CHAPTER FOUR

IF HE SAYS NO, THEN RECONSIDERS…

PART 1

After an unpleasant and embarrassing confrontation with Major von dem Eberbach in a local tavern that ended with the order, “Stay away from me,” Anna had done her utmost to do just that. It had been difficult at times, but not impossible. On those occasions when contact was unavoidable, such as when classified materials had to be hand delivered to the fifth floor, she acknowledged the Major’s presence as she did with any other superior officer.

Days passed. Then weeks. The rumors persisted.

In early summer, Anna found herself being dragged to yet another social gathering, this time in Köln. The only reason she agreed to attend was because her father had asked. He and several other “tycoons,” as she liked to call them, were being honored for their contributions to the business world in general and the economy of West Germany in particular. The award was apparently quite prestigious and her father had been speechless when he received the news that he was to be one of the recipients.

As much as Anna hated playing the aging debutante, she was not about to disappoint her father. He so rarely asked her to attend any such functions, knowing how she disliked them. She swallowed her pride and went along, trying not to think about what a contradiction this was to her stand as a modern woman. She could play the dutiful daughter for one evening if it meant making her father deliriously happy.

When the evening finally arrived, Anna stood at the front door of her parent’s home. She was always the first one ready to leave, and tonight was no exception. She could not help but smile as her mother fussed over her father’s bow tie one last time before going on to smooth out the material of his tuxedo for what seemed the hundredth time.

The banquet and awards ceremony were not as boring as Anna anticipated. She was quite surprised when she realized that she was actually enjoying herself. Even her mother seemed less overbearing, having taken her focus off her daughter and placing it squarely onto her husband.

Anna made her way to the bar through the crowded banquet room, having to weave her way through the various knots of individuals engaged in animated conversations. She was within a few yards of her destination when she noticed it was mobbed. Great. This will take forever. God, I need a drink. She let her shoulders drop, only to come automatically to attention when a very familiar voice suddenly said from behind her, “Fräulein Schmidt.” She did not even have to turn around to know who had spoken. Major von dem Eberbach.

Anna drew a deep breath and turned to face him. The Major was dressed impeccably in a tuxedo and Anna blinked when she realized he didn’t have a cigarette in his mouth. She was equally surprised that he didn’t appear to be angry. Then she remembered where they were. It’s a social function. He’s playing the gentleman again. Thank God for small mercies.

“Good evening, Herr von dem Eberbach,” she said finally, forcing a smile onto her face and wishing that she had gotten her drink. Screw the drink, the whole damn bottle! “I didn’t expect to see you here,” Anna went on to say in as even a tone as possible.

“Indeed.”

Anna lowered her voice so as not to be overheard by anyone close by. “My father is one of the award recipients, sir. I could hardly refuse his invitation. It would’ve broken his heart.”

The Major’s inscrutable expression did not change. Before he could reply, however, Anna’s father appeared beside her.

“Anna, what’s taking so long? Your mother’s looking for you,” he said calmly.

Anna sighed heavily and closed her eyes. She forced another smile onto her face and turned. “I couldn’t get near the bar, Papa.”

Her father suddenly seemed to register the Major’s presence and gave him an appraising look. “And who is this handsome young man?” he asked, giving his daughter a sideways glance.

Anna could not prevent the horrified look from coming to her face. The Major stiffened visibly but was more successful at controlling his expression.

“This is Herr—Major Klaus von dem Eberbach, Papa,” Anna said in her best social tone. “Major, my father, Eric Schmidt.”

“Herr Schmidt. Congratulations on your award,” the Major said politely, shaking the man’s hand.

“Anna! Eric! What are you—?” Anna’s mother appeared, her face going from annoyed to elated in the blink of an eye. “Oh! Herr von dem Eberbach, isn’t it?”

As if you didn’t know,Anna thought as she turned to her mother.

“Frau Schmidt,” the Major replied, wishing for what seemed the hundredth time that evening that he were in a third world country.

“Anna has told us so much about you, hasn’t she, Eric?”

The Major’s eyes grew wide, his expression darkening. Anna’s mouth dropped open and she found herself wishing she knew how to faint. Had she known the Major’s thoughts, she would have agreed that a third world country looked very inviting at that moment.

Eric was oblivious to either of these reactions, his attention focused solely on his wife. “Has she, Rena? I don’t—”

Anna’s mother gave a false laugh, squeezing her husband’s arm hard at the same time. “Of course she has…” she said through clenched teeth.

“Mother,” Anna said in a very firm voice, “Major von dem Eberbach is a superior officer. Are you trying to get me sent before a disciplinary committee?” She quickly turned to the unnervingly silent Major. “I apologize, sir, my mother obviously has you confused with someone else.”

“Eberbach,” Eric suddenly said in a thoughtful tone. “I knew an Eberbach during the war.”

“I have many relatives, Herr Schmidt,” the Major replied politely, although he seriously doubted that any of them would have served in the Canadian Armed Forces, or, in the case of Anna’s father, the British Armed Forces.

