Fitz took a moment to consider this. Truly consider what this could mean. She’d certainly have to flirt with him – that in itself wasn’t something that troubled her. She would probably have to cuddle up to him and kiss him. Not terribly appealing, but she could do that.
Then, of course, there was what came next. She might have to have sex with the German officer. That, most definitely, was not appealing. Could she do it?
She ignored the little shiver of distaste that ran through her at the thought. She’d have to somehow shut down emotionally. Disconnect herself from what she was doing. A fleeting moment of guilt ran through her as she thought of Sam. She pushed it away. She couldn’t let her mind go there. Sex with a Germanofficer was totally different – incomparable. It would be done out of duty and nothing more. If that’s what she had to do, then she’d bloody well do it.
She looked up at Wilding. ‘Is that all?’
He gave her a look that said he already knew she wouldn’t back down from the mission. ‘Your skills as a pilot will be imperative to fly him back to England. There will be an aeroplane waiting for you. In fact, it’s Colonel Hoffmann’s private aircraft. It will be fuelled and ready to go. You’ll be back to Blighty, tucking into your Christmas turkey before you know it,’ said Wilding. ‘You think you can do that?’
‘Seduce a German officer? Help kidnap him? Fly him back to England in time for Christmas dinner?’ Fitz lifted her chin. ‘I’m sure I can.’
‘Yes, we thought this would be up your street,’ said Wilding. He took an envelope from his desk and passed it to her. ‘You will be Claudine Bardot, the daughter of a wealthy businessman in Paris who has been sent to the Brittany countryside to stay with her cousin at Josselin Castle for the Christmas period. Colonel Hoffmann is visiting there for three nights, arriving on the twenty-third. On Christmas Eve, he will be attending a drinks evening and piano recital. You will make yourself known to him and encourage him out into the garden at 2100 hours. You’re to take a walk alongside the north wall. Once there, you will be greeted by the resistance and Hoffmann will be ushered into a waiting car. You’re to go, too. You’ll be driven to an airfield and the waiting aircraft that has been conveniently diverted from Vannes for the Colonel’s flight back to Paris.’
It all sounded exciting and a little scary but she embraced the idea of danger. It’s what she thrived on. This challenge was exactly what was needed. It would help her to stop thinkingabout Sam. Much as she’d tried to put him to the back of her mind, it had proved impossible.
The day finally arrived for Fitz to begin her mission into occupied France and to seduce the German officer. She was sent to Bignor House to stay overnight with Barbara Bertram and her family. It was hard to believe this house tucked away in the West Sussex countryside was a safe house for transferring SOE operatives into France.
At the house was a Frenchman, André, who was going to be working alongside Fitz in Brittany. She didn’t know what his real name was, only his cover story, or at least enough of it so if they were questioned by the Germans, she would be convincing as a friend of the family.
Fitz had been given the codename Nathalie though her undercover name, in France, was Claudine.
After spending the night at Bignor House, Fitz and André were transferred down to RAF Tangmere. It felt strange coming to the airfield dressed in civilian clothes and being taken to Tangmere Cottage where they were to receive a final briefing before being flown out that night on the full moon.
Fitz couldn’t help wondering if she’d see Sam. Part of her hoped not. She didn’t need any distractions before going out on a mission but another part of her – her heart – desperately wanted to see him. She had to ignore her heart. It hadn’t healed as she hoped it would. Despite being incredibly busy and tired throughout her SOE training, Sam had never been far from her thoughts. He had been her first thought in the morning and her last thought at night. Whoever said, ‘out of sight, out of mind’, clearly had never been in love.
Wilding, and another army officer, headed up the briefing where they went over the final details of the mission but only in as much as what Fitz and André needed to know right atthat moment. They were being flown in behind enemy lines that night, the 21st December, where they were to make contact with a local resistance group in Josselin. All Fitz knew, was that her contact was a woman called Margot and they were to meet at the well behind Château Josselin at noon the next day, the 22nd. Margot would identify herself with the agreed code word.
‘If for any reason you’re unable to make the rendezvous that day, you’re to try again the following day, on the twenty-third,’ instructed Wilding. ‘Try not to mess it up, though. Miss the second rendezvous and you’re on your own. You’ll have to use your initiative to contact Margot. Whatever happens, the kidnap has to happen on Christmas Eve, without fail.’
‘We won’t get another chance like this,’ said the other officer.
‘If all goes well, you’ll be back on the plane to England in time for Christmas dinner,’ said Wilding with a smile.
‘Right, so is that all clear and understood?’ asked the officer.
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Fitz. André confirmed his understanding in the same way.
‘Good,’ said Wilding. ‘Now, get yourselves over to the mess room and someone will call you when it’s time to leave.’ He paused and looked from Fitz to the Frenchman. ‘Good luck, and see you back here in a few days with our guest.’
A jeep whisked them from Tangmere Cottage across the airfield to the mess room. Fitz’s heart was thudding hard. Not because she was frightened of the mission, but because she could well bump into Sam now.
There were only a couple of pilots in the mess room. It was mid-week and an apparently quiet evening. Fitz didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved Sam wasn’t there. She had so many conflicting feelings about him, she felt in a permanent state of unrest. She really needed to focus on the mission. She couldn’t be distracted by thoughts of Sam.
She had been keeping her mind occupied by reading a book for the past hour when the door opened and she looked up to see Bob coming into the mess.
‘Ah, F––’ He managed to stop himself when she quickly put her finger to her lips.
Fitz got up from the chair and indicated to the door.
‘Hello, Bob,’ she said once they were outside. ‘How are you?’
‘Fitz,’ said Bob. He didn’t return her smile and his expression looked serious.
‘Is everything all right?’ asked Fitz, wondering if there was something wrong with the aircraft which meant the mission couldn’t go ahead.
Bob rubbed the back of his buzz-cut. ‘I’ve got something for you.’ He fished into his pocket and brought out an envelope.
Fitz looked down at the airmail letter, which military personnel used to send letters home. This one had no stamp, though, just Fitz’s name. She knew instantly it was from Sam.
