Spring 1943
It was if the world around her had disappeared, blown away by unknown and unexpected forces. It was just her and the man in front of her. Olive heard and felt the pounding in her chest as she continued to gaze at him, for what seemed like hours, but was barely seconds.
The officer’s face was inscrutable. The firm mouth remained closed as he returned her gaze. For a moment she thought she saw a flicker of the eyes, soon gone.
He saluted.
‘I am Major Wolfgang Brecht, Fräulein, and am responsible for security in this area. But if it is true that you only wish to go “sticking” as you call it, then I see no harm in it.’ Slowly, as if the muscles of his face were not used to such a thing, he smiled and his eyes brightened.
‘Oh, thank you, Major! I am indebted to you. I promise I’ll be quick, just long enough to fill my basket.’ Olive knew she was grinning like an idiot, wanting to stay there just looking at him. This handsome man with the mesmerising eyes. He was young, perhaps a few years older than her, with the physique of an athlete. He certainly didn’t look half-starved like the other soldiers. When he smiled she saw the normal man within the hated uniform of the enemy. Olive knew she wasn’t meant to like him or worse, find him attractive, but…
He took off his cap and bowed.
‘May I help you with your task, Fräulein? It would mean you trespassing for less time.’ His eyes danced with mischief and she laughed.
‘That’s very kind of you, Major. I usually go over there.’ She pointed further up the path towards the trees.
He replaced his cap and took hold of the handlebars and pushed her bike while she walked alongside.
‘You have the advantage of me, Fräulein. You know my name, but I do not know yours.’ He glanced at her and she felt her face grow hot.
‘It’s Olive. Olive Falla. Mrs Olive Falla.’ She twisted the wedding ring on her finger, wishing it wasn’t there as a symbol of her enslavement.
‘Ah! My apologies, Fräu Falla. I had not seen your wedding ring.’
Olive noticed a frown cross his face and regretted not lying. But he could have found out the truth at any time and where would that have got her? She told herself it made no difference, no matter how attractive she found him, nothing could come of it. Oh, but her insides were turning to liquid and no-one had ever had that effect on her! Certainly not Bill. Even at the beginning of their relationship she hadn’t been as aroused as she was now. When his hand brushed against hers on the handlebars, Olive felt a jolt shoot up her arm. She risked a glance through her eyelashes and found him studying her.
‘Tell me, Fräu Falla, where on the island do you live?’
‘I, rather we, live up the road in St Peters, at Beauregard Farm. Looks down towards Fort Grey, it does.’
The Major inclined his head.
‘You are farmers, that is good. Part of my responsibility is to check on the farms in this part of the island, to oversee the livestock. I arrived only two days ago and have not yet visited any.’
Olive was puzzled. ‘Why would a soldier be sent to check our animals?’
‘I am more than a soldier, Fräu Falla, I had qualified as a veterinary surgeon before…before the start of the war. My role is to make sure your animals do not take sick as the milk they produce is so important to us all.’ His expression was grave and Olive was reminded of who and what he really was. An enemy officer who could, on a whim, have her arrested on a charge of trespass and she shivered.
The Major must have noticed as he smiled and touched her arm.
‘Please, let us not talk about such unpleasant things. For today, the sun it is shining and I am with a pretty girl and we are collecting wood. As friends do. We can be friends, can we not?’
His gaze was so intense Olive felt the heat flare in her face again.
‘Yes, I suppose…’