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Evelyn set down the highly polished box and got up impatiently, crossing over to her bedroom window and throwing it open. She leaned out and took a deep, calming breath of fresh air. After working on the box solidly for over forty minutes, she was no closer to opening it than she had been last Christmas when she’d begun working on it in earnest. She had figured out some of the mechanisms, but couldn’t get past a certain point, despite trying all the tricks she’d learned over years from opening both Chinese and Japanese boxes.
What if this really is the one I can’t figure out? What then?
She supposed they could always destroy the box in order to get to the contents inside, but she hated to do that. It was the last gift her father had given her before he died. She didn’t want to destroy it.
Exhaling, Evelyn watched as a crow glided across the side lawn, heading for the trees. Perhaps she was trying too hard. Sometimes her father would say that she had a tendency to become trapped by her own tunnel-vision when she was working on something. Perhaps that was the problem now. Because she knew it was so important to get the box open, perhaps she wasn’t seeing anything else. Her lips curved suddenly as she remembered Sifu telling her the same thing. He had defeated her repeatedly with a single move for weeks before she finally saw her way out of that particular tunnel. Once she had, however, it was as if a flood-gate had been opened, and she quickly became the top student in the Wing Chun school. But that was in the distant past now, and did nothing to help her with her current predicament.
With a sigh, Evelyn turned from the window and looked at the box sitting on her desk. Unfortunately, this puzzle was nothing like learning a Chinese martial art. It was a test of her patience in a way that Wing Chun never had been, and she was very much afraid that it would be the test that she failed.
A soft knock fell on her bedroom door and it opened without waiting for an answer. Rob stuck his head in, peering around the edge of the door.
“Oh you’re up!” he said, stepping into the room. “I’m glad. I didn’t want to wake you if you were sleeping.”
“No. I’ve been playing with that box,” she said, motioning towards the desk. “Dad gave it to me before his last trip.”
“Did he?” Rob walked over to the desk and picked up the box, examining it. “It’s very pretty. You know, I never could figure these things out. Don’t have the patience.”
“I’ll admit this one’s trying mine. I’ve been fiddling with it since Christmas, to absolutely no avail.”
“That’s unusual for you,” Rob said, putting it down and looking at her. “You usually had these open before anyone could blink. Are you sure you’re all right?”
Evelyn laughed and nodded, walking over to drop into the chair at her desk again.
“Yes. I think Dad finally found one that’s a devil to open, that’s all.” She watched as Rob sprawled across the foot of her bed. “How’s the flying?”
“We’re up every day now, flying patrols over the channel and North Sea. Lots of flying, very little action.” He propped himself on his elbow and studied her. “Mum’s right. You look awful.”
“Well thank you very much!”
He grinned. “Not to say that you ever looked especially good.”
Evelyn picked up a pencil and chucked it at him. “Miles doesn’t seem to have any complaints,” she retorted. “And neither does Fred.”
“Fred?” Rob raised his eyebrows in interest. “Is that the Hurricane pilot you’ve been so chummy with?”
“Yes.”
“Do I need to meet him? I rather thought you were fond of Miles.”
“I am fond of Miles, and no, you don’t need to meet him. It’s not that kind of friendship with Fred.” She picked up the box absently, turning it over in her hands. “Not that you need to meet any of my male friends. I’m quite capable of choosing my own mate, thank you very much.”
“I know you are, but you know Mum expects me to play head of household now. That involves keeping an eye on any prospective family members.” Rob tilted his head and, for once, the carefree smile was missing from his face. “It’s rather a heavy load, actually. I can’t fill Dad’s shoes. I’m having a hard enough time keeping this estate running while serving King and Country. Thank the good Lord for Damien, the steward Dad hired two years ago. I’d be lost without him.”
Evelyn looked up in surprise. “I had no idea you were struggling. Everything seems to be running the same as it always had.”
“I’m still finding my way. You wouldn’t believe how complicated everything is.” Rob exhaled and flopped onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “Miles has been a shocking amount of help, actually. He’s got a real head for estate management, believe it or not. He’s been helping his father for years. Of course, it helps that they’re in the sheep business as well, so Miles has been able to give me some advice. Lord Lacey has nothing to worry about when he leaves his estate to Miles. He’ll be a good Baron, when the time comes.”
