Beyond the Shadow of War (34 page)

“Oh yes, absolutely,” Kate answered.

“Positively,” Anya added.

Gigi turned back to him. “Well, then. There you go.”

“Uh …” He scratched the back of his neck. “Well, then. I suppose I could‌—‌”

“Splendid!” Gigi stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I knew you were a kind and considerate fellow the minute I laid eyes on you.”

“Yes. Well, then. Right. I’ll just be … on my way.” He offered a quick, nervous smile then left.

“Well done!” Kate cried. “That was brilliant. Oh,
thank
you, Gigi. I promise I’ll never again tease you about your flirting.”

“Of course you will, but you’re welcome anyway.”

One of the other brides in the room applauded. “My, and aren’t
you
quite the clever one? Well done! Quite masterful, if you ask me.”

“Did you see him?” another added. “Putty in your hands, he was. She’s right, you know. That was brilliant. Quite brilliant indeed.”

“Why, thank you, ladies.” Gigi took a deep theater bow then twirled to give another to the other side of the stateroom.

They introduced themselves to their new roommates and got acquainted. Helen‌—‌a tall beauty with a head of copper curls and a splash of freckles across her nose. Agatha‌—‌short and round and full of giggles. Ruth‌—‌a quiet girl with traces of tears on her pale cheeks. Four others stayed to themselves; all of them wrapped in long fur coats. The remaining bunks showed evidence of others who had stashed their bags and left the cabin.

“I do hope it’s all right with all of you that I keep my little one here,” Kate said. “I promise she won’t be a bother.”

“No bother at all, and we’re pleased to have her,” Helen said, moving her hand to her flat stomach. “I’ve only just found out I’m in the family way myself, so I’ll enjoy having a little one about.”

“Congratulations,” Kate said. “Then your husband is still here in England?”

“No, he left a month ago. He worked at the American Embassy in London.”

“Really? We have a friend there who’s been so helpful to us through all this waiting. Lieutenant Phillip Powell. Do you know him?”

“The name is familiar, but I only met my husband a few months ago. He quite literally swept me off my feet and proposed two weeks later. We were married only a month before he left. It was all rather sudden.”

“The Yanks are rather spectacular at that, sweeping us off our feet,” Gigi added as she pulled a cigarette from her silver case. “Makes you wonder if they come out of the womb that way‌—‌”

“Gigi, don’t be vulgar‌—‌”

“‌—‌or if they’re taught in school to have all that charm. Either way, we love them, don’t we?” She struck a match.

“Oh, please don’t think I’m a bother, but would you mind not smoking in here?” Helen’s face tinted with her apology. “I’m so terribly sorry, but lately I find I’m quite queasy with even the slightest hint of smoke.”

Gigi’s brows arched as she waved the match out. “You poor dear. Not to worry. Plenty of deck up top where I can puff away.”

“Forgive me for asking, Helen, but how in the world did you process all your papers in such a short amount of time?” Kate implored. “It seems like we’ve been filling out papers and standing in queues for the better part of six months.”

“I suppose it’s because my husband worked at the embassy. Inside shortcuts and all that.”

A few moments later, the young soldier returned with the small hammock and showed Kate how to hang it from the bunk above her. The lad was quite nervous, voicing concern he might incur the wrath of his superiors if they learned of his unsanctioned accommodation.

Gigi escorted him to the door. “We’ll never tell a soul. You can count on that, soldier.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his other cheek. “You have our word.”

His handkerchief was already out of his pocket as he turned to go. “I should have mentioned we’re not supposed to fraternize with the passengers, so I would appreciate it greatly if you pay me no mind from here on.”

Gigi tossed him a wink. “My lips are sealed.”

He stared at her a second longer then turned and disappeared down the hall.

Agatha’s merry laughter filled the room. “Honestly, it’s like having our very own cinema, watching you work your magic on the boy! I do believe Vivian Leigh may have met her match.”