Rena Schmidt gave a theatrical moan, rolling her eyes. “Oh, Eric, please. I’m sure the last thing Herr von dem Eberbach wants to hear is your war stories.”

While this was indeed true, the Major did not reply. He was too busy trying to keep his head from spinning. Had he known Anna’s thoughts, he would have gladly split a whole bottle from the bar.

Rena was waving a hand in the air. “You’re here because of your business accomplishments, not because you spent a few years in those ugly, smelly tanks.”

“Tanks?” The word was out of the Major’s mouth before he even realized. He suddenly felt three pairs of eyes on him. “You were in an armored division, Herr Schmidt?”

“I was a mechanic in the Royal Tank Corp. I even had the honor of meeting General Montgomery once,” Eric said proudly.

“An honor indeed, sir.”

Eric turned to his wife. “There, you see? Not everyone in this country is ashamed of the past.”

Anna felt her heart in her mouth. She could not believe her father was capable of so boorish a remark. The expression that came to the Major’s face sent a chill down her spine. She knew that look of forced patience, having seen it dozens of times while delivering files to the fifth floor. “Papa, I think we’ve taken up enough of Herr von dem Eberbach’s time,” she said urgently. To her astonishment, the Major shook his head.

“Not at all. My father was a Tank Commander in the National Defense Army,” the Major informed. “I’m sure he’d be delighted to speak with someone who appreciates the beauty of polished steel, such as yourself.”

Eric’s face lit up. “Your father’s here?”

“Yes, sir.” Klaus turned his gaze across the room. “One of your fellow award recipients is an old friend of his. Please, allow me to introduce you and your lovely wife.” He did not wait for a reply, turning on his heel to lead the way across the room.

Within minutes, Eric was chatting happily with the senior von dem Eberbach. The Major offhandedly remarked that his father had always speculated on which open country tank was the fastest. This was enough to spark an animated conversation. Rena sighed and looked up, giving her daughter a long-suffering look. Before Anna could say anything, the Major said, “You look pale, Fräulein. Perhaps you should get some fresh air.”

Anna gave him a startled look. “Major, what’re you doing?” she asked in a low voice.

“I need a word with you privately, Lieutenant,” he replied in an equally low voice, offering his arm.

Anna felt all the blood drain from her face. Suddenly the idea of standing before a disciplinary committee did not look so bad. Not compared to the reprimand she felt certain she was about to receive.

“Anna!” Rena gasped. “What on earth is the matter? You’re as white as a sheet.”

“Some fresh air will take care of that, Frau Schmidt,” Klaus said sternly. He looped his arm around Anna’s and practically dragged her from the room.

The instant they were outside, Anna tried to pull away but was pulled further along to an unoccupied area of the patio. “Major,” she said in as forceful a tone as she could manage, “we’re not on duty. Please take your hands off me or I’ll let out a scream that will take the wallpaper off the walls and have you trying to explain why Iron Klaus is manhandling a woman.”

Klaus gave her a stricken look and instantly released his grip, going on to take an alarmed step back.

“Now, Major,” Anna went on, surprising even herself with her forcefulness, “as I said before, my mother spoke out of turn. That’s all.” The Major’s face became amazingly passive and she felt her heart in her mouth. Oh God, now I am in for it.

After a long silence, he gave a grunt and nodded. “Sit,” he ordered, going on to light a cigarette.

Anna remained rooted to the spot. “Am I going to be reprimanded for this?”

Klaus gave her a steady look. “Reprimanded? As you said, we’re off duty.”

“No, I mean for disobeying the order you gave me to stay away from you.”

“I would prefer that that particular order, and the circumstances surrounding it, not be made public, Lieutenant.”

"As would I.”

Again, Klaus nodded approvingly. “I had your background checked. You have extensive intelligence training, although no real field experience,” he began calmly.

“You…” Anna blinked. “You had my personnel file pulled? Why?”

The Major’s eyebrows went up. “You know about that?”

“I work in the Records Department. If your jacket is pulled, you hear about it. I’m up for promotion to First Lieutenant. I thought it was to do with that.”

Klaus took a drag on his cigarette, but did not reply.

“Wait a minute…” Anna could feel herself becoming very angry as she realized something. “You’re the one who’s been checking into my background, aren’t you?”

Klaus stiffened slightly at the accusing tone. He was not used to having his actions questioned, least of all by junior officers. “Yes. You’re not the first woman to suddenly appear out of nowhere, Fräulein Schmidt. And your…proposal seemed—”

“Too good to be true?”

“Contrived.”

“What?”

“You’ve had intelligence training. You know the first trick for getting information from an agent is to send someone in to get close to them.”

Anna’s mouth dropped open. “You think I’m a double agent? The KGB?”

“No, not KGB. But my Chief has tried more than once to have me…domesticated.”

“And you thought that’s why I was at Schloss Eberbach? To trap you?”

“Until I looked at your file—”

“You bloody, condescending, son of a bitch!”

“Lieutenant!”

