Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
J ack knelt and rummaged through the soldier’s jacket but found nothing worth taking. Then he turned to his lifeless pale body, covered only in an undershirt, and pulled his heavy frame across the grass.
Lizzie moved to help him, but Jack shook his head. ‘Let me handle it. I don’t want you to go near him after what he did. I’ll have to bury him to try and avoid reprisal killings of local civilians.’
Jack dragged the body into the thick undergrowth beneath the trees and hastily dug a shallow grave. Lizzie collected his discarded clothing and handed it to Jack when he reappeared. They searched the area for any remnants of the incident, and Jack buried the clothing, along with his own blood-spattered shirt.
Lizzie’s heart was still pounding, and she felt like she was living through a nightmare.
Jack washed his hands with water from his canteen.
‘As soon as he is due to report in, they’ll figure out he’s missing and start looking for him,’ Jack said. ‘We’ll have to hope they don’t find him. ’
Lizzie was grateful to be free of her attacker, and felt no regret about his death. ‘I can’t believe he went for me like that in broad daylight,’ she said, her voice a whisper.
Jack tilted her chin up to examine the damage to her face. He winced as he looked at her cheek. ‘He hit you, the bastard Jerry. A quick, painless death was too good for him, but there was no time to give it to him good and proper.’
‘Thank you for saving me,’ Lizzie said. The whole thing seemed surreal, and she still couldn’t get her head around what had happened.
‘Did he, you know…’ Jack’s words tailed off, and she sensed his reluctance to be explicit.
‘No, no, he didn’t,’ she said, a pink blush staining her cheeks. ‘But he would have if it weren’t for you. I couldn’t stop him,’ she said. The helplessness rang out in her voice. Tears slid from her eyes, and she shook uncontrollably.
Jack reached for her, and she leaned her head against his chest. He wore just a thin vest. She let herself sink into the cocoon of his arms and he comforted her with soft, soothing sounds as he stroked her hair. ‘There, there. It’s all over now. You’re in shock. It’s only natural after going through something as awful as that.’
Lizzie’s sobs gradually subsided, and she looked up into his blazing eyes. There was a second when their lips were so close, she thought he would bend to kiss her. She held her breath.
But then he released her and pulled away abruptly. ‘Come on. We need to get out of here before someone comes.’
Jack peeped around the hedge to check no one was coming along the track, and he beckoned for Lizzie to follow him. She stooped to pick up her yellow silk scarf from the ground.
‘That was smart,’ Jack said. ‘I wouldn’t have known where you were if you hadn’t left a clue. ’
‘You were the last person I expected to see,’ Lizzie said, ‘but I thought it was worth dropping in case someone passed by.’
‘Where is the bicycle?’ Jack said.
Lizzie walked back along the track, and he followed her. ‘It’s here,’ she said, picking up the battered frame from where it lay behind a bush.
‘Did he hide it there?’ he asked.
She nodded. ‘There’s something else. Something important.’
Jack studied her face. ‘Did you find Hannah?’
‘No,’ Lizzie said. ‘Sorry.’
Jack looked downcast, and Lizzie’s heart lurched painfully at the sight of his obvious disappointment. ‘But I got the package she asked you to collect. Or at least, I think that’s what it is.’
Now Jack’s head shot up and his eyes shone. ‘You clever, clever girl. I knew I could count on you.’
Lizzie said, ‘Well, no, you didn’t. Not at first, anyway! You rejected me for the assignment.’
Jack chuckled. ‘True, and you’re never going to let me forget it, are you? Although I came to my senses eventually, fool that I am. Come on, where is it? Show me.’
Lizzie reached for her raincoat that lay crumpled in the long yellow grass.
Jack propped the bicycle against a tree and watched her as she fumbled in the pocket until her hand emerged, clutching a small white envelope.
‘Here,’ she said. ‘I think this is what you are after.’
Jack took the envelope, pausing for a second as the raven illustration caught his attention. ‘That’s from Hannah, alright.’ Then he put it into his pocket. ‘Let’s get you to the safe house so you can clean up and change. I take it this bicycle belongs to Jeanne? ’
Lizzie nodded. ‘Yes, she has been absolutely incredible.’
‘We can’t leave the bicycle here and collect it later or it could link her to the soldier. But it’s risky to ride along the track now in case we’re spotted. Let’s make our way out of sight of the track, and I’ll pull it along so we can return it to her.’
They set off on the edge of the vineyard, threading from field to field, and by the time they neared the cottage, Lizzie was hot and thirsty from the long cross-country scramble.
As they approached, Jack touched Lizzie’s arm to stop her from moving forward. ‘Wait a minute. I watched the cottage all night to make sure you weren’t compromised, but we need to be sure nothing has happened since.’
‘You watched us all night? So that’s how you knew where I was! Why didn’t you come in?’
