Page 55 of The Secrets We Left Behind
Elise went to open her mouth and scold Cate, but then promptly shut it as Adelaide laughed and grabbed hold of her arm.
“So that’s why you were so prickly at the table,” Addy teased. “You should have told me you were sweet on him.”
Cate grinned and mouthed “Sorry” from behind Adelaide, and Elise raised her eyebrows in response and swatted at her sister, wondering if it would have been better to tell her the truth about their discussion than have to put up with the endless teasing.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ADELAIDE
Adelaide stared up at the ceiling, listening to her sister breathing in bed beside her. They’d taken to sleeping together ever since the others had arrived, and she liked it. It reminded her of when she’d been younger, and Elise had always tiptoed down to her room, knowing she hated being alone in the dark. The past few days had made everything feel so different and uncertain, and even though they’d argued for the first time since their guests had joined them, she still wanted Elise close by.
Wolfgang. She turned his name over in her mind, over and over again, trying to figure out what she actually felt for him. Was he the monster her sister kept insisting he was?Washe the man who’d given the order that day? It had been impossible for them to see; all the soldiers had had their backs to them, but why would Harry lie? After walking with Wolfgang, being in his company, everything had started to feel blurred and she didn’t know what she felt or even what she should believe. It was as if she couldn’t reconcile the allegations with the person she’d spent time with.
She was scared of him, excited by him, attracted to him and horrified by what he stood for. His uniform alone marked him asbeing so different from her and the values she’d grown up with. Her father had had time for everyone, and would invite anyone to the dinner table; he didn’t care what religion they followed or where they came from, he just liked anyone with a story to tell over wine and good food.
Papa would be so angry with me.She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to hear his voice in her head, trying to push him away. Because the Nazis only wanted one sort of person in this world, which was the opposite of what her father had wanted.
She’d been honest yesterday when she’d told Elise that she wanted to use Wolfgang, to distract him from what was really going on. But there was also a part of her that wanted to see him again—that was kind of thrilled to be seeing him again, to feel that unfamiliar flutter in her stomach as she walked beside one of the most handsome men she’d ever met, in his immaculately tailored uniform, basking in the way he looked at her.
It was so wrong, she knew that, but she actually liked the cat-and-mouse game. For the past year, everything had been sad. First Louis, then her parents, and now ... Her eyes flew open again. Now they had people hiding in their home and she’d caught the eye of a Nazi soldier. It was exhilarating, and she couldn’t pretend that she didn’t like his interest in her. Suddenly she was feeling excited about being alive again, about the people she was spending time with.
She rose and got dressed, going into the bathroom and fixing her hair and splashing some water on her face before heading downstairs. No one else was up yet, and she moved quietly around the kitchen, deciding to make bread and humming to herself as she worked. Oscar came padding in and yawned at her before lying near her feet, and she smiled down at the little dog, pleased to have him for company.
“You’re up early.”
Adelaide got such a fright she almost jumped out of her skin, and found Cate standing behind her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Cate apologized.
“It’s fine, I was just lost in my thoughts, that’s all.”
Cate sat down at the table, and Addy washed her hands and lifted the big kettle to fill it with water.
“Coffee?”
“Please.”
Addy busied herself with making it before finally taking both steaming mugs to the table and sitting across from Cate. She was a beautiful woman, with a wide mouth and warm brown eyes, and the way her fringe brushed almost all the way to her eyelashes gave her a shy look that made her seem more vulnerable than she probably was. She’d seen with her own eyes how capable Cate was when she needed to be.
“How’s Jack?” Addy asked.
“He’s fine. There’s no infection, and he seems good within himself, but we’re not out of the woods yet. I’m just pleased he has somewhere safe to recuperate.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” She’d secretly wondered if Cate and Jack’s relationship went further than simply nurse and patient, but she wasn’t about to ask.
“Elise told me that you’re seeing the commander again today,” Cate said. “How are you feeling about that?”
She didn’t say it with any malice, but Adelaide still felt defensive. “I’m feeling just fine about it.”
Cate frowned. “I’m not judging you, Adelaide. Please don’t think that I asked for any reason other than I’m curious. I actually admire you for being so brave.”
Addy’s eyebrows shot up. “You do?” Cate had walked in the dark, with only a wounded soldier for protection, in a desperatebid to save her and Jack’s life. Adelaide certainly hadn’t expected to be the one called brave.
“Elise is worried about you, and to be honest I’d feel the same if you were my little sister. You’re all she’s got left.”
Addy nodded. “I know. Honestly, I do. She’s just, well, she’s used to telling me what to do, that’s all.”
“And this time you want to be the one making your own decisions?”
