Spies & Sweethearts

Chapter One

Chapter OneJust because she was the eldest, did Cora have to criticize Emily’s every decision? She was a high school French teacher, not a schoolgirl. Shaking her head, Emily climbed on the bike and pedaled away from the house. She’d exhausted her gas rations for the week, so using the car was out. Fortunately, the library wasn’t far. She could finish preparing the end-of-year exams there.

Two of her students were already gone. Days after they turned eighteen, the boys talked the principal into letting them graduate early in order to enlist. Her heart constricted. Now, both were in training with the army air force and would soon be on their way overseas to fight the Germans. They spoke French impeccably, a skill better used in the ambassador ranks rather than on an airplane.

The warm air stroked Emily’s cheeks as she rode. Squinting against the sun’s glare, she huffed out a breath. At least the boys were doing something for the war effort. Her service with the American Women’s Voluntary Services as a plane spotter and messenger wasn’t exactly going to turn the tide against the Axis powers. Surely, there was something more she could do.

She braked in front of the sandstone building and wheeled her bike into an empty spot in one of the racks near the entrance of Trafalgar Public Library. A Carnegie library, it housed several hundred books thanks to the Scottish-American philanthropist. What would he think of the war?

“Emily!”

A broad grin on her face, Joan Boyer hurried toward Emily. Her floral dress danced around her leg, and her ponytail flounced. “Your mom said I’d find you here.” Her smile faltered. “Are you okay? You look terrible.”

“Gee, thanks. Glad I can count on you for support.”

“What?”

Emily finger-combed her hair. “I’m sorry. I had another argument with Cora. Just because she’s already been married and widowed, she thinks she knows what’s good for everyone.”

Joan linked her arm through Emily’s. “Let’s grab a seat in the memorial garden. You can tell me everything.”

They sauntered to the wooden bench sheltered by a large, weeping cherry tree and surrounded by black-eyed Susans, and a rainbow of coneflowers and petunias nodding in the breeze.

“All right. What gives? You’ve been annoyed with Cora in the past, but you seem especially angry today.”

“I am.” Emily slumped against the seat. “True or not, it feels like neither she nor Doris take me seriously because I’m the youngest. That all I’m good enough for is teaching a bunch of kids. A few days ago, Cora commented that plane spotting night duty must be interfering with my job, and she didn’t understand why I was still volunteering. Like I can’t juggle multiple responsibilities. I’m almost twenty-six years old. I’m quite capable.”

“Maybe she worries about you.”

“Perhaps, but it doesn’t seem like concern. It feels like criticism of my life.” Emily fisted her hands. “This morning, I got a letter telling me I’ve been accepted into a new government program. I leave for training the day after school is out. She overheard me telling Mom about the job and quizzed me about it. When I told her I couldn’t share specifics, she rolled her eyes and asked what the government needed with a schoolteacher.”

“That’s awful.” Joan squeezed Emily’s shoulder.

“The worst of it is that once she got started down that road, Mom followed…said I should rethink the opportunity…that I have a perfectly good job here at home, and my volunteer work is sufficient.” She frowned. “Then Mom said I’m being selfish to go off on my own. It’s bad enough I’m still living at home at my age, but for them to try to dictate my decisions is too much.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Send a telegram accepting the position. I’ve got to live my own life no matter what they say.” She blinked away tears forming in her eyes. “Do you think I’m being self-centered by going?”

“Absolutely not. Your parents are in perfect health, and Cora is living here, too. She can take care of any needs they might have.” Joan leaned forward. “You really can’t say much about the job? Not even a little?”

The tightness in Emily’s chest eased, and she chuckled. “You always could make me feel better. I’m sorry for not telling you I applied, but I was skeptical I’d get selected. You should have seen the crowd. Anyway, I don’t know a lot about the job. There is a new governmental department, and it needs people who are bilingual. The exam contained lots of translation exercises, especially with regard to colloquialisms and dialect for different regions in France and French-speaking countries.”

“Now you know how your students feel.”

“Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to go easy on them for the final.” Emily rubbed her damp palms on her skirt. “I can’t believe this will be my last year of teaching for a while…maybe forever. I’m a bit nervous about notifying the principal about leaving. The factories pay much higher than the schools, so Medford has had a lot of resignations. The school may have to combine classes next year.”

“This war won’t last forever. In fact, some say it will be over by Christmas. Surely you’ll be back.”

