skills and language are critical in the fight against totalitarian aggression.”
“It’s
their
fight, Max. All I want is my family.”
He shook his head. “This is the only way. We must commit ourselves to maintaining liberty on the European continent.” He lowered his eyes. “Besides, they’ll pay me well. God knows we need the money.”
Danielle’s throat constricted and her head swirled, her eyes welling with tears of frustration and anger.
So, that’s what this was about.
They needed the money, yet Max was too proud to ask her father for assistance.
I can’t believe it.
She paused in thought. Still, Max promised to bring Nicky and Sofia to safety. She pressed her hands against the pressure building in her temples.
“Trust me, darling.” Max removed her hands and cradled her face, kissing the tears from her cheeks.
Danielle met his lips with hers, then pulled back and searched his earnest eyes.
He’s doing what he can
, she told herself. She leaned back against the sofa, anger draining from her aching head.
How I wish I could go with him.
She closed her eyes and sighed. “So you want me to go to France.”
“It’s best for you and the baby. There’s a ferry to France that leaves the same day I do.”
“How will you get into Germany?
Max hesitated. “We’ll parachute in.”
“
Mon Dieu!
” Her eyes flew open
Danielle grabbed the damp telegram and pressed it to her lips, smelling the thin soggy paper, then tore it open and began to read. “Family not at home. Neighbor reports family left in automobile.” She stared at the telegram, then let it fall from her hand, her hope plunging along with it.
They’re still missing
.
“Good, they’ve escaped.” Max rapped his fist in a staccato rhythm in his hand, and began to pace. “They’re probably in hiding.” He stopped. “Do you feel well enough to travel?”
Danielle reached for a chair and leaned into it, her heart racing. “Are we going home?” She knew that Max, in one of his many meetings, had visited British officials to enlist aid for their plight. As a German citizen, Max could return to Poland, but they feared the risk of Danielle’s return.
“Not you, my darling. I want you to go to France.”
She turned cold inside at the thought of Max leaving her. “Without you?”
“It’s the only way, darling. With France at war with Germany, I can’t enter France. And in your state, you should be with your family.”
She realized he was right, and nodded in numb acquiescence. A flutter of knowledge filled her. “Then you’re going home.”
Max nodded and knelt before her, his expression earnest, droplets of rain still clinging to his face. “The British government has also asked me to work for them.”
Her eyes widened in astonishment. “Why?”
“My asylum here is temporary. If I don’t work
with
England, then officials assume I’m against them. I could be imprisoned.” His mouth tightened. “Or worse.”
“Just for being a German national?”
Max took her hands and rubbed them. “I can’t blame them. My only choice is to travel into Germany as part of a British intelligence team.”
“You mean, as a spy?” She fought the urge to scream. Outside, the rain grew harder, pelting against the roof like pebbles. “How can you even consider this?” she snapped. “Is it not enough that our family is in danger?”
“I have no choice, Danielle. It is done. I leave next week.”
“Can’t you get our family out without having to spy for the British government?”
“No, it’s part of our agreement. From Germany, I’ll be able to enter Poland to find Mother and Nicky and Heinrich. Then Jean-Claude will help us send them on to France.”
She paused as his words registered, and her heart sank. “Won’t you be with them?”
“No, I’ll continue working for the British secret service. They need me, Danielle. My skills and language are critical in the fight against totalitarian aggression.”
“It’s
their
fight, Max. All I want is my family.”
He shook his head. “This is the only way. We must commit ourselves to maintaining liberty on the European continent.” He lowered his eyes. “Besides, they’ll pay me well. God knows we need the money.”
Danielle’s throat constricted and her head swirled, her eyes welling with tears of frustration and anger.
So, that’s what this was about.
They needed the money, yet Max was too proud to ask her father for assistance.
I can’t believe it.
She paused in thought. Still, Max promised to bring Nicky and Sofia to safety. She pressed her hands against the pressure building in her temples.
“Trust me, darling.” Max removed her hands and cradled her face, kissing the tears from her cheeks.
Danielle met his lips with hers, then pulled back and searched his earnest eyes.
He’s doing what he can
, she told herself. She leaned back against the sofa, anger draining from her aching head.
How I wish I could go with him.
She closed her eyes and sighed. “So you want me to go to France.”
“It’s best for you and the baby. There’s a ferry to France that leaves the same day I do.”
“How will you get into Germany?
Max hesitated. “We’ll parachute in.”
“
Mon Dieu!
” Her eyes flew open
Similar Books
