Krista's Chance Page 2

  “I am afraid there is not very much to tell.” Krista lied without blinking. She could not afford to let Beatrice know of the secrets in her life. Beatrice was a delightful young lady, but she did love to gossip. “The Duke’s butler made an error in judgement. I was not the young lady the Duke wished to speak with.”

  “Nooo!” Beatrice’s face reflected her disappointment. She had been sure she would have a delightful titbit of gossip to share with her many friends.

  “Yes, it was a case of mistaken identity.” Krista began to remove the tray from her lap. She needed to visit the bathroom. “I did not stay very long. The Duke was most displeased with his butler’s error.”

  “Oh!” Beatrice, firmly lodged in her chair, was blocking Krista’s escape.

  “I need to use the bathroom.” Krista pulled at the bedclothes.

  The bedroom she had been given was set up with the bed pushed close to the wall on one side. This allowed the room to have a comfortable seating and reading area. There was also a desk and chair if one needed to write letters. It allowed one to escape from the other guests in the house if one felt the need. There was a narrow aisle on the far side of the bed from Beatrice. She supposed it was to allow the servants to dress the bed and dust. But you had to practically kiss the wall if you stepped from the bed on that side.

  “Rather urgently, Beatrice.”

  “Yes, of course.” Beatrice wasn’t listening, the picture of dejection.

  “You need to move the chair, please.”

  The door to the bedroom opened.

  “Krista, there was a telephone call for you.” Lia, dressed for the day, walked into the room. “Beatrice, I did not know you were here.”

  “Aunt Lia.” Beatrice settled into the chair with a smile. Now she would hear something interesting, she had no doubt.

  “Ladies, please,” Krista was becoming desperate. “I need to use the toilet or I am about to disgrace myself.” She pushed back the bedclothes and, avoiding the tray, crawled to the foot of the bed to make her escape.

  Chapter 2

  Krista stepped back into her bedroom, much refreshed. She cast her eyes around, looking for Beatrice.

  “It is safe to return,” Lia said with a laugh. “Beatrice too received a telephone call. It was from one of her many young friends – Tuffy or Muffy or some such silly person. She has dashed away to return the call.”

  Lia guessed that Beatrice had been trying to ferret out information about the previous evening from Krista. She herself had not asked Krista about her meeting with the Duke of Stowe-Grenville. It had been obvious from the strain on the girl’s face, when she returned to the ballroom with Abigail, that matters had not gone well. If Krista wanted to tell her she would, of course, listen. Until then the matter was best left alone.

  “She is a delightful young woman.” Krista closed the door at her back with relief. She passed no further comment. After all, Beatrice was the daughter of Lia’s brother.

  “But exhausting and too fond of gossip.” Lia knew her niece well. “You never thought to use Beatrice as a model for the sort of bright young thing Captain Waters wanted you to mimic?”

  “I would not be capable of keeping up that level of energy.” Krista didn’t say that the very thought of acting in a manner similar to Beatrice’s gave her a headache. She had been asked to participate in an operation for the British government. It would be necessary for her to present herself as a member of the ruling classes. She had worked long and hard on the image she needed to present.

  “Captain Waters telephoned this morning,” Lia said, lowering her voice, and walked over to the window away from the door.

  The Louis Vuitton suitcases she had purchased for Krista to use were sitting empty on the desktop and tabletop as she had instructed. She did not want the servants to take the luggage to the attics or storage rooms. The news from the Continent was dire. She had feared the items of luggage might be needed at a moment’s notice. She had instructed Krista to study the luggage carefully. She must know every zipper and pocket. They were items she would have to handle with familiarity should the need ever arise. In point of fact, she had almost driven herself insane trying to think of every eventuality.

  “I took the liberty of responding to the telephone call for you.” She turned to look at Krista with a smile. “You needed your beauty sleep.”

  “Thank you. Does he want me to return his call?” Krista joined Lia in front of the closed window.

  “There was no need.” Lia was worried about Krista. The mission she had accepted could be deadly. “He gave me your instructions.”

  They both spoke in low tones.

  “Do you not mean orders?” Krista prompted when Lia remained silent. Graham Waters expected one to jump when he spoke.

  “Yes, of course I do.” Lia shook off her worry. The die was cast. “He will pick you up from here tomorrow morning. You are to wear the outfit we have chosen for you to travel in.” Lia had been instructed to choose clothing to suit the role that Krista was about to play. She had spent days touring the modiste shops in and around London. She was pleased with the selections she had made. It was to be hoped that she had covered every eventuality.

  The day before the ball the two women spent hours in the room set aside for Krista’s use. Krista had tried on all of the items Lia had selected. She had listened to her advice about forming separate items into attractive outfits. The evening gown Lia selected for Krista to wear to the Duke’s ball had been a triumph.

  “I will summon a servant and oversee your packing while you dress,” Lia said.

  “Lia, wait – I appreciate everything you have done for me – more than I can ever express. But you need to go away.” She laughed at the look of surprise on Lia’s face. “You spend so little time with your husband. Go spend time with your family. We have covered everything I need to know about the image I must present. The maid can assist me with my packing.” She pushed Lia gently in the direction of the door. “Go, have fun with your handsome husband and your children. I will be absolutely fine.”