Half an hour later, a loud chime sounded over the intercom before an announcement was made that the ship would sail in one hour. Passengers were encouraged to line the decks to wave goodbye to friends and family.

Anya was relieved to find a map of the ship’s layout in the packets provided on each bed. She studied it before they left, circling their cabin then looking for the simplest passage to the deck. There they joined hundreds of brides and children, each claiming a section of the rail to wave to those below.

“Can you see them?” Anya asked Kate, scanning the crowd below for Sophie’s red beret.

“I’m looking. Can you believe all those people are here to see us off?”

Gigi waved both arms then blew loud, exaggerated kisses. “Goodbye, England! We’re off to America! We’ll miss you!”

“Oh, there!” Kate cried, pointing to their far left. “Down there toward the end of the dock. See her? She’s waving her cap!”

“Oh yes! There! Goodbye, Sophie! Goodbye, Charlie!”

They couldn’t possibly hear them amidst the shouts and laughter, but they all waved nonetheless. Anya loved the festive spirit and feeling a part of something so wonderful and exciting. She waved and waved even as tears stung her eyes at the sight of Charlie and Sophie waving back at her.

They covered their ears when the long horn blasted from the ship’s smokestacks signaling their departure. Kate covered Joss’s ears and held her close as all of them laughed and shouted with joy. When the horn finally silenced, the passengers and crowd below continued their jubilant farewells.

“Goodbye, England!”

“Wish us luck!”

“Mummy, I’ll miss you!”

“Write me! Every day!”

“I love you, Mummy! I love you, Daddy!”

With a bit of a jolt, the great ocean liner slowly, slowly began to move, as the tugboat towed it out to sea.

“I can’t believe it! We’re on our way!” Gigi squealed long and loud, hooking her arms through Kate and Anya’s. “America here we come!”

As the ship distanced itself from the pier, the women and children scurried back inside, out of the frigid air. But just as Anya turned to go inside, she noticed the shy girl from their cabin, huddled on a deck chair and sobbing.

“Girls, wait,” she said, touching Kate’s arm. “Let me see what’s wrong with our cabinmate.”

“Don’t worry,” Kate said. “We haven’t a clue how to find our stateroom without you. We’ll wait inside where it’s warm.”

Anya took a seat on the deck chair beside the crying girl. “Ruth, isn’t it?”

The girl looked up, startled, then nodded as her face crumbled again.

Anya placed her gloved hand over the girl’s trembling bare hand. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Ruth shook her head, then paused for a moment and nodded. She dropped her head in her hands again. “I’ve made such a terrible mistake. I should never have come here. Never got on this boat.”

“I know it’s hard to say goodbye, but it will get better. And you’ve got all of us making the trip with you. We’ve all had to leave loved ones behind to make this journey.”

Ruth cried more softly, her head still shaking back and forth. “I’m only sixteen. Mum told me I was a fool to marry so young, and to a Yank at that. And Father wouldn’t even come to see me off, he’s so upset. Told me he didn’t raise his little girl to go off with some fast-talking Yank. But my Eddie, he’s not like that.”

“What’s he like? Tell me.”

She wiped her face with a crumpled handkerchief then attempted to square her shoulders and sit straighter. “Eddie’s such a nice wonderful boy. Just a farmer’s son from somewhere called Iowa.” A wavering smile lightened her face. “He’s just eighteen. He lied about his age when he enlisted a couple years ago so he could do his part to help win the war.”

“Where did you meet him?”

She dipped her eyes with a shy smile. “I grew up in Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk. My father has a pub there, and I worked there after school. Then when the war started, the Americans built an airfield there for the 100th Bomb Group. That was Eddie’s group. One night he came into the pub with his friends, and they were all teasing him because he didn’t like the pints much. He came up to the bar and started talking to me.” Her trembling smile widened. “It was love at first sight. For both of us.”

