“I came to tell you, that’s what I was about to say, when we were walking,” she whispered.
“You’re lying!”
She was lying. Of course she was lying, and as her vision began to swim, she knew there was nothing she could say to convince him otherwise. “I had to choose my sister,” she cried. “It was protect my sister or choose you, and ...”
Wolfgang had gone deadly quiet, and she stopped speaking as tears ran down her cheeks, as she struggled to breathe past the blood in her mouth.
“You betrayed me, Adelaide.” His words were low and sinister, menacing, and she watched in horror as he took his pistol from its holster and raised it, aiming for her head.
“No, Wolfgang, please,” she cried, scrambling to get away from him. But his hand was in her hair again, clutching her, not letting her move.
“You’re nothing but a disloyal traitor.”
Her mouth opened to plead with him as his finger curled around the trigger, but she knew it was no use.
Adelaide shut her eyes and saw her sister. She saw her family, all sitting around the table, laughing, waiting for her.Calling for her.
And then she heard a sob, and realized it was her own.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
ELISE
FORTY-EIGHT HOURS LATER
Elise was numb. She was going through the motions of walking and keeping lookout, but her mind was a million miles away.How did I let this happen?
The truth was, she knew. She hadn’t told Cate, probably would never tell Cate, that she’d had an argument before they left with Addy. It was the reason she’d known she wasn’t coming back, and why Addy had decided to leave instead of waiting for her. And it was all she’d thought of since they’d set out.
She pressed her hand to her heart as she walked, as if somehow, miraculously, it could stem the pain. But it did nothing to ease her suffering. Or her guilt. If only Adelaide had followed the plan, and if only she hadn’t tried to convince her to leave France again.
“You still expect me to get on that boat and sail for England?” Addy laughed as if it were the greatest joke she’d ever heard. “You’re serious? You actually think I’m going to leave France?”
Elise stayed calm, realizing her error the moment she saw her sister’s reaction. “Yes. I feel it’s the only way to keep you safe.”
“And what about you?” Addy asked. “Who will keep you safe? Because I can tell right now that you’re still not planning on leaving with me.”
“Addy, please, just hear me out,” Elise pleaded. “You can take Oscar with you, no one will turn down a little dog under your arm, and it means that you can get far away from Wolfgang so you don’t have to do anything you don’t want—”
“What are you trying to say? That he’s somehow forced himself on me?” Addy sounded hysterical now, and Elise felt as if she were dealing with a child; although when it came to her sister, that wouldn’t be the first time.
“I’m only saying that he’s a very powerful man, and if you ever don’t want to see him again, things could become difficult,” Elise carefully said. “Besides, I thought you were only seeing him still to help the cause?” It was a ruse to get her sister to admit her true feelings, and it worked.
“What if it’s not a ruse anymore?” Addy asked, staring out the window. “He’s been so lovely to me, he treats me well, and if our country becomes part of Germany one day ...”
“Don’t you dare say that, with such acceptance!” Elise stood, storming toward her sister and taking her arm, forcing her to turn around. “France will not be home to the Nazis, not now and not ever. Have you forgotten what they’ve done? Have you forgotten our brother?” Her breath seemed to hiss out of her, she was so angry. “We stood, side by side, terrified of that man you claim is so lovely. You know he gave that order, you were the one whobeggedme to take in Harry, and with a few dates and a handful of eggs, you suddenly think that bastard islovely?”
Adelaide’s hand was so fast that Elise didn’t see the slap coming, but she certainly felt the sting across her cheek.
“You’re defending him now?” Elise asked, shaking her head as she pressed her palm to her inflamed skin. “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore!”
“I’m telling you that with me, he’s someone else,” Addy said. “I know what he’s capable of, but all soldiers are capable of terrible things. I just didn’t understand war before.”
“Oh, and now you’re suddenly an expert?” Elise’s heart sank. She knew there was no point arguing. “There are rules in war, Addy. Rules that stipulate what is and isn’t acceptable. A white flag means surrender, and those men aren’t allowed to be killed in cold blood, they’re to be taken prisoner. And likewise, hospitals are to be off-limits, the red cross signaling a safe zone.”
Adelaide was staring back at her, but it was like she was already gone.
“Your commander, he did something that no soldier should ever do—he committed murder, a massacre of a large group of Allied soldiers, and I can only hope that one day his actions are revealed. Maybe one day he’ll feel the terror of someone putting a bullet through his head or a bayonet through his chest.”
