Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
J ack asked Lizzie to go to his office after work. They walked back up the winding stairs and he turned into Drake’s room. Ten minutes later, Jack emerged, but she avoided catching his eye. Turning her head slightly, she watched his broad shoulders retreat through the door.
If only she were older and more sophisticated, she wouldn’t feel so awkward around him. Lizzie was bursting with excitement and could barely concentrate on her translations for the rest of the day. The clock hands crawled towards 5 p.m. which was the earliest she could leave without attracting attention. At one minute past the hour, she stood up, tidied her papers, and slipped into her jacket. Just as she was about to go, Drake emerged from his office, and made a beeline for her.
‘Everything alright, Lizzie?’
‘Yes, sir. Everything’s fine.’
‘Leaving early today?’
She didn’t know how much she was permitted to tell her boss after the stark warning from Jack regarding talking about their plans. Drake picked up on her reticence and said, ‘I take it you’re going to see Jack?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it. Are you alright to make your own way there, or would you like a driver to take you?’
‘No, thank you. I’ll be fine,’ she replied. ‘I’ll take the bus and walk from there. It’s not that far, is it?’
‘No, not far at all. I noticed you get your bearings quickly, which is a good thing. Have a fruitful evening and I’ll see you in the morning.’
‘Yes sir,’ she said.
‘I don’t suppose you’re ever going to stop calling me sir, so I may as well save my breath,’ he said, smiling good humouredly.
Lizzie jumped on a bus just as it was pulling away from Horse Guards Parade. She didn’t bother sitting down and instead clung onto a pole, studying people’s faces as they jumped on and off each time the bus lurched and ground to a noisy halt. She touched her hat and checked her handbag was firmly on her shoulder. Lizzie’s parents had warned her to keep her wits about her in London. ‘There are thieves and chancers on every corner,’ her mother said, ‘even more so now in wartime.’
‘Here you are, miss,’ said the friendly conductor. It was easy to get lost, and she had a lot to learn about London. The sound of the traffic buzzed in her ears and the tempting smell of chips wafted up her nose. London was a complete sensory experience.
As she walked down the road with a bounce in her step, turning the corner into the small residential street, she felt a rush she hadn’t experienced since arriving in England. It was like when she swam too far out from the shore. The Jersey tides could be dangerous, but she was a strong swimmer and loved going that bit further than was strictly safe .
Lizzie made a sharp right turn down a path, entered the building, and rang the doorbell of the flat, just as Drake had done. It took a few minutes before Jack opened the door. Her throat was suddenly dry as she looked at him. His black hair was messy, and she noticed an ink smear on his cheek.
‘Perfect timing,’ he said, standing aside for her to enter. ‘Come on in.’
What a remarkably different reception she received from the previous day. He even looked pleased to see her. She accepted his offer of a cup of tea but declined a cigarette. Everyone in London smoked, but she’d never taken to it. The few times she tried a puff to fit in with the others in Jersey, she’d coughed and spluttered and decided it wasn’t for her. She had to admit, though, smoking added to Jack’s mysterious allure. She was transfixed as she watched the movement of his shapely lips and the smoke curling lazily over his head whilst he explained what she would do if she agreed.
‘Am I to understand you are willing to undertake the assignment? I certainly did my best to put you off yesterday, didn’t I?’ he said wryly, snapping her out of her daydream.
‘You did, indeed. I couldn’t understand why you were so against my taking part.’
He ran his fingers through his hair. ‘It wasn’t personal. It’s just that you’re so young and inexperienced. I suppose I was trying to protect you from the horrors of occupied France.’
‘Right,’ Lizzie said, and her heart fluttered. She suspected he was using his charm to bend her to his will. For some reason, she felt completely safe with him alone in this shabby flat, even though yesterday they’d insulted each other. Today, he was like a different man, and she sensed he had let his guard down. He seemed vulnerable even, somehow, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
‘So, what is it to be?’ he asked.
