Page 49 of Hearts of Resistance
Hazel didn’t say that every area would be new as they crept from Rose’s former vacation house towards some woodland, about to pass other houses that could just as easily be home to foes as friends. But it seemed they had no other option.
‘We’ll stop when we can to radio Paris, but we have to move fast,’ Sophia said briskly. ‘I don’t want our location discovered.’
Hazel glanced behind, saw how hard it was for Harry to walk, but she could also see how determined he was and she admired that. A lesser man would have collapsed within moments, unable to grit his teeth and push past the pain to keep moving.
‘If he holds us up...,’ Sophia murmured, for her ears only.
Hazel nodded. ‘I understand. We keep moving.’
Sophia was clearly in charge of their little group; Hazel could tell that already, and she wasn’t about to challenge a woman who had such a formidable reputation. If she’d survived this long, chances were she’d be able to get them all to safety, too.
They walked and walked, keeping a steady pace, until eventually the darkness completely engulfed them. Any moonlight there was earlier had slowly disappeared behind wisps of clouds that had turned thick. It was too dangerous to continue.
‘Stop here,’ Sophia ordered.
Hazel tripped on a tree root or something sticking out of the ground, and was happy to stop walking. She could hear Harry’s laboured breath behind them, although he’d been keeping up remarkably well, and she guessed he’d collapse the moment he was given permission to.
‘What happened?’ Hazel asked, staring at Sophia’s silhouette. ‘Why did we have to leave like that? Is Samuel safe?’ She was full of questions after so many hours walking in silence.
Sophia turned her back and spoke without so much as looking over her shoulder, ignoring her questions. ‘We need to secure the area, make something to shelter us all. Rose and Hazel, gather anything you can.’ She looked around. ‘As soon as it’s light enough for you, you need to get that radio working.’
Hazel took that as her dismissal and knew she wasn’t about to find out anything any time soon. ‘What exactly do you expect us to find to make a shelter with?’ she asked. They could barely see, let alone forage, and there were plenty of trees around to lean against.
‘We need to save our energy,’ Rose chimed in. ‘Let’s just hunker down here by these trees and move on before daybreak.’
‘We’re sitting ducks, especially with him,’ Sophia replied. ‘We’ll have to move off the moment we have a slither of light.’
Hazel thought of the pill she’d been given, the one that could keep her awake for an extended stretch if she needed it to, but then she was certain it was supposed to be kept for far more dangerous situations than this. It was as much a comfort in her pocket as a worry.
‘We all stay awake and rest then, to conserve our energy,’ Sophia said, moving further away so they all had to follow her. ‘Lean against a tree, have something to eat, and stay alert.’
Hazel did as she was told, trying to ignore Harry’s grunts as he used his makeshift crutch. She’d help him once they were settled, but she didn’t want to be accused of having a weakness. Sophia clearly had very high expectations, and she wasn’t about to disappoint her.
She took her bag off and placed it beside her, more careful with the radio as she delicately set it down. Hazel leaned against the tree, pleased when Harry dropped beside her.
‘How are you doing?’ she asked.
‘I feel amazing,’ he grunted out, panting as if he’d run the entire way. She supposed he felt like hehad, given the exertion he’d put himself through to keep up with them as they fled.
She held up a hand, touched it to his forehead and bit back her frustration. He was sweating profusely, too sick to be on the move, and she hated to think what damage he’d done to his leg already.
‘How are the ribs faring?’ she asked.
‘I’ll be fine after a rest. Don’t go worrying about me.’
But she was. There was something about him that made her want to take care of him, to worry about him. Only she wasn’t in France to nurse; she was here to make communications. Her job was to be the link between cells, to pass on vital information. That was her role, what she’d trained for, and she had to prioritise that above anything else, including her personal feelings.
She made herself as comfortable as she could, trying to make her body rest even though her heart was still pounding.
‘We’re going to have to talk freely,’ Rose said, her soft voice even lower than usual. They all knew how easily sound could travel, especially conversation in the middle of the night. ‘Harry, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and trust you. But if you cross us?’ She paused and Hazel listened, waiting for what she knew was going to come next. ‘One of us will end your life without a second thought. We’re all trained and capable, so take my word for it.’
Harry cleared his throat, probably so he could trust his voice to work. ‘I wouldn’t expect anything less.’
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ROSE
Her back hurt, her feet were aching and Rose wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and sleep. It had already been a long night, creeping towards the water, taking the long journey under the moonlight to get Samuel to safety, and every bone in her body was screaming at her to give up. But giving up wasn’t in her vocabulary any more, not now that she’d become part of the Resistance. She was too proud to back down from her word, and too stubborn to stop doing something that she’d set her mind to. Besides, she was certain Peter was up there somewhere, looking down on her and smiling to himself about his courageous, capable wife. It was an idea that always made her smile, and gave her the strength to keep going every time she’d longed to walk away and find somewhere to hide until the war was over. She wasn’t sure if he’d be furious or heartened that she’d stepped up to support the Resistance, but he would definitely be proud.