  “You will take care.” Lia dug her heels in to stop Krista practically forcing her from the room.

  “I promise.” Krista accepted the tight hug from Lia before she resumed pushing her towards the door. “Go, spend as much time as you can with your husband. I know he has to return to his ship.”

  “You will join the family for lunch?”

  “Of course.” Krista was hungry. She would be ready for a meal by the time she had dressed for the day. “I want to say goodbye to David and Edward.”

  “The twins will miss you.” Lia laughed. “They have become accustomed to their little outings with you. I do not know if I can live up to your example.”

  “They have their schoolfriends now.” Krista would miss the twins but she would see them again. “I will join you for lunch and be in the driveway waving you and your family off. I promise.”

  The two women parted company, Lia fighting tears. She was so desperately worried about the role Krista had agreed to play. She had done all she could to help. She prayed it was enough.

  The following morning, after taking breakfast with the family, Krista stood before the long mirror set into the door of the wardrobe in her bedroom. She stared into the mirror at the image of the stranger she had become. To her eyes she no longer bore any resemblance to the Krista who had worked every day in the bar/café/tabac of the auberge de ville in Metz, France. She frowned at the image, wondering what was in store for this version of herself.

  The navy slacks she wore were far different from the pair she had purchased for herself. This pair were fully lined, the satin lining cool against her bare legs. The material was cashmere and hung in a very flattering fashion. The white silk blouse she wore under a navy cashmere jumper felt wonderful against her skin. She had tied the bow of the blouse just as Lia had taught her. She pulled up one leg of the slacks to admire her custom-made, navy, laced walking shoes. The leather felt as soft as butter. She
felt she could run miles wearing these shoes. Even her stockings were of a vastly superior quality to anything she had ever worn before.

  The ball gown and the clothes she had worn to travel to this house were stored, carefully packed in mothballs by a servant, in the vast attics.

  “I wonder what Peggy and Mrs Acers would make of me now.” Krista laughed to think of Lia’s household servants. Peggy had thought Krista’s wardrobe vastly superior to anything she could afford and had envied her. How would she feel if she could see this new expensive attire?

  The Louis Vuitton suitcases, expertly packed by a maid, were sitting on the floor at her feet. She took a deep breath and saluted the image in the mirror. Now for the outer garments. The hip-length cherry-red swing coat made a statement, she felt. She put it on, leaving it open over her outfit for the moment. The cheeky Robin Hood hat, dyed to match the coat, had a tall feather in its band. She put it carefully over her gleaming hair and stood for a moment to admire the woman in the mirror.

  “They say that clothes maketh the man,” She laughed softly. “Well, in my humble opinion, these clothes make me into a very different woman than the one I am accustomed to seeing. Yes, indeed, Krista Lestrange of no family name. You have come a long way in a short time.” She stood for a moment, gearing herself up mentally for what was to come. She pulled the bell to summon a servant to carry down the luggage. She looked around the room, doing a final visual check before stepping into the corridor and pulling the door closed behind her.

  Captain Waters would be here soon.

  Chapter 3

  Krista was surprised to be picked up by Captain Waters wearing his off-duty clothes and driving what she thought must be his own vehicle. He was unusually grim and refused to step into the house to greet the family. He wasted no time loading Krista’s luggage and driving them from the Winchester estate out onto the main road in the direction of the coast. She tried to start a conversation but sat back in her seat to enjoy the journey when he only grunted in reply to her comments.

  “We have arrived.”

  Krista started at his sudden announcement. She shook herself from her thoughts and looked around. The area was remote, an artery of a main road, she thought. The captain was pulling his car over onto the forecourt of a garage. There was a single petrol pump she imagined would serve farmers and passing salesmen.

  “There you are, Evans – have you completed the work on her?”

  A man, his oil-stained overalls proclaiming his profession, pulled a flat cap from his head and gave the captain a gap-toothed grin.

  “Have I ever failed you, captain?” he said cheerfully.

  He pulled open the double doors of his work area. The campervan was revealed when the light entered the large building. He patted its side lovingly.

  “This little beauty has a lot of power under the hood. Who is going to drive her – not yourself?”

  Krista stepped out of the captain’s car.

  “That will be my pleasure,” she said, replacing the hat she’d removed in the car. The feather had been in danger of damage.

  The captain did not introduce them.

  Evans stared at the girl. She’d never be strong enough to manage the campervan surely? “If that don’t beat all,” he contented himself with saying. His old captain knew what he was about.

  “Krista, we will load your luggage while we wait for Perry to join us. He should be along soon.” Captain Waters began to remove Krista’s luggage from his car and set it on the cement of the forecourt. “There have been some changes made to the interior.” When he had the luggage stashed in the space underneath the vehicle, he said, “Step inside and I’ll show you after I have had a word with Evans.”