‘Count me in. I want to help. ’
‘That’s what I was hoping you would say, but here’s the truth of it. We don’t have much time. It is going to be extremely dangerous for you. And I cannot guarantee your safety. Once you are on German-occupied French soil, it’s out of my hands.
You will need to follow my instructions as closely as you can, and other than that, you will have to live purely by your wits. You must improvise and your ability to do so may be the difference between life and death. Before I go any further, please tell me if this might be too much for you. There is still time to opt out. I shan’t hold it against you, and nor will Drake, um, Mr Drake. We understand it is not for everyone and would be purely a voluntary assignment—not an official part of your post at the War Office.’
Lizzie looked at him, and adrenaline pumped through her veins. Everything felt surreal, like she was watching this scene from outside herself. ‘Will I be going in alone?’
‘Yes,’ Jack said, ‘God help you, but you would be on your own.’
‘May I ask another question?’
He studied her as the smoke still curled and looped over his head. ‘Please do.’
‘You were so particular about what you wanted. I was wondering why you don’t travel to France yourself?’ Lizzie summoned her courage to ask what had been on her mind since the previous day.
He sighed, ‘Honestly, I wish I could, but it would be counterproductive. I operated in France before the war, but men my age are far too conspicuous these days. Women can move around much more freely, and of course we’ll give you the right papers, so no one suspects you. All you need to do is think, sleep, eat and breathe in French, and you should be fine. It’s my duty to warn you of the dangers, but I’ve scaled back the assignment considerably since yesterday, so it won’t be too much for you as a beginner.’
‘I see,’ Lizzie said, disappointment running through her. So that was why he was alright with her doing it now—it wasn’t the original assignment her boss nominated her for. This bothered her more than she cared to admit, but she held her tongue. There was no point questioning his motives when he obviously had his reasons.
At that moment, she decided to trust him fully.
‘So, is that still a yes ?’ Jack asked.
Lizzie nodded solemnly. ‘I want to do whatever I can, no matter how dangerous. My brother is risking his life for our freedom. I don’t see why I shouldn’t too.’
She thought she caught a flash of admiration in Jack’s eyes, but she couldn’t be sure. ‘That’s the spirit,’ was all he said, and then he walked her through what they would need to do to get her ready for her assignment.
‘When do you want me to go?’ Lizzie asked.
‘Today isn’t soon enough, but we need to at least give you some rudimentary agent training and get you properly kitted out, so you don’t stand out like a sore thumb.’
Lizzie raised one eyebrow at him and there was a razor edge to her voice. ‘I’ll have you know I’ve spent a lot of time in France. It’s like a second home to me, or at least it was before the Nazis invaded.’
‘Put your pistols away for now, fiery girl. I don’t mean to underestimate you again, but that’s exactly the point. You are used to behaving like a Jersey tourist in France in peacetime. That would get you imprisoned or even killed. Within just a few days, our job is to turn you into a normal French girl in France, in wartime, so no one bats an eye when they meet you.’
Lizzie stammered, flushing lightly. ‘Ri-ight, I see what you mean. ’
‘What I’m about to tell you is top secret information, never to be repeated. In fact, before we go any further, I need to ask you to sign an official secrets document. Read it carefully—here’s a pen. As soon as you’ve done that, we will organise your training.’
Jack left the room briefly. Lizzie read the document and signed it with a flourish, with no hesitation. The words were quite straightforward, if not a little chilling, but she wasn’t going to chicken out now. It must be the type of confidentiality agreement her father signed, and it only added to her giddiness and the feeling she was awake in a tumultuous dream.
She felt special, as though she’d been chosen from millions to do something important, and it was heady stuff.
Jack returned. ‘Let’s go. I’ll tell you where we’re going on the way.’
Out on the street, Jack’s strides were long and fast, and she struggled to keep abreast of him. He paused and turned when he realised he’d left her behind. He waited whilst she hurried to catch up. ‘Sorry, I’m used to walking alone,’ he said.
‘I can see that,’ Lizzie said, panting. She was hot wearing her jacket now that the late afternoon sun had made an appearance. ‘Do you always walk alone?’
