“Evie!” he exclaimed, his handsome face laughing into hers. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same!” she retorted, kissing his cheek as he set her down. “I’m home for a few days of unexpected leave. You?”
“I only have a few hours, more’s the pity,” he said, turning to walk with her towards the steps. “I’m on my way to Catterick to pick up Slippy, one of the other pilots, y’know. He ran into engine trouble this morning and had to make an emergency landing up there.”
“Is he all right?”
“Oh, he’s fine! The kite’s rather a mess, but he’s right as rain.” Rob looked down at her. “It’s really good to see you, Evie. Do you know I think Miles sees you more than I do!”
“That’s because he drives to meet me for dinner or drinks at the pub,” she retorted, tucking her arm through his as they started up the steps to the door. “You’re more than welcome to join him, you know.”
“And be the odd man out? Good God no!” Rob looked up and nodded with a smile to the aging butler who’d appeared to stand ready at the door. “Hallo Thomas!”
“Welcome home, Mr. Ainsworth,” Thomas replied, his stoic face relaxing into a smile. “It’s very good to see you again.”
“Is Mother in?”
“I believe she’s in the library, sir,” Thomas told him, taking his hat from him.
“Will you have Wallace look at the car while I’m here?” Rob asked, stepping into the house. “It was making a bit of a knocking noise on the way up just now.”
“Very good, sir.”
“Robbie, if you’ve broken the car, I’ll have your head,” Evelyn said, walking with him across the hall. “When did you come and get it, anyway?”
“A couple of weeks ago. I took the American on a tour of the Cornish coast. Why? Did you want it?”
“No, that’s all right. I’ll take the train back to Northolt.”
“When are you due back?”
“Wednesday. I want to go into London for some shopping before I go, and I thought I’d see if Maryanne wants to have lunch. I miss the Gilhursts.”
“I saw Tony just the other week at the Savoy,” Rob said. “A few of us went into town for dinner. He asked after you. He says it’s terribly dull in London these days.”
“Sometimes I miss dull,” she murmured.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.” Evelyn smiled brightly as they went into the library. “Mum, look who I found loitering in the driveway!”
Mrs. Ainsworth got up from her chair and flew across the room, her arms outstretched.
“Robbie!” she cried. “How lovely! Agatha told me you’d arrived. Why didn’t you call to say you were coming?”
“And ruin the surprise?” he demanded, grasping her hands and bending to kiss her cheek. “Actually, I didn’t know I was. I’m on my way to pick up one of the boys at Catterick. Thought I’d stop in on my way.”
“Can you stay for dinner?”
“Yes, if it’s not too late.” Rob turned to cross the room. “Auntie Agatha! How are you?”
Agatha smiled and accepted a hug from him. “Very well, thank you.”
“I’ll go talk to Thomas about moving dinner forward,” Mrs. Ainsworth said, but Agatha clucked her tongue, stopping her.
“Nonsense,” she said, moving towards the door. “You sit and visit with Rob. I’ll go talk to Thomas.”
Rob grinned. “Don’t argue, Mum. She’s got that look in her eye.”
“Oh don’t be ridiculous. I’m not going to argue. Come and sit and tell me all about what’s happening at Duxford,” Mrs. Ainsworth said, going back to her chair. “Evelyn, come sit with us.”
Evelyn shook her head, smiling at them fondly. “I’m going upstairs to rest for a few minutes, if you don’t mind. If you’re staying for dinner, Rob, I’ll see you then.”
“Rest?” Rob repeated, staring at her, aghast. “What on earth do you want to do that for?”
But Mrs. Ainsworth was looking at Evelyn in concern and she spoke before Evelyn could.
“Your sister’s getting over a bout with the flu,” she told him. “She looked terrible when she arrived the other day.”
“I’m fine now,” Evelyn said in exasperation. “I’m just a little tired.”
“How on earth did you manage to get the flu?” Rob asked, watching as she went to the door. “It’s been gorgeous weather!”
“If I knew that, I wouldn’t have got it, would I?”
Closing the door behind her, Evelyn exhaled silently. She hated lying to her mother, but when she arrived on Thursday, there had been no concealing her drastic weight-loss or the dark rings under her eyes. Both her mother and Agatha accepted the flu story without question, and had been coddling her ever since. Leave it to Robbie to be the one to call her out on it. Crossing the hall to the stairs, Evelyn had to admit that it had been lovely to relax and be waited on again. While her dreams still kept her up at night, at least during the day she was surrounded by love and peace. And it was going a long way to healing wounds that no one could see.
She started up the stairs, her hand on the banister. She had no intention of going upstairs to rest, of course. There was a box hidden in her wardrobe that needed her attention. Speaking with Hanes had only served to remind her that the sooner she discovered its secrets, the sooner they would have some clue as to who was trying to find it.
And the sooner they would have some idea of who the spy was who was so well-hidden in London.
Stuttgart, Germany
Obersturmbannführer Hans Voss stepped out of the small, cement room and closed the steel door behind himself. Sweat had beaded along his hairline and he reached up to wipe it away with a grimace of distaste before striding down the narrow corridor, his jacket draped over his arm. It had taken more exertion than he’d expected to get the traitor to talk, but
