She nodded and took the paper. Anna held the light over it and she scanned it quickly.
PROCEED TO NAMSOS IMMEDIATELY. CRUISER WILL ARRIVE ON 14TH. ASK FOR LT. CMDR WHEELER ON ARRIVAL. THIS IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE TO EVACUATE. GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEED. ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT.
Evelyn looked at Anna. “I have to go to Namsos,” she said. “How far is that from here?”
Anna frowned. “Quite a way,” she said, turning to go back to the corner where their bags were stacked. “I’ll get the map.”
Evelyn turned back to Peder.
“Can I have the paper and pencil?” she asked. “I’ll write out the reply.”
He nodded and handed her the pad. She took it and crouched down to write a message and encode it.
INSTRUCTIONS ACKNOWLEDGED. PROCEEDING TO DESTINATION - JIAN.
She was just finishing encoding the short message when Anna returned with the road map from the car. Evelyn handed Peder the pad and turned to watch as Anna spread the map out on the ground.
“We’re here,” she said, pointing. “Namsos is...here. It’s north of Trondheim. If we were driving, it wouldn’t be far. Perhaps four hours.”
“But we’re not driving,” Evelyn said with a frown. “How long will it take to walk there?”
A shadow fell over the map and they looked up to find Erik standing behind them.
“Namsos?” he asked. “That’s where you’re trying to go?”
Evelyn nodded. “Yes.”
Erik crouched down beside them. “The most direct route is here, through Trondheim and then follow the fjord up to Framverran, crossing over the water here. But if the Germans still have Trondheim, that route may be blocked. And there is also the question of getting across the water, both at Trondheim and Framverran. The Nazis will have ships in the fjord.”
“What do you suggest, then?” Anna asked, looking at him. “We have to get her to Namsos by Sunday.”
He looked at them for a moment, his face unreadable, then turned his gaze back to the map, studying it for a long moment in silence.
“If you stay in the mountains, you can make it to just outside Trondheim without going down into the valley,” he said finally. “By the time you reach Melhus, you will know if that route is accessible or not. If it isn’t, you will have to go around to the east and follow the fjord up on this side. It will add much more time to the journey.”
“Why do you say if?” Evelyn asked. “Do you think the Germans will leave Trondheim?”
“Not without being forced out,” he replied bluntly. “But if the British...”
His voice trailed off and she suddenly understood. If the Royal Navy attacked Trondheim from the water, the Norwegian troops could mount an attack from the land. If that happened, Trondheim might be open to them.
“If we have to go around, how much longer will that add?” Anna asked, looking at the map.
“Perhaps another day,” Erik said, shaking his head. “It’s hard to tell. It depends on how quickly you can cover the ground, and whether or not the Germans have it blocked along the way.”
“Do you think we can make it there by Sunday?” Evelyn asked after a moment.
Erik looked at her. “Yes, but you will have to cover much ground during the day. It will not be easy, and the further north you go, the more snow you will have to go through. That will slow you down.”
She nodded, trying to ignore the anxiety threatening to overwhelm her. They would make it. They had to. This was her only chance to make it out of Norway.
“We will make it,” Anna said, glancing at her. “Don’t worry. We will find a way.”
Erik looked from one to the other.
“What’s in Namsos?”
“There will be a ship that can take me back to England,” Evelyn said reluctantly.
“And it will be there on Sunday?”
She nodded. He pressed his lips together and his dark eyes probed hers, his face once more unreadable. Evelyn held his gaze, resisting the urge to look away. He knew, she thought suddenly. He knew she wasn’t simply an embassy clerk panicking and trying to leave Norway in the midst of the invasion. She could see it in his eyes. Yet he made no comment, and instead, looked back at Anna.
“I will take you as far Trondheim,” he decided. “Once there, you will have to continue alone. I have to try to rejoin whatever is left of the army. But we can at least get you that far.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded and stood up.
“Come and eat something, and then I suggest you all get some rest. We leave at first light.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
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Evelyn shifted and tried to get comfortable on what she was convinced was the most uncomfortable bed she’d ever laid on. She had spread a few woolen skirts over the soft spruce branches and folded her raincoat into a pillow, but no matter how she laid, the needles managed to poke into her at some point on her person.
With a sigh, she looked at the small fire burning in the rock enclosure she and Anna had constructed. The flames were low but threw out enough heat to warm her. At least she wasn’t freezing.
“This is not even a little comfortable,” Anna muttered. “I’m being stabbed by something, but I can’t seem to arrange myself around it.”
Evelyn choked back a laugh and lifted her head to look at her friend. They were laying at opposite angles, their heads only a few inches from each other, affording them both maximum exposure to the fire. Anna caught her look and grimaced comically.
“I suppose it’s better than the floor, but I’ll admit that I’m jealous of Erik’s kit.”
Evelyn nodded. The Norwegians had kit bags that contained a rolled-up flat mattress that they could sleep on, and a warm woolen blanket.
“I’ll second that.”
Anna shifted again on her bed. “Are you warm enough?”
“Yes. The fire is throwing out a lovely amount of heat.” Evelyn returned her gaze to the flames. “Once we get comfortable, we’ll be able
