He swallowed, his chest tightening at the pain in her eyes and the grief in her voice. The sheltered, young socialite had become a soldier somewhere in the mountains of Norway, and there was nothing he could do to ease her growing pains. That was something she would have to deal with herself. But she didn’t have to do it alone. Crouching down next to the couch, he took one of her hands in his.
“You’ve seen the ugly side of war, I’m afraid, and there is no unseeing that,” he said gently. “You should never have been in Oslo when the Nazis invaded, but this would have happened eventually if the war continues for any length of time. This is what it means to be at war. You did what you had to do, what everyone who is called to fight must do, and because you did, Peder is the only one who lost his life. Make no mistake, Evie. They would have killed all of them to get to you, and that will never change. You will always be the target, and you will always have to protect those who are working alongside you. But don’t let it define who you are. Accept what happened in Norway, grieve for it, but leave it on that mountainside outside Steinkjer. It’s over, and it cannot be undone. You will continue, and you will be even stronger for it. I promise.”
Evelyn clung tightly to his hand for a long moment, tears shimmering in her eyes, then she slowly exhaled and nodded, releasing his hand.
“Erik said much the same thing when I left them. This is what I get for wanting to fight like a man, I suppose,” she said after a moment, a hint of dryness in her tone. “I was never cut out to knit jumpers and make jam for the soldiers, but this seems to be quite the other end of the scale.”
Bill smiled faintly and stood up. “You’ll find your spot in the middle, Evie,” he said, looking down at her. “It’s a long road we have before us, but it won’t all be like Norway. Now, I’m going to ring the doctor and get a nurse over here.”
He turned to leave the room again, pressing lips together as soon as his back was to her. It was a long road ahead indeed, and Hitler was just getting started. But as Bill left the parlor and went towards the telephone on the small table in the hallway, he felt oddly optimistic. Herr Hitler might be just getting started, but so were they.
And Jian was about to become the thorn in Hitler’s side.
Epilogue
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22nd April, 1940
Dearest Miles,
How are you? I returned from Wales, but was sent immediately to London for a few days on an advanced course. It’s a pity we can’t have dinner together while I’m here, but I shan’t have the time. I’m due back at Northolt on the 25th. I do wish I could see you, though. I feel as if it’s been simply ages.
Thank you for all the letters that I had waiting for me. You can have no notion how much they cheered my spirits. The trip to Wales was very challenging and, in the end, took a lot more out of me than I expected. The hour I spent reading through your letters made me feel almost like myself again.
I was very glad to hear that you made it over Germany and back without incident. I know you’re all itching to shoot down some Jerries, but it will come soon enough. For now, I am just thankful that you and Robbie are safe.
It doesn’t look as if things are going very well in Norway. I read today that our forces are in danger of being surrounded by German troops. The Luftwaffe is bombing relentlessly, destroying our supplies and communications. I don’t see how we can last much longer. We may have won at Narvik, but the Nazis have the entire southern portion of the country overrun. I think it’s only a matter of time before we must retreat. Then what will happen to the Norwegian people?
I’m beginning to see everything that I was afraid would happen if Hitler was allowed to continue. We allowed him to become powerful, and now he can’t be stopped. His Blitzkrieg is the stuff of nightmares, rolling over everything in its path. He’ll turn his attention to France soon, and the Maginot line will not stop him. I’ve also heard people in Paris say that the Maginot will protect them. That seems to be a common theme among the French, and it’s rather infuriating, to be honest. They refuse to acknowledge that the Maginot was never finished! France didn’t want to violate Belgian borders, so it never went to the sea as had been intended. That leaves the entire border of Belgium open to attack, and Hitler is a fool if he doesn’t take advantage of it.
My family at least sees the danger. They will leave Paris at the first sign of any German offensive. My aunt and uncle will most likely come to stay with my mother, so you may get the chance to meet them. My cousins, however, are reluctant to leave France. I suppose I can’t blame them. I’d want to stay and help England if she were invaded. Tell Robbie that Nicolas and Gisele are at least considering coming to England with their parents, but I don’t hold out much hope. He wants to stay, and Zell will never leave him. I hope it doesn’t come to them having to make that choice, but I’m very afraid that it will.
Will I see you when I get back to Northolt? I do hope we can work something
