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

if it doesn’t, there’s always Fred willing to ferry me around,” she assured him. “I had it for two months. It’s your turn.”

“I don’t care who has it or when, but she’ll need an oil change in another few weeks, so make sure to bring it back so that I can do it,” Wallace said with the familiarity of a man who had watched them both grow from toddlers into the adults they were today. “It can probably use some new plugs as well.”

“You’re too good to us, Wallace.”

“Well, I can’t have either of you breaking down at the side of the road while there’s a war on, now can I?” Wallace said gruffly. “What would Mr. Ainsworth say?”

“Not much, I’m afraid,” Evelyn quipped, only to receive a stern look from the chauffer. “Oh Wallace, don’t look at me like that. You know I miss him dreadfully.”

The stern look softened and Wallace grunted.

“You be careful out there, Master Robbie,” he said, nodding to Rob. “I’ll see you when you come to visit again.”

“Thank you. Take care of yourself.”

The chauffer nodded and picked up his tool box, turning to walk in the opposite direction back to the garage near the stables. Evelyn watched him go, then looked up at Rob.

“What would we do without him?” she asked.

“God knows!” he exclaimed, releasing her arm and walking towards the door of the sports car. “Do you know I had to assure him that I had no intentions of letting him go after Dad died. He actually thought I’d want to bring in someone younger. Can you believe it? As if I’d ever replace Wallace!”

“Heavens no! He’s taught us everything we know about cars!”

“Exactly!” Rob opened the door and leaned down to toss his cap onto the passenger seat. “I’m glad that it wasn’t anything serious, though. It would have been a nuisance when I’m on my way to collect Slippy.”

“Why do you call him Slippy?” Evelyn asked. “Miles has mentioned him as well, and I’ve always wondered.”

“Lord, I don’t know,” he confessed with a grin. “That’s what the others call him, so I just followed suit.”

Evelyn smiled and looked up at him, leaning against the car carelessly. A wave of panic suddenly gripped her, tightening her chest as she gazed into his grinning his face.

“Oh Robbie, I’ve missed you,” she blurted out, the words surprising her almost as much as they surprised him. “It feels like it’s been years since I’ve seen you.”

“Well, it’s been a few months, but hardly years,” he said. “This is nothing new for us. I didn’t see you for two years while you were in China and I was at Oxford.”

“Yes, but that was different. I was younger and we weren’t as close as we are now. I suddenly feel as if I’m losing everyone. First it was Dad, and now I’m afraid I’ll lose you as well.” Evelyn swallowed painfully, thinking of Peder being gunned down in a ravine outside of Steinkjer. “Life seems to be getting shorter, somehow.”

Rob studied her soberly for a long moment, his eyes probing hers.

“Evie, what’s wrong?” he finally asked. “Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”

“What? No. Why do you say that?”

“You’ve changed.” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “And no, it’s not just that you look half-starved these days. It’s something else. What is it?”

Evelyn suddenly wished she could tell him about Peder, and the nameless man - or men - that she’d killed on that dark mountainside. She wished she could tell him about the German assassin who was looking for her, or the spy in London who was keeping the SS apprised of her every move. But she couldn’t. He could never know what she was really doing for her country. No one could.

“I don’t know.” She shook her head, trying to find something that was close to the truth. “I suppose I’m just beginning to realize that we’re in for a long, hard time of it with this war. So many people have already died, and more will follow. It’s inevitable. Hitler won’t stop. Not now. And I don’t think it will be as easy to keep him out of France as everyone seems to think. The Maginot Line isn’t even finished, and the Germans aren’t stupid. They know they can’t attack it directly.”

“No, but they still have to go through it,” Rob said. “I don’t know if it will hold, but the Huns will still be up against both our army and the French army. It would take a miracle for them to just walk into France.”

Evelyn was silent and he sighed, straightening up and setting his hands on her shoulders.

“We’ll get through this, Evie. It might not be pretty, but we’ve never backed down from a fight, either of us. We’ll make it through this one too.”

She raised her eyes to his, her lips trembling briefly before she took a deep breath and nodded.

“You’re right. We will,” she agreed, her voice a mere whisper.

“That didn’t sound at all convincing,” he said. “Don’t you back out on me now. I’m not about to go down fighting alone, especially when my sister is lethal with her hands.”

Evelyn choked on a laugh and shook her head. “Not just my hands,” she murmured.

“Even more reason to stay in the fight!” he said promptly. Then, with a smile, he pulled her into a hug. “We’ll see each other more often,” he promised over her head. “You’re right about that. There’s no reason we can’t meet for drinks or dinner every few weeks. I’ll make a better effort to make it happen.”

Evelyn pulled away and smiled up at him. “I’d like that. You remind me that I’m still me, somehow.”

Rob tilted his head and looked at her curiously. “Well who else would you be?” he demanded. “You say the strangest things lately.” He looked at his watch and shook his head. “I really must go. I’ll see you soon, all right?”

“All right. I meant it when I said