“It’s funny, I don’t even think of him as a future Baron,” she said slowly. “I just think of him as...well, as Miles.”
“Not one of the Yorkshire Laceys?” he asked teasingly. “Mum would be very disappointed.”
Evelyn laughed. “I have no reason to go social climbing. Not unless you manage to muck up our estate. So please, do try not to.”
“In all seriousness, Evie, are you very fond of Miles? He seems to be of you, but if you’re not, you’d best halt it now. I don’t want another Marc Fournier on my hands.”
Evelyn dropped her gaze to the glossy box in her hands, still turning it over absently.
“I am fond of him,” she said quietly, “but with the war on, it makes it very difficult. None of us know where we’ll be one moment to the next, so there’s really no point in looking ahead.”
“‘Course there is! If there’s no point in looking ahead, then what the bloody hell are we fighting for?” Rob sat up and shook his head. “Well, that’s all between you and Miles. As long as I don’t end up with him crying in my ear, I’ll leave you to it.”
“You never had Marc Fournier crying in your ear!” she exclaimed. “I never encouraged him even a bit!”
“You didn’t have to! He fell as soon as he clapped eyes on you. Ridiculous thing, that. I suppose it’s because he’s French.”
“We’re half-French,” she pointed out with a grin.
“Yes, and look at you with Miles,” he retorted. “I’ve never seen you take to someone so fast.”
“Well, if it’s the French blood in me, then you’re doomed. Perhaps I’ll start looking for nice young WAAFs to throw your way.”
The smile he gave her was decidedly wolfish. “No need, m’dear. I’m meeting quite enough on my own.”
Evelyn laughed and flipped the box in the air before moving to put it down. As it landed in her hands again, her fingers gripped one of the panels and it slid to the side. Hearing a click, she looked down and gasped as a tiny compartment slid open, revealing a catch.
“I’ve done it!” she cried, jumping up in her excitement. “Look!”
Rob stood up and glanced at the box in her hands. “Well done. What’s inside?”
“I’ve no idea.” She pressed the catch and watched as two more panels slid aside. “There’s still more to do, I think.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” he said, turning for the door. “Dinner should be ready soon, thank God. I’m starving.”
“You’re always starving,” she said absently, dropping back into the chair as she slid one of the new panels over. “I’ll be down in a little bit.”
Rob left the room and Evelyn pressed another panel. All of a sudden, there were a series of clicks and another panel slid aside, revealing a velvet-lined compartment. Her heart surged into her throat as a feeling of elation went through her. There, nestled in the center compartment of the box, was a folded piece of paper.
Evelyn pulled it out and set the box down on the desk, unfolding the scrap of paper. Across the paper, in her father’s distinctive hand-writing, was a single line. She stared at it, her forehead creasing into a frown. It looked like an address.
An address in Blasenflue, Switzerland.
Evelyn walked down the thickly carpeted corridor towards the stairs, smoothing a hand over the soft fabric of her skirt. She was wearing a dress that she’d bought in Paris in March but never got the chance to wear. It was part of the Spring collection, and she’d wondered at the time if she would have the opportunity to wear it at all this year. It may only be for dinner with her family, but she was glad to be wearing it now. It was a flattering shade of blue that made her feel pretty, even if she looked as awful as Robbie had said.
She knew she wasn’t looking up to her usual to her standards. She’d lost quite a bit of weight in her flight across Norway, and the emotional strain had left its mark as well. Yet Evelyn was very conscious of how lucky she was to be here, never mind even alive. If the SS had had their way, she would have been captured in a ravine in central Norway. Captured, or worse.
An involuntary shudder went through her and she resolutely pushed the memories aside. There was absolutely no point in dwelling on the past and what might have been. It hadn’t been, and that was that. She lived to continue on, and to fight another day.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Evelyn started down, her hand on the smooth banister. Coming to Ainsworth Manor for a few days hadn’t been her choice. She’d wanted to get back to Northolt and some sense of normalcy. Perhaps go out for a meal with Fred and laugh at his ridiculousness. Bill had been the one to insist that she come home for a few days. He said she needed the time to relax and be herself again. As much as she hated to admit when she was wrong and anyone else was right, Evelyn admitted now that Bill had been correct. She had needed this. The past few days had gone far to help her settle and think clearly, and now she could face the thought of going back onto the continent, or wherever they sent her, with much more composure and much less anxiety than before. She felt more like herself again.