“Don’t you Lieutenant me, Herr von dem Eberbach,” Anna snapped back, now shaking with rage. “I have half a mind to slap you across the face! I suggested letting rumors fly, nothing more. What makes you think that I would have the slightest interest in getting close to you? Just because my mother is throwing me at you doesn’t mean I’m cooperating with her.” She waved a hand in disgust before finally sitting down. She pulled a cigarillo from her purse and lit it, taking a long drag on it.

Klaus was stunned by this unexpected outburst and gave her a moment to calm down, being inwardly glad the scene had not progressed further. He was uncertain as to whether he should be offended or relieved by Anna’s adamant declaration. He decided on the latter when he realized that he was elated. This would make the plan he had in mind that much easier to deal with.

A small smile curled the edges of the Major’s mouth. “Then, perhaps it’s best that I didn’t inform you of the reasons I investigated your backgrounds,” he said mildly.

Anna looked up, her eyes narrowing. Damn the man and that inscrutable expression of his! Now what’s he up to? “No, go ahead,” she said at last. “You’re probably going to tell me anyway,” she added, sitting back in her chair.

“Perhaps I should also request that you hold your temper until after I’ve finished,” he said evenly.

Anna gave him a sideways glance and could not help but smile. “No promises.”

Klaus lit another cigarette and fell into a thoughtful silence. He had hoped to handle this conversation in the same manner as a briefing. Obviously, that plan had gone straight to hell, and he was going to have to use a different tactic. “I won’t deny that the current rumors are…disconcerting,” he began slowly. “But I have noticed a reduction in the number of…of…”

“Gigglers?” Anna ventured.

Klaus nodded. “Yes, gigglers. And their mothers. Apparently, your assessment of what would happen was quite correct and mine was in error.”

Anna scowled. “Wait a minute, are you telling me you’ve decided you want the rumors now?”

Klaus took a drag on his cigarette. How he hated anything even remotely resembling domestic matters. And what he was about to suggest was about as domestic as it came. He gave the woman before him a piercing look. “What I am suggesting, Fräulein Schmidt, is an escalation of current events. An all out campaign.”

“An all out…?” Anna scowled. “Do you mean…?” Her eyes grew wide and she caught her breath. “You want to make it look real?”

“Yes. Make it look real.”

Anna sat staring, her mouth open. It took several minutes before she felt she could speak coherently again. “Before we even get into the practical end of this, Major, I am a junior officer,” she objected. “Won’t there be…ramifications?”

The Major snorted, waving a hand in the air. “My Chief will be delirious.”

“So will my mother.”

“Exactly.”

“This is crazy! The instant my mother gets wind of this, she’ll be planning my wedding within hours.”

“Let her.”

Anna was horrified. “What!”

“Let her,” the Major repeated. “Agree to whatever she says.”

“Are you out of your mind? She’ll probably want to have a huge society affair somewhere ridiculously exotic, like Tahiti.”

Klaus’s eyes flickered. “I’ve never been to Tahiti,” he said mildly, taking another drag of his cigarette.

Anna put a hand to her head. “I feel very dizzy all of a sudden.”

“Are you going to faint?”

“I never faint.”

“Good.” He nodded approvingly. “My father has already informed me that I’m to have a small private wedding in the Schloss.”

Anna looked up. This was getting more bizarre as it went. “He’s already planned it?”

“My father is a very practical man.”

“Obviously.” Suddenly Anna realized exactly what the Major was alluding to. “You believe my mother and your father will be so busy disagreeing with one another, they’ll leave us in peace, don’t you?”

“That is exactly what I believe.”

Anna sat staring into space.

“Do you agree to this operation?”

Anna returned to reality and looked up. Then she threw a quick glance over to the gathering. “Um, Major, just one thing. Would you mind telling me how this conversation went from verifying rumors to wedding plans?”

Klaus stiffened visibly. Somehow, in the midst of laying out his plan, a marriage proposal had inadvertently been added to the mix.

“No offence,” Anna went on to say, “but…you’re really no my type.”

This was quite possibly the best news Klaus had heard all year. “Lieutenant, I’m trying to plan a covert operation, not a…romantic entanglement. If you’re going to act like a silly female, then there’s no purpose in even proceeding.”

Anna sat back, giving him a steady look. “I suppose I deserve that after threatening to scream earlier.”

Klaus responded with a disapproving snort.

Anna fell silent again, thinking things over very carefully. After several minutes, she looked up, seeing a passive expression on the Major’s face. “I take it you’re the one who’ll be running this… operation?”

“You object to that?”

“Only in principle, Major. You’re the one with the expertise.”

Klaus gave a grunt of approval. “Then you agree to this mission, Lieutenant?”

Anna met the Major’s gaze steadily. “I’m not…entirely sure what my role is, sir. You don’t want me fawning all over you, I hope.”

It was all Klaus could do not to shudder. “No.”

“Good. I’m not the fawning type. So…what do I do, exactly?”

“You do exactly as I instruct you. We will meet for dinner—in a very public place—in two days time. I’ll brief you on the next step then.”

“Two days.”

The Major nodded. “I’ll call you with the exact time and place.” He then offered his arm. “Now, we begin the campaign…”