Emily shook her head. “I don’t want to be a naysayer, but I doubt the war will be over by the end of the year. I think we’re in this for the long haul.”

“Can you at least tell me where you’re going? I could come visit.”

“I’ve forgotten the address, somewhere in Washington, DC, but that’s not my final stop. I’ll be transported with other new employees to the training facility where I’ll stay for three months. I won’t be able to send or receive letters while I’m there. And definitely no visitors.”

Joan bolted upright. “That sounds intriguing, very secretive. If you’re lucky, there will be a few dreamboats in the class.”

“Romance is the last thing I need, Joan. Besides, guys our age are in the defense industry or armed forces. There won’t be anyone to fall in love with.”

j

Gerard Lucas resisted the urge to run a finger around the collar of his dress uniform to loosen the stifling piece of clothing. What he wouldn’t give to be in a flannel shirt and pair of overalls. Out in the field, wind ruffling his hair, and acres of crops flourishing in the sunshine. Perhaps a beautiful woman by his side. And—

“Lieutenant Lucas, are you listening to me?”

Gerard wrenched his thoughts back to the present and snapped his heels together. “Sir, yes, sir.”

“Insulting and then arguing with a higher ranking officer in front of his men and the local Brits is a serious offense. The only things keeping you out of the brig or a dishonorable discharge are this war and the fact you didn’t take a poke at him. The country needs all the men we can get.” Major Albert shook his head. “You’re a bright guy, one who should be climbing the ranks rather than getting demoted every three months. You are lucky Major Quigley had you reduced to private.”

“Sir, he didn’t know what he was talking about—”

“I did not give you permission to speak, and therein lies your problem. Failure to respect the chain of command. You are to obey orders without question and to show respect to those ranked above you. You’re arrogant and argumentative. More than a few officers have made that observation. Not a good combination, Lucas.” The major dropped into the chair behind his desk. “You need to apologize to Major Quigley. In public. At the pub where the incident occurred.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent. Now, the good news for everyone is that you are being transferred to an intelligence unit based out of Washington, DC. Apparently, your penchant for getting into trouble is a desirable trait to them.”

Gerard’s heart sped up. There’d been stories about guerrilla warfare and espionage, but he figured the information was rumor, like most of what he heard in between training exercises. Was he finally going to see the war up close? Or rather, behind the scenes?

Major Albert tossed him a set of papers then gestured to the vacant chair. “At ease, Soldier.”

Dropping into the seat, Gerard tugged at his collar and sighed. The material still scratched his skin and threatened to suffocate him. He picked his orders and scanned the instructions. He had two days to prepare. To wait and wonder what was in store for him.

“As you can see, you leave the day after tomorrow. Unless you run into a hitch, you’ll report for duty on Saturday. Try not to mess this up. It may be your last chance to remain a free man.”

“Permission to speak candidly, sir?”

“I’d expect nothing less, Lucas.”

“Why me?”

“Why you, what?”

“You must have recommended me, sir. Otherwise, how would they know about me?” Gerard studied the major. “So why did you put my name forward for consideration?”

“It appears I haven’t underestimated your abilities. You’re right. I did recommend you.” Major Albert smirked. “This new department…they’re calling it the Office of Strategic Services…a positively bureaucratic label, if you ask me, but maybe that’s what they want everyone to think. Personally, from the bits and pieces I’ve been able to glean, it’s more like the department of dirty tricks. Anyway, that sounded like something you’d be suited for. You know, swimming against the tide.”

“I appreciate your faith in me, sir. I won’t let you down.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about. Don’t let yourself down, Lucas. You’ve got to come to terms with whatever’s eating you. Yes, you don’t suffer fools, and that’s fine, but it’s more than that. You’re carting around a lot of anger. Maybe you know why. Maybe you don’t. Either way, you need to channel those feelings or jettison them, because if you don’t, you’ll get yourself killed. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

Major Albert steepled his fingers. “Quigley wanted to bring you up on charges, put you through a court-martial, but I talked him out of it.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I’m not looking for gratitude. I’m telling you because this is your last chance. Not everyone is willing to accept your shenanigans. And despite the roguish nature of your new assignment, there will be some sort of hierarchy. Adhere to it, or you may not survive this war.” He rose and extended his hand. “Good luck, son, and Godspeed.”

They shook hands. Gerard put on his peaked wool cap, saluted, then pivoted and hurried from the room, a grin tugging at his lips. Finally, a chance to avenge his brother’s death in the Atlantic at the hands of a German submarine wolfpack.