Chapter 38
CHAPTER 38
L izzie watched Juliet fuss over her fiancé, Oliver, and ply him with questions. He had turned up at the door with no warning the previous day, and they were all relieved to see him.
‘I can’t tell you much,’ Oliver said, stroking Juliet’s hand.
Evie interrupted, ‘Yes, we know! You’re not supposed to talk about it. Nobody in this house is allowed to talk about anything. Soon we won’t have one word we can say to each other.’
Lizzie smiled at Evie’s outburst, and thought Oliver looked well, if a little on the thin side.
Oliver laughed. ‘Alright. I suppose I can give you just one exciting snippet of something that’s already happened. That way you can’t say I don’t tell you anything.’
‘Please do,’ Evie said. ‘We’re starved of news. All anyone talks about is the bombing and rations.’
Oliver leaned closer to Evie. ‘It’s a while ago now, but one day we went on a top-secret mission to Germany. The powers that be received intelligence with the exact locations of some of the Luftwaffe airfields. ’
Evie’s eyes were like saucers as she stared at Oliver. ‘Go on… Did you get the Jerry bastards?’
Rose shook her head and tutted. ‘Evie please. Wherever did you learn such language? Surely, they don’t talk like that in your sewing circle.’
‘Sorry, Ma,’ Evie said, throwing her mother a sheepish look.
‘So, what happened? Do tell us, Oli,’ Evie begged.
‘Well, we bombed the hell out of three airfields simultaneously and destroyed most of their aircraft. They never saw us coming and by the time they realised what was happening, it was too late. We completed the mission and scrammed for home.’
‘Goodness, you are brave,’ Evie gasped.
‘I don’t feel brave. None of us do. But this one was a successful sortie, and it felt good to know the bombing was lessened thanks to our efforts.’
Reginald clapped Oliver on the shoulder and poured his son-in-law-to-be another drink. ‘I heard about that. You boys were the talk of the War Office that day. Bloody good job.’
Lizzie’s ears pricked up when Oliver told them about the destruction of the German Luftwaffe airfields. Val had told her that the operation had been successful. But hearing it from Oliver first-hand and knowing she’d helped to set it up—even if her part had to remain a secret amongst her family—boosted her morale.
It made her realise just how many people in different organisations made these daring ops possible. They all counted, and it was worth the risk.
‘It’s good news all round,’ Rose said. ‘We finally received a letter from Archie last week, too. He says he’s keeping well but missing us and hopes to get leave to come home soon.’
Lizzie was relieved to see Oliver and Juliet so happy together, albeit for just a brief reunion, because he would be returning to his base in a few days. At the same time, she felt sad that she didn’t know where Jack was and keeping her fears to herself was taking its toll. Her father had enquired about her trip when she returned, and she was tempted to tell him how scared she was that Jack had been captured, but she pulled herself back. If she opened up that conversation, it would be ongoing, and with the secret nature of their work, it didn’t seem like a good idea.
For a moment when she looked at Juliet and Oliver’s smiling faces, she wondered what it would be like if Jack was loved and accepted by all the family like Oliver.
Could they ever be a proper couple, or was it pure fantasy?
Lizzie woke early and dressed for work, shivering slightly as she slipped into her green wool dress that reminded her of Jersey. They were all having to make do with their old clothes and she was grateful she had packed her favourite outfits.
The mornings were chilly now. It had been a long hot summer, but the light evenings were drawing in fast. Soon it would be her first winter in London.
Three weeks had passed since Lizzie’s return from Reims, and every day dragged as though it were a month. There had still been no word from Jack, and her stomach churned every time she thought about where he might be.
The hardest thing was going into SOE every day and not immediately asking about Jack, but if she kept asking, her feelings for him would be too obvious. Val would guess there was something more going on.
What had happened between them was special, and she didn’t wish to talk about it with anyone. Jack had told her he loved her, and she believed him. But it must remain a secret or she would compromise both their positions.
Lizzie tapped on Val’s office door.
‘Yes, enter,’ Val called.
‘Morning,’ Lizzie said. ‘Just wanted to let you know I’ve arrived if you need me for anything. I’ll be in the main room.’
‘Good timing. I’ve received a message from Bletchley.’
‘Oh, yes?’ Lizzie said, her heart thudding. It was a difficult balance to keep her tone keen, but not to reveal how eager she was to hear about Jack.
‘It’s a message from Raven asking for a pickup. It’s already been verified as authentic and we’re organising a plane for tonight.’
‘That is good news,’ Lizzie said. She perched on a chair near the desk, her legs suddenly weak.
‘It’s felt like an age waiting to hear from him, hasn’t it?’ Val said.
Lizzie nodded, fighting to control her emotions as relief flooded through her. She hadn’t realised how tightly wound she’d been until she heard Jack was safe. ‘The waiting is more difficult than being in the field in a strange way, isn’t it?’
Val studied Lizzie’s face. ‘Agents often say that. All I do is wait, so I’ll have to take your word for it. It’s not the easy part, though, that’s for certain. But then, none of this is easy.’
‘What else did the message say? Any update on progress with the Resistance?’
Val shook her head. ‘No, it was classic Jack. Short and sweet. We’ll have to wait for the debrief, I’m afraid. Hopefully, he’s in good shape and has updates on Resistance activity.’
The phone shrilled, piercing the silence that descended on them as they both considered the dangers their people faced in occupied France.
Val spoke for a few minutes and Lizzie sat there in a daze, her head spinning at the prospect of Jack coming home tonight. Butterflies darted through her stomach as she envisaged his face in her mind.
He was alive.
Val ended the call. ‘Want to come with me to see our new HQ? We’ve got to get set up for the move. It’s happening sooner than we thought.’
Lizzie sprung up, eager to keep busy. ‘That’s exciting. I’d love to come.’
They grabbed their coats and hurried down the stairs to the waiting car at the entrance to the hotel.
‘Baker Street, please,’ Val said, and the car slid away from the curb and joined the thick morning traffic.
The car jerked along, but Lizzie didn’t notice. A wonderful warm feeling permeated her whole being as she sank back against the seat and, for the first time since her return, she felt light and happy.
Jack would be home soon.