‘I couldn’t take the chance. It’s dangerous enough for Jeanne as it is.’
‘You saw me leave for the city this morning?’
‘Yes, I tried to follow you on foot but couldn’t keep up without drawing attention to myself. In the city, I found your bicycle near the cathedral. Then on the way back you were so fast, I lost you again. Like I said, if you hadn’t had the presence of mind to drop the scarf, I wouldn’t have found you.’
Lizzie didn’t want to think about what would have become of her if Jack hadn’t appeared when he did.
They stood under cover of the outhouse, and Jack observed the cottage for a while.
‘Here, take the bicycle and go in as usual. Ask Jeanne to clean up your face and see what you can bring us in the way of food. We’re going to need it. And explain to Jeanne what happened, so she is ready with a cover story.’
‘But what about you? Why don’t you come in and rest a bit?’
‘It’s better I keep watch, and we leave as soon as we can. The cottage looks as though it’s still safe, but if they find the soldier, they will start a hunt in the area. We need to be long gone by then.’
Lizzie did what he told her as quickly as she could. She explained to Jeanne how the soldier attacked her and how an agent from London had saved her.
Jeanne’s eyes were wet when they hugged and said goodbye. ‘I’m not supposed to get attached like this, but I’ve loved having you here. Raven has come for you, hasn’t he?’ she said. ‘You will be safe with him. He’ll get you back to England.’
‘Raven?’ Lizzie said, confused.
‘Raven is a legend in these parts,’ Jeanne said. ‘I should have realised straight away when I saw the message in the leaves.’
There was no time for further conversation. Lizzie packed her few things in her small case and rushed out with the supplies Jeanne had prepared for them.
Jack offered more water to Lizzie before he guzzled thirstily from the canteen, and then they set off in the other direction. ‘Follow me,’ he said. ‘Stay as close to me as you can.’
The sun was setting in the wispy pink sky. They had been on the move for hours with only short breaks to sip water and catch their breath. Lizzie was exhausted, but too scared to stop running. She kept her eyes fixed on Jack’s back and put one foot in front of the other to force herself to keep moving.
Finally, Jack’s punishing pace slowed, and he turned to her. She looked to where he pointed and saw an old barn ahead of them nestled at the end of a large golden field. There were bales of hay strewn about like in a rustic painting. It reminded Lizzie of Jersey, and nostalgia washed over her, making her homesick .
‘We can lie low here for the night. We’ve gone far enough to make it unlikely they would think to search this area.’
‘How do you know about this place?’ Lizzie asked, following him into the barn where the intense heat of the day lingered in the air. It was oppressively humid, and she longed for a cooling swim in the sea.
‘The farmer helps our network. I used to stay here sometimes before war broke out. It’s safer for him if he doesn’t know we’re here, but in the worst-case scenario, if he finds us, he won’t rat on us. He’s no Nazi collaborator.’
‘How fortunate. But what then?’ Lizzie asked.
‘There’s a pickup scheduled tomorrow, in a field not too far from here. It’s where I came in yesterday. We couldn’t risk using the place we dropped you. What happened that night, by the way?’
Lizzie told him about the soldiers and the shooting, and how she hid nearby.
‘You’ve had quite an adventure,’ he said. ‘It’s time to get you back home to London. Drake will not be happy with me, losing track of you like that.’
There was something about the tone of his voice that told her he had no intention of coming back to London with her. ‘You’re staying here,’ she said, her voice flat.
‘Yes, for a little while. I must find Hannah. It’s the least I can do after she risked her life for us.’
Lizzie nodded, but fear for Jack rose in her throat. ‘Let me stay with you. I can help,’ she implored.
He shook his head. ‘I appreciate it. But you’ve been through enough. And besides, we need you to deliver the envelope to SOE. It’s crucial they get the film. You’ve completed your first mission successfully.’
It all made perfect sense, but Lizzie’s heart hurt. She couldn’t think of a reason for him to let her stay, so she sat on a bale of hay and prepared herself for what was to come .
Night descended quickly on Reims, and Lizzie stood at the entrance to the barn staring up at the dark sky, wistful about what tonight would be like if there were no Nazis on the prowl and no war.
‘I’m going to wash,’ said Jack. ‘May I borrow your soap? I didn’t bring much in the way of supplies with me.’
Lizzie opened her case and extracted the small soap from the kit SOE had given her. She was in awe of how Jack operated fearlessly, without even a change of clothes.
He opened his hand, and she dropped the soap into his palm.
‘Thank you. There’s a well in the yard just over there,’ he said, pointing. ‘I’ll keep watch and then we can have something to eat.’
They had been eking out the supplies from Jeanne, but Lizzie’s stomach rumbled loudly to show her eagerness.
Jack’s wide mouth curved into an indulgent smile. ‘Message received loud and clear.’
