“There is, and I will.But it will be tricky, you understand.”
“Because of Friedrich Albrecht,” Jonathan surmised.
“Indeed.Besides I’m injured, and not just my shoulder.”He held up his left hand that was bruised and swollen.
Jonathan couldn’t help laughing.“What kind of man punches a tree?”
Henrik laughed, too.“The kind who doesn’t have a face in front of him.”Then he indicated the empty plates on the table beside him.“Did you eat?”
“Yes, I’m staying in the attic until I leave.Much more comfortable than the cellar, although I was grateful for the hiding place.Why was there a false wall?”
“Oh, I see.You were in the area built during Grandfather’s time, during the Seven Years’ War.A place to hide valuables,and people, when necessary, during occupation and invasion.”
When he yawned, Jonathan moved toward the door.“I’ll let you rest.I just came to say goodbye, but I think I will see you again in London.”
Henrik’s expression sobered.“I wish you safe passage, Bowen.”
“May God keep you safe,” Jonathan replied.
Back in the hallway, he hesitated.Lise’s room was directly opposite.Going in there was abusing the hospitality of this family, but there was no way of telling how long he had.Minutes or hours.Certainly not days.
After all they’d said and shared, he simply could not leave without ...
Doing what?The one thing he must not do was declare his love.How unkind a thing when he was about to disappear from her life.
He tapped on the door.If she didn’t respond, then —
“Yes, come in.”
Swiftly, so no one caught him lingering, he pushed it open and slipped inside.
He was met with a gasp of surprise.“I was expecting Anna.”
Lise was seated at a writing desk, but she got to her feet, still dressed in the gown he’d seen her wearing before the soldiers arrived.
“Shall I go?”he asked.“Is this too much, too outrageous for me to be in here?”
In answer, she crossed the colorful rug and threw herself against him.He had no choice but to clasp his arms around her slender form.
“Where were you?”she asked against his chest.
“In a part of your cellar built by your grandfather.”
“Of course.The Seven Years’ War cellar.How clever of my father to put you there.”
“It was preferable to the cellar in Lübeck because I knew you were close.”
“We weren’t even allowed to play hide-and-seek down in the cellar with Friedrich when he visited, because no one knows about it outside of the family.Except you.”She craned her neck and looked up at him.“I guess that means you’re family now.”
But he wasn’t.The place in his chest, currently brimming with satisfaction at holding her, would soon be hollow.And aching.
“I can’t stay, Lise.You know that.”
The smile died on her lips.“I know.”
“Every moment I remain puts your family at greater risk.The French will keep searching.Friedrich will keep pushing them.Eventually, they would find me.I can only pray they don’t decide to punish your family when they’re thwarted.”
“I wish,” she began, then stopped and gave a delicate shrug.“When?”