She could have kicked herself as soon as the words slipped out. That was far too personal a question. Embarrassed, she said, ‘Sorry, I don’t know why I said that. It’s none of my business who you walk with!’
He bit back a smile and she feared he must think her extremely gauche. But then he surprised her by saying, ‘Did anyone tell you that you’re delightful when you get down off your high horse, Miss Elizabeth Beaumont?’
‘Why, thank you—I think. That was sort of a compliment, wasn’t it? A back-handed one anyway… ’
Jack laughed and continued walking. He told her that after the fall of France; they had been instructed to set up an important new organisation which amalgamated some of the existing British intelligence units. ‘The unofficial name of the organisation is Churchill’s Secret Army, on account of the Prime Minister’s call to set Europe ablaze by conducting sabotage and espionage in Nazi held territories. The official name is the Special Operations Executive.’
Lizzie’s eyes widened. ‘My goodness. That sounds thrilling and terrifying all at the same time.’
‘Yes, that just about sums up SOE. There’s no time to ship you off to the countryside for intensive training, which is what we’re planning when we’re properly up and running. For now, we’ll do our best with you here at St. Ermin’s and take a quick field trip.’
‘You’re not exactly filling me with confidence,’ Lizzie whispered, as she followed him through a door of a magnificent-looking hotel into a busy lobby. ‘Why would I do my training in a hotel?’
‘You’ll see soon enough,’ he said, flashing her an enigmatic smile before racing up flight after flight of stairs and through a maze of corridors. ‘Follow me,’ he called over his shoulder.
Lizzie, although fit, was panting by the time he came to a halt on the fourth floor and turned to face her. ‘Stay here a minute. I’ll be out to get you shortly.’
What on earth were they doing in a luxurious hotel? She rested her back against a wall opposite a door that stood ajar. Through the crack, she saw heads bobbing about in a brightly lit room. It didn’t look like a hotel up here, and seemed a long time until Jack reappeared. She was growing more nervous with every minute.
‘Sorry to keep you waiting. Had to arrange special clearance for you. As timing would have it, you’re about to enter a top-secret department on your very first day on the job. I saw nothing like this until I’d been running errands for the Intelligence Services for months. Well, to be honest, there was nothing like this to see back then. Before the war, it was all a lot less urgent. Ready?’ he asked.
‘As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose,’ she said, taking a deep breath and pasting a smile onto her face. What had she agreed to?
When they entered the vast room, a few heads turned to look at them, and curious eyes assessed her, but soon lost interest and got back to whatever they were poring over on the large tables.
The room was full of people, some in army uniform, some in civilian clothing. There were coloured maps on the walls and bizarre looking equipment she hadn’t seen before lay across the various surfaces. The thing that was most striking to her was a sound like an incessant hum. There must have been loads of low-key conversations going on at the same time. It was impossible to make out any of the words, but it was like a swarm of buzzing bees had taken over the floor of the hotel and they all wanted to be heard.
She noticed a few smart looking women in the same uniform as the War Office drivers. So, was this where they were based? She realised they were part of the FANYs, the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. They seemed to pop up all over the place, doing many war-related jobs.
Lizzie admired their khaki uniforms with the belted skirt, fitted jacket and beret and she imagined what it would be like to wear such a uniform. She was mesmerised. Lizzie hadn’t ever seen this many people in one room all looking as though they had a purpose. The effect was electrifying.
‘Wait here,’ Jack said. ‘I have to do something, but someone will come to collect you shortly.’
Lizzie felt like a deer in the headlights, and she almost asked him not to leave her, but she stopped herself. If she was going to enter occupied France as a courier, she had better get used to feeling afraid.
A woman in army uniform strode across the room towards her. ‘Elizabeth, I take it?’
Lizzie nodded. ‘Yes, yes, that’s me. But you can call me Lizzie.’
The woman stuck out her hand and smiled. ‘Nice to meet you, Lizzie. I’m Val. Welcome to SOE.’