The telephone on the little table in the hallway suddenly rang, startling her, and Evelyn let out a little gasp. Her heart thumped before settling down again and she sucked in a deep breath, laughing to herself. Perhaps another couple of days wouldn’t be amiss. Obviously her nerves were still not quite right yet.
She watched as Thomas appeared from the back of the house, moving towards the telephone with his steady, ponderous stride that never appeared to rush, yet always placed him exactly where he needed to be when he was needed. It was one of those mysteries of the serving class, how they were never in a hurry and yet were always on hand precisely when you needed them. It was one of the many things that made them absolutely invaluable.
Evelyn had just reached the bottom of the stairs when Thomas turned to look at her.
“You have a telephone call, miss,” he announced, setting the receiver down on the table next to the phone.
“I do?” Evelyn asked, surprised. “Thank you.”
He inclined his head and turned to return to the back of the house as she went over to pick up the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Evie? It’s Bill.” Bill’s voice came through the receiver, strong and steady. “How are you?”
“I’m doing well, thank you. How are you?”
“We’re all well, thanks. How’s the holiday? Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes. Robbie showed up unexpectedly this afternoon as well! It’s lovely to see him again. I feel like it’s been an age!”
“I told you it would do you a world of good to go home for a spell.”
“It has, but that’s not why you’re calling, is it?” she asked.
“No.” Bill cleared his throat. “Can you come to London on Tuesday? I’m in Paris now. I was supposed to return today, but something's come up and I won’t be back until Monday now.”
“Tuesday?” Evelyn frowned. “Yes, of course. I’m not due back at Northolt until Wednesday. I can take the train down. Is everything all right?”
“Yes, yes, but I’ll need to see you as soon as I return. I really am sorry to interrupt your holiday. I know I said I wouldn’t.”
“It’s quite all right,” she assured him. “I’m doing much better now. You were right. This was exactly what I needed, even if I didn’t realize it myself.”
“I’m very glad to hear that. You had me worried there for a few days.” Loud static broke into the line and Evelyn grimaced, pulling the handset away from her ear. “Oh Lord, what now? Evie? Evie, are you still there?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“It sounds like the line is getting interference. I’m going to ring off. Shall we say ten o’clock Tuesday? In my office?”
“Yes, all right. I’ll be there.”
Evelyn heard the same screeching static and suddenly the line was dead. She pushed the button on the phone a few times, but the connection had been severed. Setting the receiver back in the cradle, she turned away from the table with a shrug. Hopefully Bill had heard her confirmation before the line cut out.
Moving across the hall towards the drawing room where she knew Robbie and the others would be having drinks before dinner, her brow creased into a frown. Bill was in Paris? And he wanted to see her as soon as he returned? That could only mean one thing.
She was going to France.
“Oh, must you go so soon?” Mrs. Ainsworth cried as Rob set down his cup of coffee and stood up. “You’ve just finished your coffee!”
After dinner, instead of moving into the drawing room for after-dinner drinks, they had all come outside onto the terrace to enjoy the mild evening. While the rest of them had an evening cocktail or wine, Rob had insisted on coffee before he continued his drive north.
“I really do, Mum. I have to get up to Catterick and collect Slippy before he starts a revolt.” Rob smiled down at his mother. “I’ll get a weekend off soon and I’ll motor up and spend some time with you.”
“It really was lovely to see you again,” she said as she set down her glass and stood up. “Such a nice surprise. Having both you and Evie here was almost like Christmas again.”
“You would think the RAF would let you both come home more often,” Aunt Agatha said as Rob hugged his mother goodbye. “It’s downright disgraceful how little time off you get. Why, Evelyn was at death’s door after being overworked!”
Evelyn set down her wine glass and brushed a stray lock of blonde hair out of her eyes.
“Oh Auntie, I was nowhere near death’s door,” she protested with a short laugh. “I was ill for a few days, that’s all.”
Agatha snorted and stood to accept a hug and a kiss from Rob.
“You’re a bag of bones, child,” she retorted. “You need to come home more often where we can make sure you’re fed properly. Obviously the RAF isn’t doing a good enough job.”
“Auntie, there is a war on, you know,” Rob said with a grin. “We’re not idle persons of leisure anymore. We have to do our bit.”
