Читать книгу The Crooked Olive Branch - Frederick Munn - Страница 19

Chapter 11

The following morning Ilsa woke early to find Miriam missing from her bed.

She did not panic, guessing at once just where she would be. Putting on her dressing gown she crept across to the men’s bedroom.

She pushed open the door slightly and peered in to confirm that Miriam was fast asleep in Hal’s bed. Carefully she closed the door and stood thinking for a few moments, then realising there was little she could do without embarrassment decided to go down for a coffee and await events.

Gerda was in the kitchen waiting for the house to awake. She greeted Ilsa as she placed the papers from the table back into a folder.

“Good morning, Ilsa. Miriam still asleep?”

“Yes, I’ve come down for a coffee.”

Ilsa poured herself a cup and stood with her back to the stove.

“Can you have Miriam packed and ready to move by 10.30?”

“You’ve got the papers? Good, we will be ready.”

“Not you Ilsa, just the little girl.” Gerda had misread the extent to which Ilsa had bonded with Miriam.

Ilsa was shocked into silence.

Gerda aware of Ilsa’s discomfort fought to deal with this.

“We don’t have papers for you. It is better that the two men travel alone with Miriam. The rest of us will keep clear. We can’t imagine that the Nazi S.S. have been idle. They will have their agents watching all exits.”

“The border is between Austria and Switzerland?”

Gerda didn’t answer. She gave Ilsa the look schoolteachers give when a pupil has said something silly.

“We are severing all connection with Miriam with effect from 10.30. That includes you.

That is it, Ilsa.”

Ilsa still objected. “Who will look to Miriam? I mean a little girl with just two men?”

Gerda lapsed back into English in frustration.

“Good God, woman, we can’t be bothered with your prissy protocol.”

She then reverted to German speaking calmly.

“Just get her ready please.” She paused repeating, “Please, Ilsa. You know how it works. We will have no more contact nor will they with us. Pegasus will take over once they get over the border.”

Ilsa looked out of the window concentrating on the branches of the tree bouncing in a stiff breeze heralding the onset of autumn and a change in the weather.

She bit her bottom lip which was beginning to tremble.

Gerda noted this and changed to a much gentler tone.

“She will be fine, Ilsa, you know that this is the only solution. Also, we will be needing you again.”

Ilsa didn’t reply but turned on her heels and speedily left the room.

Much later Peter arrived in the kitchen closely followed by Hal and the little girl.

Gerda was getting anxious. “At last fellas, can you be ready to move at 10.30?”

Peter was shocked and stopped pouring the coffee. Then he gathered his wits and spoke calmly.

“Good morning, Gerda. Sorry, didn’t see you. I was homing in on the coffee.”

He looked around aware of a change in the atmosphere.

“No servants today?”

Gerda accepted Peter’s implied reprimand. “Sorry, Peter. Good morning, can you be ready at 10, 30 please?”

“Ready for what?” Peter asked, playing for time.

Hal who had sized up the situation, spoke up.

“Sure, we can. Take no notice of Pete, he’s been in another world for the last day or so. He does that sometimes.”

Hal collected breads, croissants and meats and sat down with Miriam on his knee.

Peter was now even more panicky. “Can be ready for what, exactly?”

“Can what” Miriam repeated grabbing a croissant.

“See speaking English already. Sure, we are ready. Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Today?” Peter at last allowed himself to accept what was going on.

Hal smiled and shook his head “Too true it seems old buddy. Care to join us?”

Peter sat down at the table, his heart beating. “What is the plan?”

Gerda reached and placed a small leather solid briefcase on the table.

“Miriam’s supplementary luggage,” Gerda announced. She placed her hand on it.

“Don’t open it until you get over the border and then only if you have to. Here is a key. Otherwise hand it over to the courier on the other side.”

“How do we know when and if to open it? For that matter, know the courier?”

Peter now realising fully what was to happen was wanting more detail. Hal was content to listen.

“The courier is Pegasus.”

“Pegasus, just Pegasus?”

“They will approach you and enquire if you are from the Mercury. You will answer:

‘Barkis is willing’. From then on, they will take over. Here are Miriam’s papers they are made out to a Sudeten Jewess who died in infancy.”

Hal, making notes, butted in. “A Jewess, is that wise?”

“Think about it, Hal. The Nazis will be primed to look out for a three-year-old accompanied by a carer. Or they might expect her to be in a group. Whichever, they will be on the lookout for false papers. What they will not expect is that these papers will be those of a Jewess. They’ll expect anything but Jew. Also, you three will not be the type of target they have been primed to investigate.”

Hal looked up from his notes. “The Nazis will do all this just to arrest a little kid? That takes some swallowing!”

“No, Hal. They will pick her up if they can of course, but the real agenda is to get a bead on our outfit, our cell. The border guards will not have time to cross check on Sudeten nationals. If you are prepared to be Miriam’s uncle. That, with the fact that you are American, we think will work.”

“I will show my press card if it gets sticky,” said Hal, adding, “I get the picture.”

Gerda nodded continuing, “We will have no contact with you after Ilsa and I leave in a short while. That is the last you will see of us. You will be on your own. Can you cope with Miriam and all that it entails, toilet etc.?”

“I’ve seen guys back home take them into the men’s toilets. Is that O.K. here?”

“Depends, but I see no option, you could ask a female for the favour, but I fear Miriam will panic and create. No, best try and cope yourself. Miriam is very capable. Take her to the men’s or if you can manage until you are on the train, so much the better.”

With this answer Gerda considered the matter closed and passed over a wallet.

“There are Schillings, Swiss Francs and some French Francs. If you miss the meet, you may need to go straight through to the ferry where they accept Sterling. I doubt you will need the French Franc. Otherwise the ferry reservations will be dealt with by the couriers. The tickets to and from Zurich to Calais are in this envelope, if needed.”

Hal opened the wallet. “That’s one heck of a lot of Schillings.”

“For the hire car driver. This car will arrive from a local firm who are familiar with commissions from this house. It has been arranged already by phone. They are nothing to do with us and have only the instruction to deliver you to Landeck station for the Zurich train.

Treat them as a normal hire car, which they are. Pay in cash. If they query this, expecting to charge to the account, say the house is closing for the winter, which it does each year at this time.”

Peter who had been listening to all this swallowed the lump in his throat and whispered:

“What if we are challenged?”

“We hope you won’t be, just do your best whatever.” Gerda stood up.

“I must go, there is much to do.”

“Of course, are you seeing the others across the same time as us?”

“They left earlier. It is supposed to be a school day trip. They should be through shortly.

Fingers crossed they will be meeting you in time for the afternoon train from Zurich to Calais.”

She embraced Peter. “Bon voyage” then embraced Hal.

“Thank you, Hal, you are a brick.”

She bent down to Miriam who, immediately hid behind Hal’s leg. “Bye sweetie.”

Miriam hid her face in Hal’s trousers. Gerda called upstairs.

“Ilsa come, we are away.”

Ilsa came downstairs, ran through the kitchen and out into the yard.

Gerda turned to follow. “What few possessions Miriam has will be upstairs. Grab yourselves some food and drink from the larder. The caretaker/gardener will close up once you are away.”

These final words were spoken while she hurried from the room.