“WAAF. It’s the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.”
“At least you can do something. I’d love to join the army, but the only thing I can do is be a nurse or drive for the Red Cross.” She turned and leaned against the piano, staring pensively across the room. “I suppose if things continue, I’ll end up driving. I don’t think I’d make a very good nurse.”
“You?” Her brother grinned. “No. But you can drive. If you want to do something, why don’t you?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you?”
“Papa is trying to get me into the diplomatic service,” he said unexpectedly. “If that doesn’t pan out, I’ll have to join something. I’m surprised they haven’t called me up already, to be honest.”
Gisele looked startled. “But you’ve already done your two years service!”
“We’re at war, Zell. They’re calling people up now.” Nicolas sat on the love seat next to Evelyn. “If I have a choice, I suppose I’d rather go into the air force. If things don’t work out the way Papa wants, then perhaps I will.”
“Oh, this whole thing is horrible,” she cried. “Maybe we should just go to England with Maman and Papa and wait it out there.”
Nicolas frowned. “And leave France?”
“It would be better than you having to do something you hate and maybe be killed!”
Evelyn looked from one to the other.
“Are Tante and Uncle seriously considering going to England?” she asked. “I know it’s been mentioned, but are they really serious about it?”
Gisele nodded. “Yes. Papa is worried.”
“What about the chateau?” Evelyn asked.
“That’s where we will go if we have to leave Paris,” Nicolas replied. “It’s far enough south that it will be safe enough, at least temporarily. I think Papa is worried that it will be like Poland.”
Evelyn was silent. If and when Hitler finally moved, if the joint efforts of Britain and France didn’t stop him, it very well could turn into Poland. Uncle Claude was right to be worried.
“Nicki, I know we agreed that if they go to England, we would stay. But if there’s a real possibility that you will have to fight, perhaps we should reconsider,” Gisele said slowly.
“There was always that possibility,” he pointed out. “What’s changed?”
“I wasn’t aware of that possibility!” she exclaimed, her blue eyes flashing. “We’ve always done everything together, but I can’t fight with you. And I’ll be damned if I’m going sit at home alone while you go to war.”
Evelyn couldn’t stop the grin that crossed her face.
“I think perhaps you’re both getting a bit ahead of yourselves,” she said soothingly. “Zell, if he gets a spot with the diplomatic office, he won’t have to fight. And if he doesn’t, well, they still haven’t called him up yet.”
“I don’t know how you can be so calm all the time,” Gisele complained. “Aren’t you worried about Rob flying his fighter planes?”
“Every day, but worrying isn’t going to change anything. All it will do is make me look haggard, and then who will dance with me?”
Gisele choked on a laugh. “Marc Fournier will always be willing to dance with you, Evie.”
“As would any man in his right mind,” Nicolas agreed with a grin. “How did we get so melancholy all of a sudden? This is will never do.” He stood up and looked down at Evelyn. “Are you sure you won’t come out with us? I think we need a few drinks and some dancing to forget about all this for a few hours.”
“I’m sure.” She smiled up at him. “I’ll come out next time. I promise.”
Nicolas nodded and glanced at his sister. “Come on, Zell. Let’s forget about all this for a few hours.”
She nodded and Evelyn watched as they left the room, closing the door behind them. She picked up her discarded book, but it sat on her lap unopened as she stared across the room, a frown on her face. If France was invaded, and Gisele and Nicolas remained in France, they would be in a perfect position to help her feed information back to MI6. With their connections, they would be able to move freely and see and hear all kinds of things. While she, on the other hand, would be in France under a completely different guise.
Her lips pressed together thoughtfully. She knew they could never know about her own activities, but perhaps Bill could find a way to pull them into a new network. They were trying to rebuild the networks that had been destroyed by the Venlo incident, and here were two perfect candidates that could be invaluable. They both wanted to do something for the war, but had no idea what. They were exactly the type of people Bill was looking for. Why had neither of them considered it before?
After a long while, Evelyn finally set the book aside and stood up, moving towards the door. Gisele and Nicolas couldn’t know about her or Bill, but that didn’t preclude them arranging for an introduction to someone else. Someone who would report back directly to Bill.
Someone like Josephine Rousseau.
Chapter Five
––––––––
Evelyn steered the Bugatti to the side of the road and turned off the engine. It was a little after noon when she entered the medieval city of Metz, driving through picturesque streets that took her breath away. She’d never been to the city, and now she gazed about in appreciation. The narrow, curving streets were lined with old, beautiful buildings that had stood for centuries along the Moselle River. As she progressed through the city, following Rue de la Tête d'Or, Evelyn continued to be impressed by the sheer beauty of the old streets. It reminded her forcibly of Strasbourg and she wondered why she had never ventured east to explore these regions before now.
Reaching over to the passenger seat, she picked up her purse and got out of the low-slung sports car, closing the door and looking around. She was to meet Josephine
