Evelyn was silent. It was obvious that Erik had worked out her real purpose for being in Norway, but she wasn’t about to confirm or deny it.
“Anna has changed over the past months, and she’s obviously become very fond of you,” he continued. “I’ll admit that when she told me she was going to work for the embassy, I tried to talk her out of it. I didn’t understand her reasons for working for another government. Now I’m beginning to see why she chose to.”
“I believe she was offered a very good salary,” Evelyn murmured, drawing an amused look from him.
“No doubt, but Anna has never been interested in money,” he said. “Tell me something. How did you convince her that the Germans were a very real threat? Because that is the only thing that would have driven my sister to work so closely with the British.”
Evelyn glanced at him and sighed.
“I didn’t,” she told him. “She saw it for herself.”
Erik nodded slowly and turned his gaze back to the fire.
“Then she’s more perceptive than I,” he murmured. “I didn’t become convinced until they sailed into Trondheim.”
Evelyn hesitated, then tossed her cigarette butt into the fire.
“There’s no shame in that,” she said. “Many men far higher up than you failed to see this invasion coming, regardless of the signs. Everyone hoped Hitler would stop with Poland. There is nothing wrong with hoping for peace.”
“There is when it causes you to be blind to what is happening around you.” Erik finished his cigarette and tossed it into the fire. “But now that we’ve learned that lesson painfully, it won’t happen again. If we fail to win this battle, the Germans will have to contend with a very different type of Norwegian than they’re expecting.”
Evelyn looked at him sharply. “You’re speaking of resistance?”
“If it becomes necessary.” Erik looked grim. “I will do whatever I must to get my country back. So will many others. So will Anna, which is why I want you to convince her to go with you on Sunday.”
“What?”
Erik looked at her, his face unreadable. “If Anna stays here, she will start down a road that she cannot possibly reach the end of. I’m afraid that she will begin something that will get her killed. If she goes with you, she can be spared all of this.”
“She wants to fight.”
“She can do that from the safety of another shore. There are ways for her to help us without being here.”
Evelyn nodded slowly, acknowledging the truth of his words.
“That is true, but I don’t think she thinks of it quite in the same way,” she said slowly. “I’ve already asked her to come with me. Her answer was quite firmly no. She wants to stay and do what she can here.”
“That is her immaturity talking,” he said disgustedly. “She was always reckless, and this is just another example of it. She needs to leave and be safe, not throw herself into the front lines.”
“You’re not leaving,” she pointed out. “What makes Anna different?”
“Anna is not trained for this.”
“Then train her.” Erik looked at her, surprised, and she shrugged. “If that’s your only argument, it is easily remedied. Anna can be trained, just as I...”
Evelyn broke off suddenly, biting her lip.
“Just as you’ve been trained?” he asked softly. “I’m not surprised. You handled that rifle too well, despite the fact that you’d never seen a Krag–Jørgensen.”
She was silent for a moment, then looked at him. “I’m more than willing to bring Anna with me, but I’ve already spoken to her once, and she declined. If you can convince her otherwise, I’ll do what I can. But I think you must be prepared for the fact that she doesn’t want to leave Norway.”
“Then she will die.”
“I wouldn’t be too quick to predict that,” Evelyn said after a moment. “She is surprisingly resourceful, and she knows the risks. She won’t make foolish mistakes. I think you might be surprised.”
“If I can convince her, you will take her with you?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “Then I will convince her.”
Evelyn glanced at him. “Good luck with that.”
They were quiet again for a long moment, then she turned her head to study his profile.
“Are you serious about forming some kind of organized resistance if Norway is lost to Hitler?” she asked quietly.
“The King has made it clear that we are to fight,” he said. “I will do so until my last breath.”
“If you do, you won’t be alone,” she said slowly. “I’m confident that we can offer aid and supplies to help.”
Erik looked at her. “And how would you know that?”
She smiled slowly. “You’d be amazed what a lowly embassy worker can know.”
He was surprised into a short laugh.
“If it comes to it, that would be welcome, and necessary,” he said after a moment of thought. “All of our weapons and equipment have been seized by the Germans. All we have left is what we carried with us. Do you think you can get weapons to us?”
“It’s possible.”
“If that is so, then I will make sure that any and all information about the German troops and plans that we come across is forwarded on to your government.”
“That’s a fair enough trade,” she said. “I would ask that, if Anna stays, you allow her to continue with what she’s already begun.”
Erik looked at her sharply. “What do you mean?”
“It’s the only way I can guarantee the supplies you’ll need,” she said calmly.
He scowled. “I knew she was up to something,” he muttered. “I should have realized that she’d already begun.”
He was silent for a very long time, staring into the fire, and
