The Gypsy Moon (21 page)

“Hello, Gabby.” He kept his head down and didn’t stop working.

“Betje just left.”

“I know. She . . . talked to me.”

“Is that safe?”

“Don’t worry. It’s all right. We went over by the trees on the canal.”

“I don’t think that’s very wise, Dai. You’re supposed to be an idiot—not courting women.”

“We were very careful that no one saw us.”

“I think it would be smart to be even more careful in the future.”

Dai dug a shovelful of earth and dumped it to one side. “We’ve got to make a move to contact your uncle,” Dai said as he continued digging. “Have you written to him?”

“Yes, I have. But his letters to me are censored. I don’t even know if he gets those I write. I couldn’t put anything in a letter, could I?”

“No, I don’t think so. It’s going to take more than that.”

“You don’t understand, Dai. I tried everything I could, and so did his wife. Neither of us wanted to go to Germany. Both of us were afraid of Hitler and what he stood for, but Uncle Dalton is naïve when it comes to politics. He’s almost like a child. Oh, I know he’s a genius in his field, but when it comes to some matters, he’s really quite simple.”

“We’ve got to change his mind about leaving the country.”

“I just can’t think how. It seems to me—”

The sound of an automobile approaching at a high speed caught Gabby’s attention. She broke off and saw it was the German staff car that Erik always traveled in. It was too late to hide, so she waited there until the car stopped.

Erik got out of the passenger door and came over to her. “Good afternoon, Doctor,” he said as he gave her a slight bow.

“Good afternoon, Commandant.” She turned and addressed Dailon. “I’m not going to stand for this type of behavior. You’ll either straighten up, or you’ll have to leave. You understand me?”

Dai nodded and mumbled his words. “Ja. No more, Miss Doctor.”

Gabby turned her attention back to Erik and said, “Come inside. I just had to have a word with this fellow.”

“Why do you keep a man like that around?” he asked as they started toward the door.

“The director hired him. It’s very hard to find people to do the hard physical labor, and he works cheap.”

“He could be dangerous, Gabby. He could harm you.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. He’s not dangerous.”

Erik took her arm and turned her around. “I can’t stay. I just stopped to ask if you would have time to see me. I know you won’t go out, but perhaps I could come to your house.”

“You think
that
would be private?”

“I don’t like sneaking around.” Erik shook his head. “It’s not right. I won’t be here long, and I need to have a little time with you, Gabby.”

“Well, you can’t come to my house. I have a reputation to guard. If the commandant of the occupation force came to my house, why, not a person would speak to me. I’m sorry, Erik, but that’s the way it is.”

“I see. But I’m not giving up. I’ll figure out a way even if I have to put on a false beard.”

She smiled. “I’d like to see that.”

“Gabby, tell me. Don’t you have any feelings in your heart for me?”

Had she been wise, she would have said no instantly. But she wanted to be honest with him. “I . . . think at one time we had a chance, but the world’s moved on. We’re two different people now.”

“I think you’re wrong.” Erik stepped toward her but caught himself. “I’ll call you tonight. If I have to sneak around in the dark for you, I will, but I insist on seeing you, Gabby.”

She didn’t answer. She just watched as he got in the car and his guard drove away. She was sick at heart, for she knew that no good could come of trying to regain what they once had.

****

For two days Gabby did not hear from Erik, which was a relief. Neither did she speak to Dai. She had to be careful not to be seen talking to him too much, or his cover might be blown. She stayed busy spending more time at the orphanage than usual and staying overnight with Dorcas one night. When she came out of the hospital on Thursday it was late, and dark had already fallen. As she walked toward her car, she was startled when Dai suddenly appeared beside her.

“You get around as quiet as a cat,” she exclaimed.

“Yes, I’m a sneaky fellow. It has served me well a time or two.”

“Do you need to talk?”

“Yes. Get in your car, and I’ll scrunch down so nobody will see me.”

“Scrunch? Is that a Welsh word?”

“No, it’s American, I think. Those Yankees have a language all their own.”

Gabby smiled as they both got in the car, with Dai down on the floor until they were well clear of the hospital. As she drove, he said, “Tell me more about your uncle. Everything you can think of.”

“Dai, I’ve told you everything.”

“There must be some things you haven’t thought about in years. I need to know everything I can about Dalton Burke.”

“If it were just Aunt Liza, you would have no trouble. She would leave in a minute.”

“Suppose I kidnapped her. Would he leave then?”

“Are you serious?”

“I suppose not.” He sighed. “Would you pull over here? I need to walk back to the hospital.” He waited until she had stopped the car, and then he moved from the floor to the seat. “I don’t think kidnapping would be a particularly good plan. He needs to come of his own free will, Gabby.”

She was very much aware of the strength of the man beside her as he went on to discuss various possibilities. She knew they would not have sent a weakling for this job, but his mission was far from her mind at the moment. When he fell silent, Gabby asked abruptly, “Are you married?”

“No.”

“Engaged or anything?”

“Not engaged and not anything—whatever that means.”

“Why haven’t you married?”

Dai smiled. “I never met anyone I’d want to grow old with.”

“What an odd thing to say.”

“Do you think so?”

He put his arm over the seat behind her. She felt it brush her hair and did not know whether it was an accident or not.

“Isn’t that what love is?” he said. “Wanting to be with somebody always?”

“I suppose so, but usually we think of Hollywood love stories. You know, a beautiful girl falls in love with a handsome man, and the violins start playing.”

“Nonsense made by idiots who dream too much! I think Robert Browning had the right idea.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard his poem about mature love. ‘Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be. The last of life, for which the first was made.’ ”

“Yes, I’ve always loved that poem.”