“Yes, but do you have to kill yourself doing it?” she demanded.
Evelyn swallowed and an awkward silence suddenly fell over the group. Realizing her poor choice of words, Agatha cleared her throat and patted Rob’s cheek.
“Do try and get back again soon,” she said. “It’s lovely having you both here.”
“I will, Auntie. You just keep Mum out of trouble.”
“Me?” Mrs. Ainsworth made a sound as close to a snort as her delicate manners would allow. “You’ve got it backwards, Robbie. I’m the one keeping her out of trouble!”
Rob winked at Agatha. “No upsetting the Vicar this time, Auntie.”
Agatha harrumphed but a twinkle came to her dark eyes. “Madeleine told you about that, did she? It was all a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding or not, Robert had to smooth things over,” Mrs. Ainsworth said with a reluctant laugh. “He never laughed so hard, though.”
“My brother knew me well enough,” Agatha said easily, taking her seat again and picking up her glass. “I do miss him.”
Evelyn stood up and tucked her arm through Rob’s. “I’ll walk out to the car with you.”
“All right.” He looked at the two older women sitting at the table. “I’ll see you both soon.”
He and Evelyn went through the opening in the terrace wall and followed the path to the corner of the house. Once they were out of sight of the terrace, Rob blew out his cheeks and exhaled.
“God I hate saying goodbye to Mum,” he confessed. “She always makes me feel as if I’ll never see her again.”
Evelyn looked up at him. “You may not,” she pointed out. “It’s something we’ve all had to come to accept.”
“Bollocks,” he muttered crudely. “I’m no more likely to pop up my clogs than you are. Does she make you feel this way when you leave?”
“No, but our situations are a little different. I’m not up there flying against the enemy.” I’m only facing him on the ground, in person, where if I make the wrong move, I’ll be shot.
“Neither am I, yet. It’s getting rather old, to be honest. Every day we go up, and every day we come back down without ever having sighted so much as a wing tip.”
Evelyn thought of the hordes of Luftwaffe planes that had taken complete control of the skies over Norway, bombing the cities and villages with abandon.
“You will,” she said quietly, her voice even. “Don’t be in such a hurry to face them, Robbie. It’s not going to be pretty when Hitler turns his attention west. Right now, he’s distracted with Norway, but that won’t last long. The weather’s improved and he’ll move towards France soon.”
“I know.” Rob was quiet for a moment. “I think we all just want to get the first scrap over with, then we’ll settle down. Right now we’re just waiting, but we don’t know what we’re waiting for. Once we have our first fight, we’ll have a better idea of what’s coming.”
They rounded the front corner of the house and stepped onto the crushed gravel driveway. Ahead of them, the chauffer was just closing the hood of the Lagonda and, as their feet crunched on the gravel, he turned around, wiping his hands with a rag.
“How is she, Wallace?” Rob called. “Will she get me back to the war?”
“She’s right as rain, Master Robbie,” Wallace replied, nodding. “A clamp had worked loose. It’s all fixed now.”
“Wonderful! Evie was going to have my head if I’d broken her.”
Wallace looked at Evelyn, a grin on his face. “No need for that, miss. She’ll run all right now.”
“The next time I visit, I’ll bring her back and leave her for you,” Rob said, looking down at Evelyn. “Are you sure you don’t need it?”
“Positive. If I have to leave Northolt, the train will take me anywhere I need to go. And if it doesn’t, there’s always Fred willing to ferry me around,” she assured him. “I had it for two months. It’s your turn.”
“I don’t care who has it or when, but she’ll need an oil change in another few weeks, so make sure to bring it back so that I can do it,” Wallace said with the familiarity of a man who had watched them both grow from toddlers into the adults they were today. “It can probably use some new plugs as well.”
“You’re too good to us, Wallace.”
“Well, I can’t have either of you breaking down at the side of the road while there’s a war on, now can I?” Wallace said gruffly. “What would Mr. Ainsworth say?”
“Not much, I’m afraid,” Evelyn quipped, only to receive a stern look from the chauffer. “Oh Wallace, don’t look at me like that. You know I miss him dreadfully.”
The stern look softened and Wallace grunted.
“You be careful out there, Master Robbie,” he said, nodding to Rob. “I’ll see you when you come to visit again.”
