Lovers in Enemy Territory (24 page)

For two weeks now she’d been frequenting the salon in hopes of running into Dirk. It was dangerous to meet out in the open this way. Not at all procedure for two agents of the same category, but she had no other choice. The GRU preferred to have their meetings in parks, on deserted benches, but for once, she had run onto something of importance and decided to break tradition.

Once Dirk knew of the details, she might be spared the humiliation of being sent to Germany for a job less worthy of her. What she had to tell could not wait to be put in the mail drop and sent through usual channels to Abwer headquarters in Berlin. It would take too long. No, this was vital.

She'd thought the matter over very carefully. For the last six years she’d never been able to come up with anything of much significance. Jeffrey Norwood knew how to keep his secrets. Month after month, year after year, he never made a slip.

It had looked all but hopeless that her entry into their household would ever bear fruit, until now. Only once in all that time had he finally made a mistake. She couldn't give Dirk proof. He would have to take her word for it. But since this was the first time she'd sought him out, he'd have to realize it was important. She was counting on her past record to convince him that this time, it was worth the risk of a daylight meeting.

She ordered tea and lit a cigarette. Smoke was thick in the room. She recognized two of Philip's colleagues. They came to her table and asked about her health, the usual inane pleasantries, then left. Philip obviously hadn't told anyone about the divorce.

He was like that. No fanfare, no emotion. She was glad to be out of it! Soon she'd go back to South Africa. Dirk could arrange it. There was a time when she was certain something would happen between her and Jeff, but no longer.

If he’d loved her, she would have given up her affiliation with the Secret Service. It had become routine and she often felt the stratagems naive. Besides, she'd never been able to produce any worthwhile evidence until now. This time she might be able to contribute something of note, and Elinore was determined that Jeffrey and his saintly nun would pay a price ! She could go to Cape Town with that much satisfaction, at least!

Finally Dirk made his appearance. At forty-five he was still attractive. He came from a patrician Hanseatic family and had been well educated. He was an acknowledged master in espionage circles. He'd had his day in the hot spots of Europe and South America.

Then orders from Berlin set him up as leader of the Abwer in England. Settling first in Scotland, then London, he travelled under a Danish passport and organized the system. It was one of his agents from Cape Town who’s forwarded Elinore's name to London. Elinore Pook, formerly of Hanover, active in the Nazi youth corps both in Germany and South Africa. Shrewd,

Dirk approached her and offered her the job after finding out she was the wife of a barrister who sat in the House and was sister-in-law to a pilot in the Coastal Command. She was in a very pretty situation. It might prove interesting. What did she have to lose? Elinore agreed.

He saw Elinore and his eyes narrowed as he walked over to her table. "Hello, darling," he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "This is highly unusual to say the least." The hazel eyes were not smiling.

"Hello, Dirk." She felt panic, but her exterior betrayed nothing but cold, calculating determination. "I think I have something." Her large eyes focused intently on him.

"All right. Knightsbridge, South West 7, Philip's Road, Flat 3. Come after ten. Nice to see you again, my dear.” He went back to the bar, patting the hips of the hostess as he walked by.

At ten-fifteen, Elinore was ushered into a flat which served as one of the rendezvous points for agents of the Abwer. It was the first time she'd been inside. There were five workers present, two of them women. No one spoke to her. Dirk motioned her into the living room and shut the double doors.

"All right. What do you have that has caused me to miss an important meeting this evening?"

She began to feel foolish. If she’d misunderstood Jeff's message to Sister Catherine, it was all over. "You've wanted information about Commander Norwood, his whereabouts and secret missions for a long time. Two weeks ago he left on another mission, but this time I know how we can find out where he was going.

“I'm positive the source I have in mind will give us details of his meetings involving Lord Wyngate and the Prime Minister! But I have to bring you up to date on a few facts first. Then you'll see why I felt this couldn’t wait to go through channels."

"Go on. I'm listening." He puffed on his cigar, his trademark to all those who knew him.

"As you know, Commander Norwood lost his wife last year, and then the boy got sick and was sent to a convent in Wiltshire. One of the sisters there nursed the boy back to health. Her name was Sister Catherine."

"Ja, Ja. So get on with it. I've read most of that in your report.”

"The boy recovered, then became ill again when he returned to Norwood. His father sent for this same Sister because he thought she could help him again."

"Und?" His eyes glared.

"He regained his health and for some time this nun has been in Commander Norwood's company, day and night. They've fallen deeply in love."

Dirk slapped his leg and flicked his cigar. "Why are you telling me this idiotic love story? I have better things to do."

"I haven't finished," Elinore retorted. "She returned to the convent and he left to go on a secret mission."

"So what is the point?"

"Dirk, do you want to hear this? Be patient."

"All right ... go on."

“It's true I don't know where he went, but the Sister does!"

She watched him purse his lips. He put down his cigar. "How would you know this?"

"Because she hadn't been out of his sight, day or night. She's lived under the same roof with him, having breakfast, lunch and dinner. One evening, two weeks ago he'd been in meetings with Lord Harley and Lord Wyngate, and then was with her for days after.

“I know this latest mission is a very important one. The signs have been building for weeks. He's had important calls. It’s something big."

"Ja, so how do you think this Sister knows so much?"

"I'm coming to that. After she went back to the convent, he moved back into London with the boy. Philip is there now living with them, and recently he took the boy out to the convent to visit the Sister. I was at the house when they returned and I found something.

