“It’s a fantastic kite,” he said with a shrug. “It’s faster than the Hurricane, but Hurries have better range. There’s also a lot more of them. I did a few hours in one last year. They’re easier to fly.”
“Are they?”
He nodded. “Yes. There’s a learning curve to the Spit, but I love it. It turns like a dream, and is more maneuverable.”
Evelyn smiled. “I suppose it’s all what you’re used to.”
He looked at her. “I’d love to take you up in one,” he said with a grin. “You’d love it.”
“Oh, I wish!” She sighed. “Maybe one day. After the war. Except then I expect it wouldn’t be a fighter plane.”
Miles turned his attention back to the road. “No, but I’ll continue flying after the war. I’ll take you up with me one day.”
Evelyn looked out the window over the dark, dripping countryside. They spoke so easily about after the war, assuming that they would both survive it. She sobered, unable to ignore the fact that they probably wouldn’t.
“Did you hear about the German ship we seized?” Miles asked suddenly.
“The Altmark?” Evelyn pulled her gaze away from the window. “Yes. We seized it in Norwegian waters.”
“And freed three hundred prisoners of war.”
“Yes, but we did it in neutral waters. Norway is furious.”
Miles glanced at her. “So is Germany. Did you see they’ve accused Britain of piracy?”
Evelyn couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
“Yes. And murder. As if they haven’t murdered thousands in Poland alone.” She sobered. “Although, it’s not really funny. Norway has always been our ally and now they’re furious because we breached their national waters. I can see their point. They’re trying to remain neutral. Now Germany is demanding reparations for one of their ships being attacked in Norwegian territory.”
“Do you think Germany will go after Norway?” he asked after a moment.
“I think it’s a fair bet,” she said slowly. “If they have control of Norway, and the Soviets gain control in Finland, they have total control of the North and Baltic Seas, as well as the North Atlantic.”
Miles looked at her, a strange expression on his face. She caught it and raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “It’s just strange to hear you talk about strategic positioning. It’s not what one usually hears coming out of the mouth of a beautiful heiress.”
She grinned. “Are you intimidated?”
He met her gaze and smiled slowly. “Not a bit.”
“Good.”
“I’m surprised we haven’t made any move to try to protect Norway, actually,” he said after a long moment. “We could be mining the water around them, at the very least.”
“I don’t think Chamberlain wants to get any further involved in this war than he’s forced to,” she said, unable to keep the derisive tone out of her voice. “He’s too afraid to do anything.”
“We have to do something, and soon. Finland is falling. It’s only a matter of time now. And once they do, they will have no choice but to align themselves with Germany. All we’ve done is send some planes and munitions. France has done the same, but it’s a half-hearted effort at best. What else are the Finns to do? They can’t hold off the Russians alone.”
“We’ve done a bit more than that,” she protested weakly. “You make it sound as if we’re just sitting and watching them fall.”
“Aren’t we?” He glanced at her. “I’m not saying we should have sent all of our forces up there, but we bloody well could have done more than we did.”
Evelyn was quiet for a moment. He was right, of course. Finland would have no choice but to ally with Hitler, and if Hitler took Norway, most of Scandinavia would fall under the cloak of the Nazi regime. She thought of Anna Salvesen, the woman in Norway who had helped her in November, and frowned. She would be trapped.
“You don’t agree?” Miles asked, mistaking her silence for disapproval.
“Oh no, I do,” she assured him. “I was just thinking about what would happen if Scandinavia falls under both Hitler and Stalin. If that happens, I’m afraid both France and Britain will have been responsible.”
“And yet Chamberlain does nothing.” He shook his head in frustration. “We’ll never make it through this war if he doesn’t grow a backbone.”
Evelyn nodded in agreement and they were silent for a few miles. Then, with a heavy sigh, he glanced at her.
“I’m sorry. This always seems to happen. We have a fantastic time together and then end up discussing miserable world affairs.”
“I’d rather that than have a lovely time together and then end up quarreling,” she said with a smile.
He laughed. “That’s true. And I have the strangest feeling that you would be deadly in a quarrel. I feel like you would fight dirty.”
She shot him a sharp look under her lashes, inwardly wincing. He had no idea about her training in what many called ‘dirty warfare,’ or about her study of the Chinese art of Wing Chun. In fact, he had no clue how accurate his offhand comment really was.
“Oh Miles, you have no idea,” she murmured, drawing a smile from him.
“You don’t scare me, ASO Ainsworth,” he said with a flash of white teeth. “I think I’ll hold my own just fine.”
Paris, France
March 4
Evelyn ran lightly across the side street, gaining the pavement on the other side a moment later. She carried a clutch purse in one hand and a bag from her favorite fashion house in the other. The weather was mild and the sun shone brightly over the city, coaxing Parisians and visitors alike outside to throng the streets. As she moved through the chattering crowds spilling along the Champs-Élysées, she breathed deeply and couldn’t prevent the wave of contentment that went through her. England was her home, and London her playground, but Paris would always hold a special place in her heart.
It was where she felt alive.
“Evie!” A woman called from a table outside a café, waving. “We’re here!”
Evelyn smiled and made her way towards
