“If you could, that would be wonderful. I’d like to begin getting a feel for how people are feeling and what they will do if, God-forbid, Germany does come after Norway.”
“Of course.” Anna stubbed out her cigarette. “And I’ll see if I can think of anyone else. I assume you’re looking for people with useful skills?”
“Not necessarily. Anyone can be helpful, even workers in factories. Intelligence can be gleaned anywhere. You just have to know where to look and how to recognize it.”
“And Daniel knows nothing about this?”
“No.”
Anna tilted her head and looked at her questioningly. “Why?”
“There’s no reason for him to know, and it would only cause complications with his job at the embassy. There can be no suspicion that he may be aiding in violating Norway’s neutrality, especially now.”
“And if he has no knowledge of your actions, there can be no accusation of him trying to undermine the government’s stated policy,” Anna said slowly. “England isn’t supposed to have any active agents in Norway, yet here you are. Of course, neither is Germany and look what happened in November.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s all rather ridiculous, really, isn’t it? It’s like a game where everyone knows what everyone else is doing, but everyone pretends that nothing is going on. What’s the point?”
“To avoid an all-out conflict,” Evelyn said promptly. “We all know that Hitler will use any excuse possible to justify walking into a country and taking control. There’s no point in handing him one.”
“Do you think he will attack us anyway?” Anna asked suddenly, her dark eyes probing Evelyn’s.
Evelyn swallowed. She’d forgotten Anna’s uncanny ability to put her on the spot suddenly and unexpectedly.
“I don’t know,” she said finally. “All I know is that, despite your country’s determination to remain neutral, there are too many reasons why it would behoove Hitler to come here.”
“You’re talking about Sweden’s iron mines,” Anna said. “They supply Germany with all of their iron, and if they come into Norway then they can protect them. But then why not invade Sweden?”
“Norway has the Atlantic Ocean.”
Anna sat back in her chair heavily. “And ports.”
“Yes.”
She stared at Evelyn thoughtfully for a long moment.
“England would have the same benefits if they established themselves here,” she finally said. “They would be able to block the iron from getting to Germany, as well as limit access to the north Atlantic.”
Evelyn resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably and instead laughed shortly.
“Chamberlain won’t even bomb Germany. Do you really think he’ll deploy troops against a neutral country?”
“I think a lot of leaders are doing things that, at one time, we all thought were impossible and ill-advised,” Anna replied dryly. “The fact that you’re here shows that England is thinking of Norway in strategic terms. I don’t blame your government, understand, but there are many who would. They don’t understand what’s at stake.”
“I don’t think that’s something you have to worry about,” Evelyn said, reaching for her drink. Yet, she added silently.
“I think it’s something we all need to worry about,” Anna said, leaning forward. “As I understand it, we have a choice between Hitler or allowing our waters to be mined and our ports blockaded. Neither scenario will sit well with my countrymen, and that is what you will be facing in this quest of yours.”
Evelyn pulled a cigarette case out of her purse and extracted a cigarette.
“Are you having second thoughts about helping me this time?” she asked with a quick grin.
Anna laughed. “Not at all. I’ve already told you that I understand what is at stake. I’ve seen the Gestapo up close and heard the stories firsthand. I know what lies in store if the Nazis are allowed to continue gobbling up territory. I’m just trying to illustrate what you may run into here. We Norwegians may seem nice and easy-going, but we have a particularly stubborn streak in us when it comes to our business.”
“As do the English.” Evelyn lit her cigarette. “Let me ask you this. If Hitler sent his army and invaded Norway, do you think there would be a fight? I don’t mean by the army. Of course your army would defend Norway. I mean by people. If all else failed and you were occupied like Poland was, would your countrymen organize and fight back?”
Anna pressed her lips together thoughtfully and was silent for a long time. Then, finally, she nodded slowly.
“I think we would,” she said. “Perhaps not everyone. There would be those who would go along to keep what they have and protect their families. But there would be others, like my brother Erik, who would do everything they could to resist. And there might be more like him than we think.”
Evelyn blew smoke upwards, her eyes never leaving Anna’s face. The other woman was being truthful, she decided. There would be a resistance if Germany invaded. That is, if the Gestapo and SS didn’t round up all the people like Anna’s brother first.
“And you?” she asked, her lips curving. “Would you be with them?”
“Do you really need to ask?” Anna demanded with a short laugh. “I’m going to help you find spies for your government while we’re still neutral. Of course I will. I’d fight until they killed me. And then I’d probably come back and haunt the bastards.”
Evelyn laughed. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“What about you?” Anna asked after a minute. “What if Hitler invades England? Would you fight?”
“If Hitler invades England, I won’t have a choice. There is no happy ending for me if England falls.”
“No, I don’t suppose there is.” Anna sighed. “When did the world become such a mess?”
“When people got desperate. They began to starve and when their governments wouldn’t help them, they turned to men who could.”
“And now you’re at war and I’m caught somewhere in between my country and my convictions.”
Evelyn nodded slowly. “Something like that.”
Anna picked up her glass. “Well, at least we know exactly where we stand,” she decided. “Here’s to us. May we
