His foot tapping, Henrik crossed his arms. Did Else have reason to be angry?
Maybe he’d been harsher than he’d realized. Or perhaps it ran deeper.
“Don’t you want to be with me?”she’d asked. Why would she ask that when she knew how much he loved her?
But the fact of his love mattered less than its expression. Far had loved Mor, but he’d expressed it poorly. What was love without kindness? Without ... presence?
Henrik stifled a groan. Else had implied that he’d chosen his resistance work over her. And he had.
But they were at war. All over the world, men were choosing duty over their loved ones—becauseof their loved ones.
Yet something squirmed inside.
A memory. Lying on the grass, telling Else about the boat race, telling her how he’d stopped rowing for his father and started rowing for himself.
Was that what he was doing now? Rowing for himself, mindless of the woman he loved? His fingers dug into his biceps.Please don’t let that be the case.
“The boat is here.” Thorup stood in the doorway in his coat and hat.
Laila unbuttoned her overcoat. “I’m not leaving without Else.”
Henrik groaned. “You must leave.” If she stayed, the Thorups would stay, and Henrik couldn’t go underground unless he knew they were all safe.
Thorup pressed his lips together. “We don’t have time to argue.”
“You can’t force me,” Laila said with a flip of her chin.
Actually, Henrik could toss her over his shoulder and carry her onto that boat. But he wouldn’t. “Fine. Stay.”
Henrik and Thorup helped the guests with their luggage and escorted them out of the house.
A strong wind rustled the beeches and pinched Henrik’s cheeks.Far too windy for rowing, but the fishing boats had motors. Still, he frowned, and the wind dried his lips.
Thorup fell in beside him, behind the guests. “Janne and I will stay with Laila.”
“I figured you would.” Henrik’s tone cut. “I must leave tomorrow. I cannot change that.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want to leave until—”
“We’ll leave tomorrow. You have my word. Even if I have to put Luminal in Laila’s tea.”
“What if Else doesn’t come?”
Silence hung darker than the night. Thorup sniffed. “Then we must assume the worst.”
Grief convulsed through him, all his fears come to pass. Somehow he kept walking, and he wrestled his grief into words forced out through gritted teeth. “And you’ll leave. Promise me you’ll leave.”
“I promise.”
“Tak.” How could Henrik go underground not knowing? He had to find out. He had to find out what had happened to Else.
COPENHAGEN
TUESDAY, OCTOBER12, 1943
In the morning, Else studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