  Krista stepped up into the campervan. She removed her coat and hat, hanging the coat in the narrow wardrobe to one side of the bathroom. She put her hat on the shelf of the wardrobe before looking around. She noticed that the passenger seat beside the driver’s had been removed. In its place was a wheelchair. She bent to examine the leather chair with its overlarge wheels and discovered it had been clamped in place with the same easy lock-and-release mechanism of the driver’s seat.

  “I think that is to be my chariot,” Perry said as he stepped up into the van.

  “Why?” Krista turned from where she had been crouched examining the mechanism on the chair.

  “No ‘Hello, Perry, wonderful to see you’?” He smiled to see her. He could not think of anyone he would rather have at his side on this little adventure.

  “Hello, Perry,” Krista parroted back to him, “wonderful to see you. How did you get here?”

  “My mother’s chauffeur drove me.” He squatted beside her to examine the chair. “This is rather clever … But what is that doing there?” He pointed to an ornate urn placed on the floor between the wheelchair and the driver’s seat.

  “Your attention, please.” Captain Waters, several file folders under one arm, stepped into the van.

  He turned the driver’s seat around to face the interior and threw the files on its seat. Then, with Krista’s help, he took the table from its storage place and unfolded it in the centre of the floorspace. He placed the files on it.

  “Sit,” he said.

  He sounded so grim that they immediately obeyed, taking the seat under the window.

  He indicated the folders. “These contain all of the paperwork you’ll need on your journey.” He stared at the pair in front of him. They were so young. “The plan has changed,” he said.

  “What has happened?” Perry asked.

  “News from Germany is of worsening tensions. Meanwhile, one factor in the operation has changed and increased the risk considerably. The basic plan, however, remains the same. You will travel into Germany, giving the appearance of a newly married couple, your mission being to smuggle out a person who is under threat.”

  A person? Was it not a couple – a scientist and his wife? Krista was about to ask when he continued.

  “We want you to sail from Felixstowe to Antwerp in Belgium. From there you will directly drive across the nearby border and into Germany.” He removed a map from one of his folders and spread it open over the table. When they stood to join him, he began to trace the route he wanted them to take on the map. “I will not mark the map as you will be taking it with you.”

  “When do we leave?” Perry asked.

  “Immediately. You will camp overnight in a field near to the harbour in Felixstowe. It is imperative that you appear familiar with every feature of the van. If you should be stopped by officials and questioned, you must not falter in your answers. Perry has been shown all of the van’s features and can instruct you, Krista.”

  Krista felt a fluttering in her stomach. Silly of her but she had given no thought to the close proximity of an attractive man in such close quarters. She had been worried about everything but that! She trusted Perry to behave as a gentleman but still …

  “You two and the van are booked to take the ferry tomorrow. Your tickets, your passport and papers, showing you as a newly married couple called Carter, are in this folder. There are also traveller’s cheques in different denominations to an amount that should cover all of your needs.” Waters threw another folder on the table. “I trust you both not to be spendthrifts.”

  “No, sir,” they answered together.

  “I’ll take care of the papers.” Perry kept his head down to conceal his reddening cheeks. He had sisters but he had never lived in such close quarters with a female. He would behave himself – of course he would – he was not an animal. But still …

  “Are we no longer required to amass intelligence?” Krista was being paid to accompany Perry on this mission because of her knowledge of languages and her, to English eyes anyway, Germanic looks.

  “We will need every atom of intelligence you can gather. Now more than ever, but the situation has changed since this mission was originally planned.” He had been warning the powers that be that Germany was dangerous to its neighbours fo
r what felt like years. He had planned this information-gathering mission when he had thought there was still time. It would now appear they had run out of time.

  “Captain, you just now spoke of ‘a person’ we must smuggle out,” said Krista. “But it’s a couple, isn’t it? A scientist and his wife?”

  “It will not now be a couple.” Waters almost collapsed into the driver’s seat. He took a deep breath through his nose. When he was sure he had control of his emotions, he continued. “The couple’s children have been safely removed. The two youngsters are aboard a train full of children headed towards England and safety. The scientist …” he stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose, “has agreed to work for the Nazis. The mother is on the run in fear for her life. She plans to drive the family car until it runs out of petrol. She hopes to reach a remote train station where she will make her way by train and on foot to Essen. She is the one you must remove from Germany.”

  “So where will we meet her?” Perry asked. “And how will we recognise her? Should we not have a safe password?”

  “You will stop and camp for two nights each in four rural areas inside Germany. The sites chosen are in close proximity to industrial sites. We want you to keep your eyes and ears open.” He pointed to the ornate urn prominently displayed on the floor of the van between the driver’s seat and the wheelchair. “Should you be questioned by officials at any time your cover story is this.” He tapped the urn with a slight grimace. “This urn contains human remains.”

  “I misheard, I think?” Perry stared wide-eyed at Krista.

  “The story you will give to anyone who asks –” Waters prayed it would never happen but in today’s climate in Germany no one was safe, “is that the ashes belong to Krista’s maternal great-grandmother – a German. You are fulfilling a promise Krista made to that woman on her deathbed. A promise to scatter her ashes in her favourite locations over the fields of her beloved Germany.”