Dominion (48 page)

‘Mr Jackson may know more.’

He looked at her, then said, ‘You hate the Fascists, yet you had a German fiancé.’

Natalia’s mouth set firmly. ‘He wasn’t a Nazi. And I wasn’t just his fiancé, I married him. I am actually a German citizen by law. I’m not sure I meet the
race criteria, but we managed to fudge that – that’s the word, isn’t it? Fudge.’ She pointed at her eyes. ‘The Mongols reached the edges of my country, and it was part
of the Turkish empire for centuries. I have some Asian blood from long ago.’ She smiled. ‘I have seen you notice.’ Her expression changed, became hard. ‘The most precious
things in life can just be snatched away from you in a moment. But your wife, we will save her if we can. And she – well, she is your precious thing. Or you would not care so much about
leaving her.’

He looked down. ‘I . . .’ Slowly, he stretched out a hand. He needed the contact, he needed it.

They both jumped as the doorbell rang violently. Natalia’s face worked for a moment, then she nodded quickly at David, got up and went out.

David heard two more pairs of footsteps returning with her: Jackson and Geoff. Jackson seemed angry; there were red spots on his plump cheeks. He was carrying a briefcase which he put on the
table. He looked at David and said heavily, ‘Your chickens have come home to roost, I’m afraid, Fitzgerald.’ He walked over to the fire and stood with his back to it.

‘It’s not David’s fault,’ Geoff protested but Jackson gave him an annoyed glance, took a deep breath, then turned to David. ‘Full story, please.’

David told him, leaving nothing out.

‘The woman, Carol, she was sure one of the policemen was a German?’ Jackson asked.

‘I don’t think she would make a mistake.’

Jackson put his hands behind his back, rocked on his heels, thinking. ‘It’s the Gestapo, working from the embassy with Mosley’s people at Special Branch. It has to be.’
He stared out of the window; it was dark now. He said, in a gentler tone, ‘We’ve sent someone to your house, to pick your wife up. You’re quite sure she knows nothing?’

‘I’ve never given her even the vaguest hint.’

Jackson looked at Natalia. ‘Well, it’s the end of this cell,’ he said heavily. ‘We close everything up here tonight.’

‘What about Dilys?’ Natalia asked.

‘She has to go, too. Tomorrow if she can. I suppose someone in her profession is at an advantage in a way, she can soon find somewhere else, continue working. I almost envy her.’
Jackson looked at David and Geoff. ‘I’m afraid you two are finished as agents. Done. Exposed. On the run. It’s better you both realize that now.’

David turned to Geoff. ‘You, too?’

‘I left this afternoon, when they rang. Besides, I think they were beginning to have doubts about me. Lack of enthusiasm for the settlement programme in Africa; I’ve never been a
brilliant actor. Of course, I didn’t have to act at first, I really did come back because of a broken heart –’ Geoff gave his little bark of laughter – ‘but that was a
few years ago. Anyway, they’ll make the connection between you and me soon enough, it’s no secret we’ve been friends for years.’ He looked at Jackson. ‘I can stick it,
sir, but what about my parents? Is there any chance you could get them away somewhere?’

Jackson shook his head. ‘That’s not the best idea. If they disappear they’ll be hunted, and at their age – well, life with us isn’t easy. They know
nothing?’

‘They wouldn’t approve if they did. My dad’s a Rotarian, they’re both members of the Coalition Conservative Party, even now.’

‘All that will protect them,’ Jackson said. ‘Fortunately the Germans are constrained – still – by the fact we’re not an occupied country. They can’t
just spirit people away if they haven’t done anything. The British authorities like the notion that they’re still in charge. That’s why Muncaster is still at the
asylum.’

‘Is the whole Civil Service spy network under threat?’ David asked quietly.

‘I don’t bloody know!’ Jackson burst out. He began pacing the room. He frowned, turned to David. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘We’re all under
stress.’

Natalia said, ‘David and I think the Germans must have been investigating him because of some lead from Muncaster.’

Jackson shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. We’ve been in touch with our man at the asylum this afternoon. Muncaster’s still not speaking, and nobody’s tried to
interrogate him. Our man thinks Dr Wilson may be trying to protect him. Muncaster’s become a sort of pet patient.’

Geoff asked, ‘Your man? You mean Ben, that Scottish attendant we met?’

‘That’s the name you know him by. We’ve always made contact via shortwave radio. He too is more at risk now.’ Jackson looked at the anxious faces around him, then gave
his sudden disarming smile. ‘I must stop this habit of pacing around, mustn’t I? Bad for everyone’s nerves. Come on, Drax, let’s sit down. I have to tell you all
what’s been decided, what’s going to happen next. And we don’t have much time.’

Jackson took the armchair by the gas fire. He took a deep breath. ‘I’ve spent today having conversations with people at the highest level. The
very
highest level.’ David
wondered if he meant Churchill. ‘And it’s been decided Muncaster is to be taken from the hospital. We’re going to turn this into an opportunity. You three will go, Natalia will
lead you again.’

‘How do we do it?’ she asked.

‘At eleven on Sunday night the attendant, Ben Hall, will fetch Muncaster and bring him to the gates. We’d have liked to go sooner but Hall couldn’t swap a night shift till the
day after tomorrow. The hospital give the patients a sedative to get them to sleep and there’s only the night staff on the wards. Ben has swapped with the nurse on Muncaster’s ward. He
has enough authority within the place to take Muncaster out of his room. Then he brings him out of the building and down to the gate. The problem will be getting Muncaster past the porter’s
lodge, where the keys are. There’s usually only one person on duty there at night, and Ben will have to put him out of action temporarily.’