“Commander Norwood had written her a letter which Philip was to deliver. In it he said, "The things we talked about on the day of the picnic have come to pass. This new assignment may take months instead of days to accomplish. This will be my last chance to communicate with you."

"So?" He shrugged his shoulders. Elinore was exasperated.

"It means that he revealed to her the facts about this new mission. I'd stake my life on it. You can't tell me he hasn't confided in her. He trusts her, Dirk. When Michael was in the hospital, Commander Norwood barely put in an appearance at the house. He would have had to conduct business from the hospital. She would have been in on it. I know for a certainty that there isn't anything he wouldn't discuss or talk about with her."

"What makes you think he'd tell her anything top secret when you haven't been able to discover one leak in all these years? I thought he trusted you completely."

"He does trust me, but he loves her, and he was desperate not to lose her. I think he told her things to win her sympathy. You know, a little lever. . . . He wants her to leave the convent so he can marry her."

Dirk was pensive. "Is she a postulant?"

"No. She’s taken her vows and is professed."

"And the love affair has gone that far?" he asked in surprise.

"Far enough that she is being sent to another convent. My guess is that she’s being punished for breaking her vows and is on the verge of leaving the sisterhood. There's no question that she's in love with him. In his letter he said he intended to make her his wife. He's a very persuasive man. She won't be able to resist him."

"So the Commander is as relentless in matters of love as war, eh?" he chuckled. Elinore paled. "Does that distress you? I see that it does." He cleared his throat. "All right. Suppose your theory is correct. Suppose she knows details which could be useful to headquarters. I must have proof. Did you bring the letter with you?"

"No, it's in Philip's possession and we’re separated. I'm no longer welcome in his house."

"I know nothing of this," he raised his eyebrows.

"It was in my last report. You probably haven't had time to look at it. The only reason I married Philip in the first place was for security. I arrived in London with nothing. There’s no love lost between us. Dirk. If I were to try to get that letter, he'd suspect something.

“As it was, he caught me reading it. I told him I thought it was a legal paper, and he bought it, I think. He was upset, but not for the reasons you're thinking. I'm positive he's in love with her too, and has become very protective of her as well as his brother."

Dirk began walking about the room. "Then all I have is your intuition to go on."

"Yes, but I've never bothered you before. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."

"All right, tell me more about this nun."

"She's twenty-six, beautiful, loyal to England, talented, devoted to his son."

Dirk laughed. "She sounds too good to be true!"

"Jeffrey Norwood thinks so,” she said bitterly.

"It couldn't be you have a personal vendetta against the nun, eh? All right, Elinore. You say she's back at the convent?"

"I'm not sure now. She was leaving for the other one soon."

"I don't know how we could get to her.” The wheels were beginning to turn inside Dirk's head and Elinore relaxed. He’d started to take her seriously.

"That part is easy, Dirk. The S.S. should have no trouble."

He blinked. "Go on."

"She's leaving to fulfill this penance in the Spanish Pyrenees. She'll be there for some time according to Philip. We have German intelligence agents in Barcelona and Madrid. It shouldn't be too difficult to seek her out for interrogation once she’s away from England, from protection, if you follow me. She must be there by now. It's been two weeks since I read the letter."

"Ja." He sounded far away. "What's the name of the convent?"

"Saint Teresa's. I presume it's in an isolated mountain region. She loves him, Dirk. If you were to apply the right kind of pressure, she'd talk. She's faithful to her principles. If any of her vows were put in jeopardy, she'd tell all rather than face God's punishment. I don't need to paint a picture, do I?"

"No. You make me think women can be more ruthless than men when it comes right down to it." Elinore stiffened. "I hope you're right about this, Elinore."

"What does that mean?"

"Berlin frowns on mistakes and the Fascists are not on the best terms with the Vatican. We'll have to handle this very carefully. There must be no embarrassment for us."

"I'm not wrong, Dirk. And when you have the information, you can thank me by sending me back to South Africa. I have friends there and I want to leave England."

"Why? There are many other spots in London where I could use someone like you."

"No. My marriage to Philip is finished. I've done what I can. I have no desire to stay here any longer. Now is a good time to go."

"Tell me something, Elinore. Why did you come to London at all?"

"I had a chance for a position with a secretarial agency. After Father died, I had no reason to stay on in Cape Town. It was his idea to leave Germany in the first place, not mine, but once we left, I had to do something with my life."

"What about going back to Germany?"

"Not interested. I've grown accustomed to a few comforts, Dirk. Father was not looked upon with favor. I don't relish the thought of having to prove my loyalty in my own country. No. Cape Town suits me fine."

"All right. If your lead is fruitful, I'll help you get back there. If not, I can do nothing. You’ll have to accept the consequences."

"I understand."

"Now give me a complete description. I want to know everything there is to know about this Sister, any weaknesses, family background, education. I want to hear it all. Then I'll send it on to Berlin. It’s going to take several weeks just to do the ground work.”

*****

Southampton was a dingy port town bustling with soldiers, ships and lorries. Catherine felt she’d stepped into the heart of the war. Castle Combe was light years away. She stepped off the train to be greeted by the smiling face of the Mother General, an Italian woman of tiny proportions. She had an olive complexion and black eyes, small as raisins. There were five nuns beneath the parapet with her.

"Sister?” The Mother General waved her hand. "I’m so happy to meet you. God bless you for coming to the aid of your sisters in Spain. Sister Catherine, meet Sister Margareta from Edinburgh, Sister Luke from Leicester, Sister Maria from Wales, Sister Luisa from Shannon, and Sister Angelina from London."