“If he had written nothing else, he did well to put into
words what some of us feel.” He peered out the window to make sure no one was nearby. “What about you? Have you ever met anyone like that?”

Gabby looked down at her hands, and he knew he had touched on a sensitive issue.

“I didn’t mean to pry—well, I suppose I did.”

When she met his gaze, her wide eyes looked sad. “I thought I found someone like that twice.”

Dai felt a great compassion for this woman. He knew enough of her story to know about the tragedy she had had to face in her life, and now he pulled her into an embrace. She was not crying, but she seemed close to it. He was afraid she would start sobbing if he said the wrong thing.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she whispered. For some reason, she remembered a time when she was a little girl and she ran to her father after skinning her knee. He had picked her up and held her in much the same way Dai was holding her now. She wished for a moment she was still a girl, full of sweet happiness, but she knew that was forever gone. She tried to pull away, but he moved his head forward to kiss her. She put her hand against his chest and said, “Don’t do that!”

“Gabby, you’ve had a hard life. I don’t know exactly what you’ve gone through, but it’s obvious that it hasn’t been easy. But you can’t hide behind that stethoscope forever.”

“I nearly made a terrible mistake twice, Dai. I’m just not one of those people who know how to love, I suppose. I’m not going to make another mistake. Now, please get out of the car!”

He had not known this woman long, but he was convinced she had a good heart, and he didn’t want to push her. “Good night, Gabby,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you later.”

She gripped the steering wheel as he shut the door and disappeared into the darkness.
Can I ever care for a man?
she thought.
I don’t even know what it means to love.
She had always thought it meant the world turning over, the difference
between living and not living. She had always hoped for a full heart and even for wild, emotional feelings. She longed for a deep and abiding love between herself and a man, but as she sat in the darkness, she was afraid it would never come.

Putting her head down against the wheel, she began to sob. She felt empty and all alone in the world. “Oh, God,” she cried out, “I don’t know who I am or what I am. Please help me!”

Some loud frogs in a nearby pond broke into a melancholy chorus. She straightened abruptly and dashed the tears from her eyes. She put the car into gear and roared away, as if to flee from something she could not face.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Execution

Oberleutnant Mueller entered the room, his eyes bright with anticipation. He snapped to attention and said with excitement tingeing his voice, “Commandant, General Rahn has arrived!”

Erik had been laboring over the papers that lay on the desk before him, and he looked up with less excitement than Mueller had anticipated. “You must not call me commandant anymore, Mueller. General Rahn is now the commandant.”

“Yes, sir, of course.”

“Where is the general?”

“He is on his way here. I had Conrad show him to his quarters first,” Mueller burst out. “Now we will see some efficiency around here.”

Erik smiled slightly and leaned back in his chair. “I am sure of that.”

“Oh, sir, I did not mean that
you
were inefficient.”

“That would be true enough.” Colonel Erik Raeder got to his feet and strolled to the window. He looked out for a moment in silence, then said quietly, “I was not cut out for this work. I will be leaving soon to go to a field command, which is my desire.”

“You have done an excellent job, sir,” Mueller said quickly, “but I know you yearn for action.”

Erik was watching a group of sparrows that were competing for the crumbs he threw out each morning for them. Even as he watched, a tremendous fight broke out between two of
the minute creatures. They were rolling in the dust, pecking and squawking and scratching at each other. The humor that lay not far beneath the surface caused him to smile. “Seems to me a poet once said that even birds in their nest agree, so why shouldn’t we? But those little fellows are fighting with as much ardor as our men in the advanced battle positions. So the birds are no better than we are, are they, Mueller?”

“Sir, I don’t understand you.”

Raeder shook his head. Mueller was a sound man in many ways but absolutely lacking in imagination. He had no sense of humor, and in all truth, Erik hoped that on his next assignment he would have an aide who had more spirit about him than this one. “Never mind, Mueller. I was just thinking aloud,” he said as the sound of approaching footsteps and voices came from the outer office.

“I expect that would be General Rahn,” Erik said.

The door opened and a tall, burly man marched inside. His dark blue eyes fell on Erik, and he threw up his arm in the ritualistic Nazi salute. “Heil Hitler!”

“Heil Hitler,” Erik responded. “It’s good to see you again, General.”

Rahn had a face like a bird of prey, his eyes sharp and glittering. His gray hair was cut short, and on his right cheek a scar traced itself from the corner of his eye down to his lower jaw. It was, as Erik knew, a dueling scar, almost a requirement for men who had served in the war.

“Your father sends his good wishes to you, Erik.”

“You saw him before you left Germany?”

“Yes, I had dinner at your parents’ home.”

Rahn had served with Erik’s father in the Great War, and they had forged a bond that had lasted through the years. Erik knew Rahn was the man his father admired most—next to the führer, of course. He himself, as a small boy, had been terrified of the general, and even now he was somewhat intimidated by the man. “I hope your quarters were satisfactory, sir.”

“Adequate.” Rahn removed his crushed hat, and a short,
thin aide stepped forward to take it. He had a pasty face and never removed his eyes from General Rahn. He stood back holding the hat, waiting for his orders, and Rahn said, “You can go now, Deacons.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll wait outside in case you have further orders.”

“Very well.”

“This is Oberleutnant Mueller, my aide,” Erik introduced.

Rahn merely inclined his head a fraction of an inch and said, “Leave us.”

Mueller wore a startled look as he wheeled and fled out the door.

“I trust you’ve recovered from your wound, Erik.”

“Completely, sir. I’m ready for service. Do you know anything about my orders?”