The Iron Storm by CW Browning (classic literature books TXT) 📕

unite under him, and if that’s the case, then they’ll look to someone else. It’s nothing definite, you understand, but it will make it an interesting thing to follow. They’re debating again today, and it’s getting very heated. I think Chamberlain will have no choice but to step aside. The only question is when, and who will replace him? 

Rob and I went down to the pub last night with the Yank. The poor man is very confused about how our government is run. He can’t imagine a world where the King appoints a Prime Minister. It must all seem very strange over here to him. You know, I never really considered before now, but it’s a very noble and honorable thing the Yank is doing. He doesn’t have to be over here, fighting in our war, but he is. I wonder if all the Americans are as eager for a fight as a rule? I know they’re determined to stay out of it this time around, but Chris says that if push comes to shove, there are many more like him who will help us. He said that even though their Senate won’t approve aid now, he thinks they will be forced to in the end. Did you know he had to go to Canada to volunteer for the RAF? Interesting story, that is. If you ever meet him, you must ask him to tell you. I think you’ll enjoy it. 

I’d best turn off the light now and get to sleep. We’re off to an early start again in the morning. There are two new pilots that arrived today and Rob and I are taking them up first thing. They seem like good enough chaps. We’ll see how they are in the cockpit. 

Always yours,

FO Miles Lacey

RAF Duxford

Dorchester Hotel, London

Bill watched as the waiter left the table and then looked across the white linen tablecloth and crystal glasses at Jasper, his face creasing into a frown.

“What? Are you sure?”

“Positive. He reported the letter missing last night. He believes it was mislaid a few days ago, most likely on Monday.”

Bill rubbed his forehead and was betrayed into uttering a muttered curse.

“Precisely.” Jasper pulled a cigarette case from his inside pocket and held it out to him, selecting one for himself when Bill shook his head. “The bloody fool took it home with him and thinks he left it on the bench in the station.”

“And it had all the names of the new agents on the continent?”

“Just about. He says it named the four newest and their locations.”

“And anyone can have that information now.” Bill let out another expletive. “It’s not bad enough that we have a spy here in London that we can’t find, now we have to worry about our own chief intelligence officers?”

“It would appear so.” Jasper cleared his throat. “We’ll need to warn them, of course. One of them is in your network, and he’ll need to alerted as soon as possible. The last thing we need is to lose the entire network in France that you’ve worked so hard to build, especially now.”

Bill waved a hand vaguely and reached for his drink. “Yes, yes. I’ll take care of it just as soon as I get back to the office. Of all the rotten luck!”

“I’m afraid it had more to do with gross negligence rather than luck.” Jasper was quiet for a moment, smoking his cigarette and staring pensively across the restaurant towards the entrance. After puffing thoughtfully, he shifted his gaze to Bill’s face. “Did you see the summary report released by the War Department the other day?”

Bill snorted. “The one that says that they’ve seen no evidence that an invasion is imminent? Yes. I saw it.”

“That’s their official stand, you know. There isn’t enough evidence to make them believe that Hitler is going to move against France anytime soon. They do admit that some action is to be expected in the immediate future, of course, but they don’t believe it will come in the form of an invasion of France.”

“What then? Do they think Hitler is going to be content with Norway and Poland?”

“I don’t think anyone thinks that Hitler is finished, but given the lack of evidence...”

“Lack of evidence?” Bill stared at him. “That’s all we’ve given them is evidence! Report after report from agents across Belgium and Holland, all showing troops shifting and moving all over Germany. What more do they want? Why, even His Holiness the Pope is sending intelligence reports from the Vatican to Brussels and The Hague, stating that an invasion is imminent!”

“The Pope!” Jasper scoffed, waving his hand impatiently. “And where is he getting his intelligence from? A Catholic lawyer from Germany?”

“Not just any Catholic lawyer. Dr. Joseph Müller. He’s a close associate of General Beck, in Berlin.” Bill leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I have it on very good authority that the information he carried to Rome was sent directly from the General.”

“Nonsense. Why would one of Hitler’s General’s release information on their offensive plans? It would be suicide.” Jasper stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. “It’s clearly a ruse by the Germans to misdirect us with false information. They’re flooding Europe with false rumors and hearsay now just as they did before Norway. That’s why the War Department has dismissed it.”

“Yes, just as they dismissed the intelligence reports regarding the attack on Norway,” Bill said disgustedly, sitting back in his chair. “If you’ll recall, we received similar reports for weeks leading up to the invasion of Norway, and from the same sources I’ll add, and they turned out to be correct. They weren’t the false information everyone said they were; they were the truth. And Hitler moved sooner rather than later, exactly as the intelligence said he would.”

Jasper looked at him, his lips tightening at the reminder of the failure to anticipate the invasion that was now causing such division and chaos in Parliament. He was silent for a long moment, then he sighed heavily.

“It’s