“Then that’s what you must focus on while we cross the sea. That love that drew you to each other, and the new life you’ll make together. And remember that just because you’re moving to America now doesn’t mean you’ll never see your parents again. These big boats travel both ways, you know.”

Ruth took a shuddering breath and slowly let it go. “Yes, that’s true. I hadn’t thought about that before.” She straightened a little more. “Thank you … Anna, is it?”

“Anya. And you’re welcome.” Anya stood. “Why don’t you and I go join our friends inside where it’s warm.”

Ruth stood and immediately embraced Anya, clinging to her. “Thank you. Thank you ever so much. I don’t feel quite so afraid now.”

“My pleasure, Ruth.”

38

By the time the
Wisteria’s
passengers were seated for dinner, any who might have braved the cold wind on deck would no longer be able to see the shores of England. Some experienced a mild wave of seasickness, but most were able to enjoy the bounty of food offered in the ship’s dining area. Unlike the peculiar dishes served at Camp Tidworth, the
Wisteria
presented more traditional English cooking which the girls welcomed eagerly.

“Quite a sight for sore eyes, it is,” Helen said, appraising the steaming cottage pie before taking a bite. “No more ration coupons or Lord Woolton pies for us, and aren’t we glad?”

“I have to say, I rather like a good Lord Woolton pie,” Agatha added. “My mum’s recipe was fabulous. We always fought over it, my brothers and sisters.”

Gigi’s lip curled as she feigned a shiver. “Not me. I couldn’t stand the stuff. I can’t wait to get to America and eat their juicy cheeseburgers and salty French fries and thick, rich milkshakes like we served at the Rainbow.”

With Joss sleeping in one arm, Kate closed her eyes and savored a bite. “Mmm. I had forgotten what really good food tastes like.”

“And a nice cup of tea, finally,” Helen said. “The kitchen staff at Tidworth hadn’t a clue how to brew a proper cuppa. I’d wager a guess some Brits are staffing the
Wisteria’s
kitchen.”

Gigi reached for her cup. “Rather a delightful trip ahead, all things consi‌—‌”

“Whoa.” Helen braced her hands on the edge of the table. “Did anyone else feel that?”

The salt and pepper shakers slid a couple of inches.

“Feel what?” Gigi asked.

“That,” Helen said. “The ship tilting.”

“Only a little,” Kate said. “Are you all right?”

“I don’t know. I feel a bit off balance.”

Gigi buttered a dinner roll. “You’ll get used to it. They say it sometimes takes a while to find your sea legs.”

They continued their conversations, much of it centered on food and all the other things they’d missed out on during the war. Anya noticed that Helen wasn’t eating, just pushing food around on her plate. Moments later, the salt and pepper shakers slid back the other direction.

Ruth set down her fork. “Yes, I felt that one. I think I‌—‌”

Helen turned just in time to spill the contents of her stomach on the floor. Ruth immediately did the same. Moments later, their actions spawned a chain effect of lost meals throughout the noisy dining room.

When Anya noticed Kate looking a bit green in the gills, she grabbed Joss and helped her stand. “You and Joss need to get out of here. Can you find your way back to the cabin?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then wait for me at the first staircase. I’ll see if I can help Ruth and Helen.”

A quarter hour later, the girls straggled back to their cabin. Only Anya and Gigi had been spared the miserable effects, despite the sickening stench which had quickly overtaken the ship’s corridors. They helped the others to their bunks, then one by one assisted their cabinmates as they changed from soiled clothing to nightgowns. By the time everyone was settled‌—‌at least for the time being‌—‌they fell into their beds exhausted.

“Why didn’t anyone tell us we’d be so sick?” Agatha groaned from her top bunk.

“If they had, would you have stayed home?” someone asked.

“No. I suppose not.”

“I’d have thought about it, that’s for sure,” Helen added.

“The motion sickness will pass, won’t it?” another asked. “We’re not meant to be sick all the way to America, are we?”

The quiet chatter continued, though Anya tried her best to tune them out, needing a break from the subject.