Lizzie watched as he crossed the yard and stripped off his vest. He drew a bucket of water from the well as if he did it every day in London and rubbed the soap over his muscular arms and across his broad chest.
Her pulse raced as she swallowed, watching his every move. She’d seen young men bare chested at the beach in Jersey, but she’d never seen a man like Jack, naked to the waist. His chest had a smattering of fine dark hair, and his hard, flat stomach made her mouth dry when she saw how it tapered into the waist of his trousers.
Lizzie made herself look away and scan the area rather than fixate on Jack’s body, which evoked all kinds of feelings in her. Whatever must he think of her gloating like a starving animal eyeing its prey?
She shook her head and took a deep breath to calm her treacherous heart. What a day it had been. One man possessed by lust and desperate to have her at any cost, and another she couldn’t keep her eyes off who didn’t show the slightest bit of interest in her romantically.
Thankfully, there was no sign of anyone. Soon her eyes drifted back to Jack, and she watched him finish washing his torso. He was a large, beautiful man, and his movements were measured as if he didn’t intend to waste any energy on unnecessary actions. From what she knew of him, she thought his mind operated in much the same way.
He ambled over to her side, letting his skin dry off in the warm breeze. ‘Want to cool yourself down? I can draw some fresh water for you if you like,’ he offered. ‘It’s brought me back to life after the heat of today.’
‘That’s kind,’ she said, thinking that the sight of him semi-naked had brought her back to life in ways she didn’t know were possible. ‘I had a quick wash at Jeanne’s, but I am hot after all that running.’
Jack organised fresh water for her to wash, but unlike her, he averted his eyes whilst she cooled her sticky skin. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Getting involved with him would be complex, so maybe his disinterest was for the best.
Was he not attracted to her at all? There had been the occasional moment when she felt the fire smouldering between them, like earlier when she thought he was going to kiss her. But maybe she was just imagining it because she wanted it to be so. Her mother always said she had an overactive imagination.
They sat on the bales in the barn and shared the cheese sandwiches Jeanne had hurriedly prepared for them. Lizzie’s emotions were in a whirl, and she didn’t know what to say, so she sat eating in silence.
‘You’re very quiet,’ Jack said. ‘Are you alright?’
Lizzie nodded. ‘Yes, just tired. ’
‘I’m so sorry you had to go through that today. I should have been there in time to stop it from happening.’ Jack cursed under his breath. ‘I couldn’t keep up with you on the bicycle once you left the city, without attracting attention to myself.’
‘It wasn’t your fault. Thank you for watching over me like that, or things would have been a lot worse.’
Lizzie shuddered at the memory of the soldier’s sweaty palms on her skin, his fingers tearing at her clothing.
They finished the modest meal as a loud noise shattered the peace of the warm barn.
‘Thunder,’ said Jack. ‘We must have missed the lightning flash. It’s been so baking hot today; I can’t say I’m surprised.’
Another violent clap followed soon after, and Lizzie jumped. She thought she was over the dreadful events of the day, but she found herself shaking at the loud noise.
Jack reached out and touched her shoulder. His touch was like a power line igniting every cell in her body. She swallowed hard.
‘You’re safe now, Seagrove. I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you ever again,’ he said. His eyes seared hers and the heat enveloped them as he moved his hand to her cheek. ‘You missed this,’ he whispered, rubbing a dirty mark off her face. He dropped his hand and distance flooded the space between them.
Lizzie felt desolate at the loss of his touch, and he resumed his usual manner as if nothing had happened.
‘Let’s hope there aren’t any holes in this tin roof because it’ll chuck it down soon. There’s a storm coming,’ he said.
Oh, there is a wild storm coming alright, thought Lizzie. She was being swept away and couldn’t find her footing when she was around him. It was intensely pleasurable and deeply disorientating at the same time.
The heat mellowed slightly, and heavy rain followed as they sat next to each other in the barn. Lizzie’s eyelids drooped and exhaustion washed over her as the hypnotic sound of the rain hit the barn roof and splashed onto the big open doors.
‘Let me sort you out somewhere to sleep,’ Jack said, standing.
He deftly arranged a comfortable spot for her on some bales of hay and conjured a thin blanket from a cupboard in the barn. ‘Sorry it’s not St. Ermin’s style accommodation, but you should be able to catch a few hours’ sleep here. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll keep watch.’
‘But what about you? You haven’t slept in days.’
‘I’m fine. I’m in operation mode. Too psyched to sleep now, anyway.’
Lizzie climbed into the spot and smiled at him sleepily. ‘Wake me up if you want to swap and I’ll keep watch.’
‘I will. Sleep tight, Seagrove,’ he said, and when he covered her tenderly with the blanket and smiled into her tired eyes, her heart strummed like the strings of a guitar.
Lizzie drifted off to sleep to the sound of the rain on the roof, feeling safe in occupied France with Jack watching over her.