Glenn Meade (5 page)

'I hope we see you in
Egypt
again very soon, Miss Stern,'

Kemal Assan said.

The ambassador shook all their
hands. 'Until next time. And thanks. You young people have sure done a terrific
job.'

The ambassador and Assan left.
Jack Haider sipped his champagne, put down his glass and looked out at
Cairo
. 'You're right, it's
as quiet as the grave down there.'

Rachel was tired, and glanced at
her watch. 'I hate to spoil the party, but I'm ready to collapse. And my
parents are about to leave. They're both exhausted. It's always the same after
a dig, especially in this climate. I think they put their heart and soul into
it and they've worn themselves out.'

'I'm hardly surprised. They've
both been working round the clock.' Haider smiled teasingly. 'Even while the
rest of us were asleep. Only the other morning I saw them crawling back into
their tent, looking like they had been up digging half the night.

What's the professor up to,
Rachel? Has he discovered something he wants to keep secret from the rest of
us?'

Rachel smiled back. 'Hardly. But
you know my father thinks he can never do enough. The work here means
everything to him.'

Haider winked at Weaver
conspiratorially. 'Well, Harry, did you ask?'

Weaver shook his head, faintly
uncomfortable, and Haider said, 'Neither did I.'

'What are you both talking about?'
Rachel enquired. 'Ask what?'

Haider swallowed a mouthful of
champagne, as if to steel his nerves, and took a deep breath. 'This may be
embarrassing. But to hell with it, the moment has come. There's something Harry
and I have been mulling over, and we didn't have the nerve to ask. But seeing
as you're leaving for
Port Said
tomorrow, and
Istanbul
beckons, we
thought we might as well be brazen and pose the question.'

'What question?'

'Is there even the slightest
chance you might be in love with either one of us?'

Rachel flushed. She bit her lip,
and for a moment she seemed unsettled. 'Why - why don't I make a promise. I'll
write to you both and you write back. It would give us all time to get to know
each other better. Then we'll take it from there.'

Haider looked deflated. 'I think
you're being very diplomatic'

'No,

Jack, just honest. There's so much
happening in my life right now. Leaving
Egypt
,
the move to
Istanbul-
'

'Have we put you on the spot?'
Weaver asked.

'No, Harry.'

Haider said, 'Then why do I feel
embarrassed?'

'There's no need. No need for
either of you to be. You know I care so much for you both.'

'Only care?'

'Please, Jack. This is not the
time.'

'I'm sorry we brought up the
subject, Rachel,' Weaver said, and went to take her arm. 'I can see that you're
tired. I'll go see if one of the embassy cars can take you to your hotel and
we'll escort you down.'

'No, I hate partings. You both
stay and enjoy yourselves, you've more than deserved it.' She hesitated, her
lips trembling with emotion as she looked at them. 'Can I tell you something?
It's been the best time of my life. I really mean that. Until we meet again,
goodbye.' It was very sudden, and there were tears in her eyes as she kissed
and hugged them both, and then she was gone.

The band was playing a waltz.
Haider picked up his champagne glass. 'She seemed pretty upset. But she didn't
really answer the question, did she? Me, I feel a little disappointed.’

Weaver considered for a moment. 'I
could be wrong, but it seems to me the offer to write could only mean one of
three things.'

'What?'

'One, she doesn't want to get
involved with either of us, and it's the easy way out. Two, she likes one of
us, but we put her in an awkward situation by both being present, in which case
she couldn't say outright, for fear of disappointing the other.'

'And three?'

'She likes both of us equally,
can't make up her mind, and needs some breathing space to decide.'

'You think it's that?'

Weaver shrugged. 'It's just a
feeling I get. Maybe we should just take Rachel at her word. Besides, she's
right. There's a lot happening in her life. Her family can't return to
Germany
, and
Istanbul
's a whole new world to come to terms
with. And she was exhausted tonight. I think all the hard work she's been
putting in has finally caught up with her.'

'You seem very blasé all of a
sudden.'

'I like to think she was being
genuine, Jack. She's not the kind of woman to just jump into a relationship.
She needs time.

So why don't we drop it for now.'

'But you're disappointed she
didn't give us a straight answer.

I can tell.'

'Sure I am. It prolongs the torture.
But why don't we wait and see what happens, and try not to dwell on it.'

Haider forced a smile. 'That's the
engineer in you speaking.

Even when you're upset in love,
the practical side takes over. And maybe you're right. I wish I could be like
that, but God, I'll miss her. It was such a terrific time, and it's a pity it
all has to come to an end. I've had the best time of my life in her company.'

Weaver picked up the champagne
bottle, refilled their glasses. 'Change the subject. When are you leaving
Cairo
?'

'Tuesday. I'm flying home. I
haven't much choice - I've been conscripted.'

Weaver was dumbstruck. 'So that's
what your letter was about?’

'I'm afraid so.' Haider shrugged.
'You know my father's family come from a long line of Prussian officers, some
of them founders of the military academy. They'd turn in their graves if I
ignored the call.'

Weaver put a hand on Haider's
shoulder. 'You should have told me, Jack. It just all seems so sudden. I'll be
worried about you.'

'To be honest, I didn't want to
spoil the last couple of days by mentioning it. And I've been trying my best to
put it to the back of my mind. But don't worry about me. With my background,
I'll probably land a boring desk job.'

'Do you really believe it'll be
over by Christmas, Jack?

Rachel said you thought so.'

