‘Do you? Do you love me, Henry?’
‘Yes. I do. But,’ he said, after taking two cigarettes out of the pack, and lighting them, ‘No one can know that I love you, or that we were here tonight. It has to be kept secret. There’s too much at stake.’
As they lay together smoking, Ena said, ‘I liked her, you know – Freda.’
Henry kissed the top of Ena’s head. ‘She liked you too.’
‘Did she? Even though she made me think I’d killed a man. How could she do that if she liked me?’
‘It was her way of getting you to trust her, making you beholden to her. She probably knew she couldn’t turn you, so she needed something to hold over you. She’d have used it, too.’
‘I still don’t understand how she could have done such a wicked thing.’
‘She did it for the Fatherland, the Führer, which is how she and Walter justify everything they do.’
‘What will happen to her now? She’ll go to prison, won’t she?’
‘Yes, but not for long. MI5 will interrogate her, then they’ll try to turn her. They know she won’t be turned, but it’s part of the game.’
‘Game?’
‘Yes. A waiting game. They’ll leave her to stew for a while, and then offer her a deal. Work for British Intelligence and you’ll stay out of jail. Frieda will pretend to be outraged, but she’ll do it because it’s the only way she’ll be free to look for Walter.’
‘How will she justify spying for England to Walter, if she does find him?’
Henry laughed. ‘She won’t have to, because she won’t stop working for Germany. She’ll be a double agent. She’ll work for both sides, or pretend to. We’ll feed her what we want her to tell Germany, and they’ll do the same. But let’s not spend our last few hours together talking about Frieda and Walter.’
‘Let’s not spend our last few hours talking,’ Ena said. Giving Henry her cigarette to put out, she wriggled down in the bed, ‘Brrrrr! It’s cold out there. She pulled the covers over her head and snuggled into Henry’s chest. When he had put out their cigarettes, he joined her under the covers and they made love again.
Ena didn’t want to sleep. She wanted to spend every second until Henry had to leave looking at him, talking to him, making love. But her eyes grew tired and the more she tried to keep them open, the heavier they became. At last, spent in Henry’s arms, Ena gave in and fell asleep.
When Ena woke the following morning, Henry had gone, as she knew he would have. She rolled over to his side of the bed and buried her head in his pillow. She felt tears stinging her eyes, but refused to cry.
She looked at her watch. It was ten to nine. When Henry sent Commander Dalton’s driver away the night before, he had asked him to come back for her at nine. She had ten minutes to wash and dress.
In the cold, damp, room above the Goose Down Inn, Ena had given herself to the man she loved. As she closed the bedroom door, she knew in her heart – and in every fibre of her body – that she would see Henry again.
THE END
Outline of the last book in The Dudley Saga
The fifth and final novel in the Dudley Sisters Saga, The Foxden Hotel, begins on New Year’s Eve, ten years after the first novel, Foxden Acres. The Foxden Hotel brings the Dudley sisters, Bess, Margot, Claire, and Ena together with family and friends who feature in their individual stories.
On the night of the hotel’s grand opening, an enemy from the war-years gatecrashes the celebrations. Recognised by the sisters and several of their guests, will the man get his comeuppance?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Madalyn Morgan has been an actress for more than thirty years working in Repertory theatre, the West End, film and television. She is a radio presenter and journalist, writing articles for newspapers and magazines.
Madalyn was brought up in Lutterworth, at the Fox Inn. The pub was a great place for an aspiring actress and writer to live, as there were so many different characters to study and accents to learn. At twenty-four Madalyn gave up a successful hairdressing salon and wig-hire business for a place at E15 Drama College, and a career as an actress.
In 2000, with fewer parts available for older actresses, Madalyn taught herself to touch type, completed a two-year correspondence course with The Writer’s Bureau, and started writing. After living in London for thirty-six years, she has returned to her home town of Lutterworth, swapping two window boxes and a mortgage, for a garden and the freedom to write.
Madalyn is currently writing her fifth novel, The Foxden Hotel. It is the last in a family saga of five books, about the lives of four very different sisters during The Second World War. The first four novels, Foxden Acres, Applause, China Blue, and The 9:45 To Bletchley are available on Amazon - e-Book and paperback.
Links to other books in The Dudley Sisters Saga:
Foxden Acres
Applause
China Blue