“Anya, why do you think you didn’t get sick like everyone else?” Gigi rolled over on her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. With Anya on the adjacent upper bunk, their pillows were just inches apart. “I had years of practice with my younger brothers and sisters. Someone was always tossing their biscuits at home. Since I was the eldest, Mum expected me to help care for the little ones. She said I had a stomach made of cast iron. I suppose she was right. How about you? How’d you keep your biscuits down today?”

“I’m not sure.” A dark cloud of memories troubled her mind. Instinctively her stomach clenched. “I suppose I saw too much during the war. Things I wish I’d never seen. Maybe I learned to push through it because there wasn’t time to be sick or weak.”

Gigi twirled a curl with her fingers. “That makes sense. I’d forgotten you were in the Dutch Resistance. So tell me. What’s the worst thing you ever saw?”

Anya winced as the scene flashed on the screen of her mind’s eye. She and her friend Wim, hiding in the woods alongside his family’s farm, knowing something was terribly wrong when they found little Inge crawling in a cultivated field. The little one was the youngest sister of Anya’s best friend Lieke. Like so many other Dutch Jews, they’d come to the Boorman’s farm to hide during the Occupation. Moments later, Wim had grabbed the child and rushed her back to Anya before inching his way to the barn to find out what was going on.

Before he returned, a German soldier had pressed a gun to the back of Anya’s skull. Moments later, he shot little Inge with a single bullet to her forehead. Anya had screamed, wailing at the heartless German as blood poured from the baby’s head. A second later, she set Inge’s body down just before throwing up.

Despite her protests, the German had forced her to her feet, shoving her forward with his gun to her back. She’d begged him to let her take the baby’s body. “Leave her,” he’d barked. “Let her body rot and serve as fertilizer for the crops. Perhaps she’ll be worth something after all.”

Her eyes stung with the memory, and she could do nothing to stop them. Wim had snuck back, smashing the German’s head with a large stone, thinking he’d killed the soldier. Wim held her in his arms, heartbroken to tell her what he’d discovered at the farmhouse. His entire family had been killed‌—‌lined up and executed. All of them, including all the Jews they’d sheltered in the hideout beneath their barn. Even her dear friend Lieke. All of them dead.

Then, as she and Wim comforted each other in that ghastly moment, another shot rang out. Wim slumped against her. Only then did she see the smoke of the dying German’s pistol now aimed at her. A second later, he crumbled to the ground and died. As Wim’s life was slipping away, he told her to run as fast as she could, but she refused, pleading for him to hold on. His hand trembled as he placed his palm against her cheek, his eyes struggling to focus.

I love you, Anya. I have always
‌—‌
”

“Anya?” Gigi asked, tapping her hand and interrupting the haunting memory. “Sweetie, are you all right?”

Anya swallowed hard, thankful to blink away the horrible memories. “No. I was just remembering …”

Gigi reached for Anya’s hands and squeezed them. “I’m so sorry. It was a stupid thing to ask. Please forgive me.”

Anya took in a deep breath and tried to relax. “No forgiveness needed.”

“Sometimes I think I haven’t an iota of sense left in my ridiculous head. It’s bad enough we’ve had to wade through all the muck and sop up all their sick. The last thing we needed was to scrape off the scab of some ghastly memory. Oh Anya, I’m so sorry.”

She was surprised at the glistening in Gigi’s eyes and the honesty of her apology. The bubbly blonde was never one to let down her guard, always careful to maintain a mask of confidence and control.

Anya squeezed back. “It’s all right. But thank you.”

“Thank
me
? For what?”

“For caring enough to apologize, even if it wasn’t necessary.”

Gigi gave a shrug. “Oh, you know me … just one big walking, talking apology.”

No sooner had their conversation ended than the ship took a hard roll one way, then back the other. The room filled with moans and the gross and disgusting sound of stomachs heaving whatever was left in them.

Gigi groaned as she jumped down from her bunk. “Here we go again.”