Haider nodded firmly. 'I think it
will. Ordinary Germans don't want another war. Too many of them remember how
bad the last one was. I'm pretty sure common sense will prevail in the end. And
what about you? What will you do?'

'Right now, I feel kind of
footloose. Professor Stern suggested there's still a little clearing up to be
done at Sakkara before the site's handed over to the Egyptians, so I
volunteered to help, along with a couple of the others. I've also had an offer
tonight to join a desert expedition, so maybe I'll stay on for a while, and
even try to learn more of the language.

Besides,
America
declared its neutrality. We've no part in this war.'

'Good for you. Let's just hope it
all settles down soon. But the thing about it is, the whole world's gone
crazy.'

'What do you mean?'

'The war's already sort of started
to intrude. The rumour's been going around that the British dug up a German
radio transmitter hidden in a field along the

Weaver nodded. 'I know about the
rumour. But what's that got to do with anything?'

'After we heard the declaration of
war on the radio over a week ago, I actually overheard one of the British in
our group claim that Rachel and I, and all the other Germans on the dig, were
really enemy agents and up to no good. Did you ever hear such garbage? I mean,
her mother's Jewish for a start. And Professor Stern loathes the Nazis.'

'And what do you think of the
Nazis, Jack?'

It was the first time they had
ever discussed politics, and Haider was mildly surprised. The? I love my
country, but I think you'll have guessed by now I haven't got much time for
Hitler.'

'You mean because of
Poland
? Or
because of what he's doing to the Jews? All these race laws and prison camps
and deportations we've been hearing about.'

'Both. And I've no time for that
sort of cruel behavior, and nor do so many decent-minded Germans. And we've
been friends long enough for you to know I wouldn't condone the kind of laws
the Nazis have enacted against the Jews, or the way Hitler has banished so many
of them from Germany. But it's not only that. Hitler talks too loudly and
hasn't a single ounce of humor. Always a bad combination, especially in an
Austrian.'

Haider smiled faintly. 'I'm afraid
he's also an arrogant bore. And most important of all, he has the makings of a
tyrant. And all tyrants are cowards in the end. Which is why I think he'll back
down before it really does go too far.'

'I just hope you're right. But do
you really have to go back home?'

'There's a German word. Pflicht.
You may have heard my father use it. It means duty, and more besides. And it's
a word often used in the Haider vocabulary. In fact, it's in the family motto.
So in a way, I feel I'm honor-bound not to let down the family name. No matter
what my father might think of Hitler, I really don't believe he could live with
the fact of having a son who turned out to be the first conscientious objector
in the clan.'

'In that case, I wouldn't worry
about what the British say about you being a spy. I hear some of the Germans
pointed the same accusations at the French and the British members of the
crew.' Weaver smiled. 'So far, I think I'm the only one who hasn't had a bad
word said about him. It has me worried.'

Haider laughed, and Weaver scanned
the crowds and said more seriously, 'There was a man watching Rachel this
evening.

Egyptian. Thin, about forty, a bit
sinister-looking, wearing a linen suit. Did you notice him?'

'No. Why?'

Weaver shrugged. 'It's probably
nothing. Perhaps she has a secret admirer.' He hesitated. 'You know what just
occurred to me? What if
America
entered the war, and we were on opposing sides. How would that make you feel?'

'Terrible.' Haider shook his head
firmly. 'But we could never be enemies, Jack. Not ever. At least not
personally, whatever differences our two countries might have.'

'I guess not.' Weaver put down his
glass and smiled. 'But do you think we'd still be buddies if there's even a
slim chance Rachel might choose one of us?'

'Always. No matter what the future
brings.' Haider's eyes twinkled. 'But I have to admit, she's such a desirable
woman I'd be almost tempted to fight you for her if ever it came down to it.'
He smiled good-humouredly, raised his glass. 'A final toast, then. To
friendship and a wonderful summer.'

Weaver lifted his glass. 'To
friendship. And I'll miss your company, Jack. I really will. So try and look
after yourself. I just hope this damned war doesn't drag on too long.'

Haider winked. The too. But if
there really is a chance for one of us, may the best letter-writer win the fair
lady's hand.'

Jack Haider returned home to
Germany
via
Rome
on a scheduled Italian passenger flight out of
Cairo
. Within a week he had been conscripted
into the Wehrrnacht and posted to
Berlin
for officer training. Although no admirer of the Nazis, he was to prove a
dashing, adventurous officer, and his sharp intellect and knowledge of
languages soon came to the attention of the Abwehr,
Germany
's military intelligence.

He was personally recruited by
Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, posted to the special operations section which dealt
with the Balkans and the Mediterranean, and when the war in North Africa began
in earnest, was eventually seconded to the Middle Eastern Division, working
with Rommel's Africa Corps.

When he didn't hear from Rachel
Stern within six months of returning home, he met and fell in love with Helga
Ritter, the daughter of a
Hamburg
doctor. It was something he had never expected or anticipated, because part of
him still loved Rachel, and there were many times when he thought of her. But
his new wife was to prove as interesting a young woman, vivacious and loving.
Within ten months of marriage she gave birth to a son, Pauli.

Rachel Stern never wrote to either
young man. Three days after the ambassador's party, she and her parents sailed
from
Port Said
on the
Izmir
,
the only paying passengers on board the ancient Turkish-owned cargo ship bound
for
Istanbul
.
On the second night out of port she was standing at the starboard rail, still
thinking about the momentous summer, when the engine room erupted in fire. The
explosion that sank the
Izmir
killed fourteen people. Her mother was one of them.