My Name is Eva(24)
Eva hung her head. ‘I suppose you could say he makes absolutely sure nothing gets in the way of him getting the results he wants. Doesn’t mean to say those results are the truth, though.’
‘That’s pretty much what I’ve heard too. He could come unstuck eventually, but for now, he’ll be giving the Allies exactly what they want.’
‘I’ve tried my best,’ Eva said, biting her lower lip. ‘I’ve told him and the others, but no one will listen to me. And now one of the prisoners has died and others are likely to follow, given how they’re being treated. I can’t stay there much longer, I’ve got to get out as soon as I can.’
‘When did you sign up?’
‘I joined the ATS in ’43. August, actually.’
‘So you haven’t done your three years yet.’ He drew on his cigarette and paused. ‘But you could get out early on medical grounds. Fake it, keep going off sick. Or pretend you’re pregnant. That’ll scare them, they’ll have you out on your ear in no time then.’ He winked at her. ‘Think you could do that?’
Eva was shocked for a second, then she laughed. ‘I’d do anything to get away, but won’t that mean seeing a doctor? How will I get them to believe me?’
Brian smiled. ‘You needn’t worry about that. Let me know when you’re ready to move on and I’ll arrange the medical for you.’
As their food and drink arrived, each slice of cake topped with whipped cream, she said, ‘But why are you recruiting here? You haven’t told me what I would be letting myself in for. Though it can hardly be worse than where I am right now.’
Brian was distracted by the food, thanking the waiter, then saying, ‘I guessed they’d give us apple cake again. I think they must have had a good crop this autumn, it’s apple this and apple that everywhere I go. Still, it’s jolly good.’ He passed one of the scalloped porcelain plates to Eva. ‘Now, where were we?’
‘The job, the position you’re recruiting for. What is it?’
‘Ah, yes. It’s a newish outfit. You probably won’t have heard of it.’ He slid a forkful of cake piled with cream into his mouth, then wiped his lips with the napkin as he munched. After a second, he said, ‘What do you think is desperately needed here in this country right now?’
Eva stared at him, her cake untouched. ‘Rebuilding? Restoration of agriculture and industry? I saw how damaged the stations and railways were when I was travelling across Germany. And I know the people are short of food. A driver at our centre told me he and his wife are only getting four pieces of bread a day each.’
Brian shook his head slowly, then said, ‘All of that’s important, yes, but what we also need now is humanity and dignity. In fact, relief and rehabilitation. It’s the most gigantic problem ever seen. Can you believe there’s currently something like eleven million people in this country who didn’t ask to be here? All those poor beggars who survived those ghastly camps and the factories that ran on slave labour.’
‘I had absolutely no idea it was so many.’
‘Poor devils can’t go home without our help. Many have lost their whole family, while others are desperately trying to trace their relatives. Some of them will never get back home, some will choose to emigrate and get away to start a new life. All we can do is feed them, help them get healthy, if that’s ever going to be possible, and sort out their paperwork.’
‘It sounds like it needs a lot of administration and interpretation, as well as supplies and medicine. I can do that. I came to Germany wanting to do my bit and this could be my chance to really help at last.’
‘Good girl! But it won’t be an easy job. These people have suffered terribly. But at least they’ve survived this far and with the right kind of help they may be able to go on to rebuild their lives. But it’s only the displaced people we’re helping, not the Germans themselves.’ He put down his plate with a thump, making the little cake fork jump and clatter. ‘They got themselves into this mess, they don’t deserve our sympathy or our food.’
For a second Eva remembered the ragged children, the women with scarves knotted over their heads, the men in tattered army uniforms. She told herself to stifle her compassion for them and said, ‘Will there be a uniform?’
He laughed. ‘Not particularly. Come as you are. Anyone asks why you’re still in ATS kit, blame it on me.’ Then he gave her his card and told her to phone him once she’d reported sick.
Eva never forgot that interview, nor the disturbing encounter that occurred just as she was leaving the hotel. After agreeing details with Joliffe and thanking him for his hospitality, she walked through the mirrored reception area, smiling properly for the first time in weeks and congratulating herself on using her accumulated cigarette ration to pay one of the regular drivers for the use of the car.
It was going to happen, she would escape Bad Nenndorf. She would call in sick in the morning and adopt a phantom pregnancy, as suggested, to spirit her away from that ghastly place. She was nearly at the entrance with its large glazed doors when she heard a brittle but familiar voice, which sent a piercing chill into her heart: ‘Kuscheck! What the hell are you doing here?’
She turned. To her horror, Colonel Robinson was coming down the sweeping staircase, ahead of the group of men she’d spotted earlier. He strode towards her, heels clicking on the polished stone floor. ‘Well, well, well… What have you been up to? Having a little private assignation, eh?’