Chapter Thirteen

By the end of the voyage, Kate had finally adjusted to the point where she was sad to see their transoceanic trip end. The Queen Mary was a lovely ship, and everyone felt the first trip in the restored ocean liner was special. It was yet another indicator that the war was over and people were moving on with their lives.

But their travels were not done. After crossing the English Channel on a ferry, they had a long train ride ahead of them through France, and south down the boot of Italy. For the first time, Kate witnessed the physical effects of the war. It was shocking. One moment they would pass a small town of quaint cottages, flower gardens blooming like a postcard. The next moment they’d be traveling through an area where heavy fighting had gouged holes in the earth and reduced buildings to rubble, yet to be cleared.

“Is it like this all over?” Kate asked Nessa.

She replied with a sad smile.

Although the accommodations on the train were nice, the quarters were cramped, and it was a treat to stretch their legs when they changed trains. Princess Kolodenko had already settled into her new berth, but Kate, Nessa, and Johnny were determined not to get back on the train until the last moment for the final leg of the journey.

They were sitting in a small restaurant, slowly eating breakfast pastries, when a girl with short dark hair plunked herself down in a chair beside Nessa.

“Ciao, cousin,” she said in a mixture of Italian and Polish, then snatched Nessa’s last bite and popped it into her mouth. She leaned on the table with her elbows while she chewed. Her face was gaunt, reminding Kate of the images she’d seen of people during the war. Her clothing was practical—slacks and a T-shirt, and a shoulder bag slung across her chest. Her makeup was heavy-handed, making her dark eyes look bruised.

A look of surprise—followed by disgust? weariness?—flashed across Nessa’s features before she composed herself and smiled. She answered in Polish. “You are the last person I would expect to meet here. I thought you were in Germany or some such place. How did you find me?”

The air almost crackled as the two stared at each other.

The newcomer broke the silence first by shifting her attention to Kate. “Are you not going to introduce me?”

Nessa took a deep breath. “Of course,” she said in English. “Johnny and Kate, this is Lidka.”

The girl, Lidka, jabbed out her hand to Kate. “This is how you Yanks do it, nie?”

Her accent was thick, but the girl had spoken Italian, Polish, and English in the space of one minute. Taken aback, Kate shook her hand. How did Lidka know she was American? “Nice to meet you,” she said. It never occurred to Kate that the Kolodenkos would have other relatives. How many of them knew of the family heritage? The girl also shook Johnny’s hand.

“Are you going home?” Nessa asked in Polish. The way she said it implied the girl was up to trouble.

“Nie.” Lidka answered in rushed Polish, speaking for several minutes. Kate understood only bits here and there. She didn’t realize how slowly Adalbert and Elsie had been speaking in front of her so that she would be able to understand their Polish.

Nessa, noticing Kate wasn’t translating for Johnny, stopped midsentence and switched to English. “Kate and Johnny are my new friends, and I am going to show them Italy this summer. It is such a pretty time of year.”

“I hoping you go to villa,” Lidka said, smiling triumphantly. “I coming with you.”

“Nie,” Nessa answered. “You have seen all these places I will show them. It will not be exciting enough for you.”

Lidka leaned back in her chair and propped a foot up against the table. “I bring my own excitement. These Americans will have the more fun if I with you.”

A waitress walked by and stared at Lidka’s foot. Lidka made a grimace at the young girl and she skittered away. “Did they talk about me to you?” she asked Kate.

“No,” Kate said, deciding to stick to English.

Lidka continued speaking, not looking at Kate but focusing on Nessa, as if challenging her to contradict her. “We used to live near each other in Poland, before the war. I stay behind and join the resistance, while others run away, leaving us to do the bad works. Is that right, cousin?”

“Call me Nessa.” Her voice was tight.

Kate felt the need to speak up for Nessa, but she couldn’t figure out what the tension was about. She hoped this strange girl would not tag along. Whoever she was, she was clearly not a friend of Nessa’s.

“So, you are cousins?” Kate asked, making an attempt to lighten the mood.

Neither girl spoke. Eventually, Nessa broke the silence. “We are distant cousins. Very distant.”

“You hurt my feelings, cousin,” Lidka said. “Kate, you would not be hurting the feelings of your family, would you?”

Kate nibbled her pastry instead of answering. This was getting uncomfortable. Johnny reached over and held her hand on the table. Lidka’s eyes tracked the movement. How could they help Nessa get rid of this unwanted girl?

That’s when Lidka pulled an amber necklace out from under her shirt and absentmindedly began toying with it, like it was something she did often, an unconscious act. Kate’s mouth went dry. It matched her own—a sunburst with a round amber stone in the center. Why would this other girl have a necklace exactly like hers? She struggled to keep the surprise off her face. Nessa didn’t seem to notice, but Johnny did. His grip tightened.

“We’re leaving soon,” Kate said. “If you are coming, you should buy a ticket.”

Nessa gaped at Kate and shook her head.

Kate understood that Nessa didn’t want this odd girl tagging along, but what other choice did they have? The train was going to leave soon, so there wouldn’t be enough time to question her about the necklace.

Lidka also jerked her gaze toward Kate. It was like they had been performing a dance, carefully choreographed, when Kate changed the music. Lidka even took her foot off the table and sat up.

“I like you,” she said, looking pointedly back at Nessa. “I had few plans when I woke up this morning, and now, here we are.” She stood and nudged Nessa. “You could spot me the monies? I had not expected leaving so soon.” The bag at her feet suggested otherwise.

When Nessa looked like she was going to protest, Lidka said, “Or should we get Fyodora?”

Kate had been taught enough of Polish culture to know that a good Polish girl should not use the familiar with an elder, especially someone like the princess. It was disrespectful. But Nessa quietly led the way to the ticket office and purchased the fare. Another mystery had joined their little party.