“Thank you. Take care of yourself.”
The chauffer nodded and picked up his tool box, turning to walk in the opposite direction back to the garage near the stables. Evelyn watched him go, then looked up at Rob.
“What would we do without him?” she asked.
“God knows!” he exclaimed, releasing her arm and walking towards the door of the sports car. “Do you know I had to assure him that I had no intentions of letting him go after Dad died. He actually thought I’d want to bring in someone younger. Can you believe it? As if I’d ever replace Wallace!”
“Heavens no! He’s taught us everything we know about cars!”
“Exactly!” Rob opened the door and leaned down to toss his cap onto the passenger seat. “I’m glad that it wasn’t anything serious, though. It would have been a nuisance when I’m on my way to collect Slippy.”
“Why do you call him Slippy?” Evelyn asked. “Miles has mentioned him as well, and I’ve always wondered.”
“Lord, I don’t know,” he confessed with a grin. “That’s what the others call him, so I just followed suit.”
Evelyn smiled and looked up at him, leaning against the car carelessly. A wave of panic suddenly gripped her, tightening her chest as she gazed into his grinning his face.
“Oh Robbie, I’ve missed you,” she blurted out, the words surprising her almost as much as they surprised him. “It feels like it’s been years since I’ve seen you.”
“Well, it’s been a few months, but hardly years,” he said. “This is nothing new for us. I didn’t see you for two years while you were in China and I was at Oxford.”
“Yes, but that was different. I was younger and we weren’t as close as we are now. I suddenly feel as if I’m losing everyone. First it was Dad, and now I’m afraid I’ll lose you as well.” Evelyn swallowed painfully, thinking of Peder being gunned down in a ravine outside of Steinkjer. “Life seems to be getting shorter, somehow.”
Rob studied her soberly for a long moment, his eyes probing hers.
“Evie, what’s wrong?” he finally asked. “Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”
“What? No. Why do you say that?”
“You’ve changed.” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “And no, it’s not just that you look half-starved these days. It’s something else. What is it?”
Evelyn suddenly wished she could tell him about Peder, and the nameless man - or men - that she’d killed on that dark mountainside. She wished she could tell him about the German assassin who was looking for her, or the spy in London who was keeping the SS apprised of her every move. But she couldn’t. He could never know what she was really doing for her country. No one could.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head, trying to find something that was close to the truth. “I suppose I’m just beginning to realize that we’re in for a long, hard time of it with this war. So many people have already died, and more will follow. It’s inevitable. Hitler won’t stop. Not now. And I don’t think it will be as easy to keep him out of France as everyone seems to think. The Maginot Line isn’t even finished, and the Germans aren’t stupid. They know they can’t attack it directly.”
“No, but they still have to go through it,” Rob said. “I don’t know if it will hold, but the Huns will still be up against both our army and the French army. It would take a miracle for them to just walk into France.”
Evelyn was silent and he sighed, straightening up and setting his hands on her shoulders.
“We’ll get through this, Evie. It might not be pretty, but we’ve never backed down from a fight, either of us. We’ll make it through this one too.”
She raised her eyes to his, her lips trembling briefly before she took a deep breath and nodded.
“You’re right. We will,” she agreed, her voice a mere whisper.
“That didn’t sound at all convincing,” he said. “Don’t you back out on me now. I’m not about to go down fighting alone, especially when my sister is lethal with her hands.”
Evelyn choked on a laugh and shook her head. “Not just my hands,” she murmured.
“Even more reason to stay in the fight!” he said promptly. Then, with a smile, he pulled her into a hug. “We’ll see each other more often,” he promised over her head. “You’re right about that. There’s no reason we can’t meet for drinks or dinner every few weeks. I’ll make a better effort to make it happen.”
Evelyn pulled away and smiled up at him. “I’d like that. You remind me that I’m still me, somehow.”
Rob tilted his head and looked at her curiously. “Well who else would you be?” he demanded. “You say the strangest things lately.” He looked at his watch and shook his head. “I really must go. I’ll see you soon, all right?”
“All right. I meant it when I said you can come along with Miles sometimes.” She grinned. “Perhaps not every time, but certainly once in a while.”
He laughed and got behind the wheel, closing the door. “I promise.” He started the engine and looked up at her through the open window. “Take care of yourself, Evie.”
“You too.”
