‘Of course, we’re probably being watched,’ said Mark. ‘Maybe it’s that nice old lady in the corner, maybe the waiter.’
‘They can’t hear us, though, unless they lip-read. Do you think that old lady lip-reads? She seems more absorbed in her cake.’ Irene looked at her own cake with pleasure. ‘It is such heaven to be out of Germany. . . It was only when I’d struggled through the frontier controls and found myself in Denmark that I realised how glad I was.’
‘I wanted to speak to you here in the public eye, so that no one could suspect any subterfuge. I’m sure our hotel is full of spies, Copenhagen is such a meeting place. And when a British diplomat arrives, they can’t help being curious, even if he’s only wanting to see his dear sister. . .’
‘Do you really think anyone is interested in me? In Berlin I thought I was being watched all the time, but now I’m a little country mouse, I can’t seem a threat to German victory.’
‘No. But you could become one.’ He beckoned the waiter, ordered more hot chocolate. It was snowing outside but the café was embracingly warm and pretty with its chandeliers and cream walls and red velvet banquettes and tinkle of silver and crockery.
She blinked at him. ‘How do you mean, I could be?’
He sat up straight, peered into one of the huge mirrors that adorned the room. ‘Irene, I have been officially asked to make a request of you. We want you to look for some information. No, don’t speak, just listen. Ah, here’s the chocolate, thank you, we enjoy it so much. Sugar? Just listen. We want you to find out where Thomas is posted. Or perhaps you know already?’
‘No, he can’t tell me, it’s secret information.’
‘You could find out, if you tried. He’d probably tell you.’
‘Why do they want to know that?’
‘Won’t you have another cake? They’re so good. We have reason to believe that the Germans are planning a major attack on the western front, now that the Russians have withdrawn from combat. We believe they are planning to do this as soon as the weather is better, before the Americans send major detachments of men and weapons to Europe – which they can’t really do before next spring. We need all possible information about their plans. At this stage we can read most of their ciphered messages, but there are still many gaps.’
She had stopped eating, was staring at her plate.
‘Irene, try to look as though we are having a light conversation.’
‘What d’you want me to do, throw my arms in the air and yodel?’
‘No, just smile and look cheerful. We have to disguise our feelings, sometimes.’
‘Quite what are you asking me to do?’
‘I’m asking you to talk to Thomas, see what you can extract from him. He visits you quite often, you say. Find out where he is stationed, what his duties are.’
‘Like Delilah and Samson, you mean.’
‘Yes, but there’s no need to cut off his hair, and he won’t be arrested.’
‘Are you sure? And what about me? I’d be in trouble, if anything were found out.’
‘Look, the old lady is leaving. If necessary, Irene, you may have to go through his papers.’
‘His papers? Go through his papers?’ She was surprised at Mark, she had never seen him in this mode, so determined, so steely, almost cold.
‘When he comes to Salitz, doesn’t he bring papers?’
‘What do you want me to do, say, “Darling those papers look so fascinating, do let me have a look”?’
‘I want you to use subterfuge. Yes, I know this may seem distasteful, but we have to abandon those old ideas of propriety and honour, circumstances don’t allow them. I want you to send him out of the house for an hour or two on an errand, you can invent something. Send the child away at the same time, and the maid. Say you need a rest – only make sure he doesn’t take his briefcase with him.’
‘He wouldn’t do that.’
‘Then look through the papers, extract any information you can about building projects, the construction of railheads, accommodation for troops. You will need to send details in a letter to Mother but in code and in invisible ink. I will explain. . .’
‘I can’t do this. I’d be betraying my husband.’
‘You will be serving your country.’
‘Is England my country any more? I live in Germany, my husband is German, my daughter is German. . .’
‘We must think beyond those old loyalties. You are a citizen of Europe, of the world.’
‘That’s just the sort of thing Thomas would say.’
‘Don’t you see? The Germans will never win the war, not even now Russia has withdrawn. They may win a campaign or two, but now that the Americans are in the war, Germany’s beaten. Can’t you see it, living in that miserable, starving country? Can it possibly be victorious?’
She was silent.
‘What you can do, dearest sister, is help bring the war to a close. You may help to make the war end sooner than any of us imagine. Think of that.’
She shook her head.
‘Do you want more men to be killed, just so you can indulge the luxury of personal scruples?’
‘And if he finds me out, or my letter is intercepted. . .?’
‘Be brave, Irene, you always were brave.’ And he stared into her eyes, it was quite unsettling.
She pushed at her uneaten cake with her fork. ‘And you, Mark, do you act as a spy? Is that a part of your duties?’
‘No, I just have to keep my eyes open. I do what has to be done. Duty, you know. Duty.’
‘I never believed in that sort of duty.’
‘You don’t need to, living in Salitz. You can enjoy the pleasures of withdrawal and artistic self-expression. But you believed in duty when you stayed in Germany in 1914, didn’t you? Duty to your husband and your new family?’
‘It could have been love.’
‘Yes, and the two are not necessarily distinct. Shall we go? We can talk more about this tomorrow, but not tonight. Tonight I want us to enjoy ourselves.’ And suddenly he changed, casting aside his domineering manner, smiling fondly, once again the affectionate brother she had always loved.