swallowed her trepidation. “Thank you, Hermann. They’re very beautiful.”
“Go put the flowers in water, darling.” Elena patted Katia’s hand, the gesture reminiscent of when she hadbeen a child with a hurt that needed soothing. “Then we’ll leave for our outing.”
At the odd note of apology in her mother’s eyes, tears pricked at the back of Katia’s eyes. What was Elena trying to tell her?
Unsure of the meaning behind the undercurrents traveling between them, Katia made herself breathe evenly. “I’ll only be a moment.”
Elena nodded, an obscure smile playing at the edge of her lips. “Good girl.”
Ice clutched around Katia’s heart. This secretive woman was not the mother she knew. Was Elena trying to tell her something? Something only the two of them would understand?
In an attempt to keep her hands from shaking, Katia concentrated on the task her mother had set before her. She filled a vase with water from the kitchen sink, all the while keeping her attention on her guests in the adjoining room. Thankfully, her home had an open floor plan.
As though staged by a seasoned director, Elena remained in plain view while Schmidt idly moved from one room to another. From beneath her lowered lashes, Katia traced his every step.
As he made his way systematically from one end of her house to the other, he ran his index finger along a table, a chair, another table. He craned his neck to look into a room off to his left, another on his right.
Clearly, he wasn’t attempting to be subtle with his search. All the while Katia’s mother simply watched him as though nothing was out of the ordinary with his bold inspection.
Were the two working together? Could Katia not even trust her own mother? A woman with far more to lose than most?
My grace is sufficient.
Even now, Lord? Are You in this room with me now? Or am I alone, like always?
“So,” Katia said, forcing her fingers to arrange the flowers one at a time. “Where do you two want to eat this morning?”
“I think we should go to our favorite little café near the Rathausmarkt, ” Elena said, turning to face Katia directly. “The Engel café. You know the one.”
Katia caught the silent warning in her mother’s eyes.
Sudden fear snapped to life, leaching into her muscles and nearly causing her knees to buckle. Breathe, she told herself. In. Out. In. Out.
But no matter how hard she tried to remain calm, the floor seemed to shift beneath her and she couldn’t stop thinking about the danger her mother was in with her Nazi fiancé.
Swallowing, Katia moved back into the main living area and set the roses on a table near the door. “Yes. Yes. I adore the Engel café. I think that will do nicely.”
Elena nodded at her in…approval?
Unaware of the silent communication between mother and daughter, Schmidt completed his final pass through the living room and stopped at Elena’s side. His eyes held the same glint of fanaticism Katia saw in the most treacherous Nazis of her acquaintance. She had no doubtthe kind of man Schmidt hid under the Kriegsmarine uniform.
The knowledge gave her an odd rush of confidence.
She knew exactly how to deal with monsters like this man.
If she was careful—and Katia was always careful—a relationship with Hermann Schmidt could prove valuable.
Besides, the more she kept an eye on the terrible man, the more she could keep a protective watch over her mother. One thing was certain, something wasn’t right with Elena Kerensky.
Katia had to find out what.
“Now that I’ve put the flowers in water, why don’t we leave for the restaurant?” she suggested.
Elena nodded at her again, her motherly approval as clear as glass this time. “Excellent idea, darling.”
Gathering her handbag and coat, Katia forced her mind to work quickly. This was not the first time she’d been in a dangerous situation like this. In fact, she’d acted this role a hundred times, with a hundred different Nazis like Hermann
“Go put the flowers in water, darling.” Elena patted Katia’s hand, the gesture reminiscent of when she hadbeen a child with a hurt that needed soothing. “Then we’ll leave for our outing.”
At the odd note of apology in her mother’s eyes, tears pricked at the back of Katia’s eyes. What was Elena trying to tell her?
Unsure of the meaning behind the undercurrents traveling between them, Katia made herself breathe evenly. “I’ll only be a moment.”
Elena nodded, an obscure smile playing at the edge of her lips. “Good girl.”
Ice clutched around Katia’s heart. This secretive woman was not the mother she knew. Was Elena trying to tell her something? Something only the two of them would understand?
In an attempt to keep her hands from shaking, Katia concentrated on the task her mother had set before her. She filled a vase with water from the kitchen sink, all the while keeping her attention on her guests in the adjoining room. Thankfully, her home had an open floor plan.
As though staged by a seasoned director, Elena remained in plain view while Schmidt idly moved from one room to another. From beneath her lowered lashes, Katia traced his every step.
As he made his way systematically from one end of her house to the other, he ran his index finger along a table, a chair, another table. He craned his neck to look into a room off to his left, another on his right.
Clearly, he wasn’t attempting to be subtle with his search. All the while Katia’s mother simply watched him as though nothing was out of the ordinary with his bold inspection.
Were the two working together? Could Katia not even trust her own mother? A woman with far more to lose than most?
My grace is sufficient.
Even now, Lord? Are You in this room with me now? Or am I alone, like always?
“So,” Katia said, forcing her fingers to arrange the flowers one at a time. “Where do you two want to eat this morning?”
“I think we should go to our favorite little café near the Rathausmarkt, ” Elena said, turning to face Katia directly. “The Engel café. You know the one.”
Katia caught the silent warning in her mother’s eyes.
Sudden fear snapped to life, leaching into her muscles and nearly causing her knees to buckle. Breathe, she told herself. In. Out. In. Out.
But no matter how hard she tried to remain calm, the floor seemed to shift beneath her and she couldn’t stop thinking about the danger her mother was in with her Nazi fiancé.
Swallowing, Katia moved back into the main living area and set the roses on a table near the door. “Yes. Yes. I adore the Engel café. I think that will do nicely.”
Elena nodded at her in…approval?
Unaware of the silent communication between mother and daughter, Schmidt completed his final pass through the living room and stopped at Elena’s side. His eyes held the same glint of fanaticism Katia saw in the most treacherous Nazis of her acquaintance. She had no doubtthe kind of man Schmidt hid under the Kriegsmarine uniform.
The knowledge gave her an odd rush of confidence.
She knew exactly how to deal with monsters like this man.
If she was careful—and Katia was always careful—a relationship with Hermann Schmidt could prove valuable.
Besides, the more she kept an eye on the terrible man, the more she could keep a protective watch over her mother. One thing was certain, something wasn’t right with Elena Kerensky.
Katia had to find out what.
“Now that I’ve put the flowers in water, why don’t we leave for the restaurant?” she suggested.
Elena nodded at her again, her motherly approval as clear as glass this time. “Excellent idea, darling.”
Gathering her handbag and coat, Katia forced her mind to work quickly. This was not the first time she’d been in a dangerous situation like this. In fact, she’d acted this role a hundred times, with a hundred different Nazis like Hermann
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