David said, ‘If Ben’s acting alone, how will he cope with Frank? He could be in a state.’

‘He will give him extra sedation that evening to make sure he’s quiet. Muncaster should just about be able to stagger along if Hall gets the dose right. Let’s hope he does, a
great deal rides on that.’

‘Poor bloody Frank,’ David said again.

‘Poor bloody Frank will be a lot more bloody if the Germans get him.’ A touch of asperity had returned to Jackson’s voice. ‘Hall will bring him out and a car with you
three in it will be waiting by the gates.’

‘It makes sense,’ Geoff said. ‘We’re on the run anyway. We’ve nothing to lose.’ He took his pipe from his pocket, began filling it with tobacco.

‘Exactly,’ Jackson agreed. ‘Afterwards you’ll all go to another safe house some way from the asylum. Hall, too; when the authorities find out what happened they’ll
be after him as well.’ He looked hard at David and Geoff. ‘As Drax says, you’re the ideal people to do this, you’ve been there before and you’ve got to disappear
anyway. But also, it’s easy to foresee possible problems with Muncaster when the drugs wear off. God knows how he’ll react when he finds himself out of the asylum, in a strange place,
guarded by people with guns.’ Jackson looked at David. ‘That’s why it’s important you’re there. If anyone can convince him we’re acting in his best interests,
you can.’

‘And if we get Frank out, what happens then?’ David asked.

‘In a few days an American submarine will enter the English Channel. Muncaster, and you and Drax and Hall, will be picked up. The plan is to get Mrs Fitzgerald there too. Next stop –
if all goes well – New York.’

‘My God,’ David said.

‘We always do our best to get our people out.’ Jackson pointed to his briefcase. ‘I’ve got your false identity cards in there.’

‘Do I stay in England?’ Natalia asked.

‘Yes, if all goes well,’ Jackson answered. ‘Your identity isn’t compromised, and we have other work planned for you.’ He gave her a searching look. ‘Unless,
of course, you’d rather leave, too.’

Natalia glanced at David, then said, ‘No. No, I should stay here.’

‘Good.’ Jackson turned to David and Geoff. ‘Any questions? Comments?’

‘I’ll do it,’ David said. He had done all he could for Sarah now, and Jackson was right, they must try to get Frank out.

Geoff spoke next. ‘Okay. I suppose my parents will never know what’s happened to me,’ he added slowly.

‘I know it’s hard,’ Jackson said. ‘But we all knew that one day we might have to go on the run, never see our loved ones again. It’s the same for all of us. Me,
too.’ He smiled sadly, seeming momentarily as vulnerable as the rest of them.

David thought of Irene, Sarah’s parents. Sarah would probably never see her family again either. Would they be all right? Steve’s Blackshirt connections will help, he thought.

Jackson got up, crossed to the table and opened his briefcase. He pulled out two brown identity cards and handed one each to David and Geoff. David opened his; a couple of years ago he had gone
to a photographer’s to have his picture taken in case he ever needed a fake identity, and here was the photo, impressed with what looked like the Home Office stamp, on a card which named him
as Henry Bertram, of Bushey, Hertfordshire. Married. A civil servant in the Department of Transport.

Jackson said, ‘You’re both down as civil servants, close enough to what you actually do to let you talk convincingly about your work if need be. There are still a lot of police
around in the cities, and some of the roads that lead to the new Jewish camps have roadblocks. It’s possible you might be asked to show your IDs, and a lie is always more convincing the
closer it is to the truth.’ He put his hand on the briefcase again and pulled out a bulky white envelope. ‘There’s one more thing.’ He looked between them, his eyes hard
now. ‘If you get caught by the Germans, it’ll be the full works, I’m afraid, from the Gestapo in the Senate House basement.’

David glanced at Geoff, who took a deep breath as Jackson opened the envelope and carefully tipped two small, circular rubber pellets into his hand. ‘These are cyanide capsules,’ he
said. ‘Natalia knows what they are, she has one. Carry them in your trouser pockets, loose. For God’s sake don’t lose them. If you’re captured, if they’re coming for
you and you know you can’t get away, put the pellet in your mouth. Don’t swallow it, crunch down. There’s a glass phial inside. It’s very quick.’ He held out his hand
and David and Geoff each took a capsule. As he put the thing in his pocket, David thought,
death weighs almost nothing
.

‘We’ve all faced dying, I suppose,’ Jackson said. ‘I was in the trenches in the Great War, Fitzgerald was in the 1940 war and you, Drax, you must have faced some tricky
situations in Africa. It’s a funny thing, I found that in action you always have to be prepared for death; you must keep it in a separate compartment, but you have to be ready to open that
compartment at a moment’s notice, look death squarely in the face knowing it might be the last thing you see.’ He smiled with unexpected awkwardness. ‘I guess every human being
knows they’re going to die one day; everyone has that compartment locked away somewhere. It’s easier if you’ve got religious faith, I suppose.’

David touched the pill in his pocket. He looked across at Natalia but she was staring into the middle distance, her face stony. She had probably had a capsule ready for a long time.

Jackson clapped his hands together, making David jump slightly. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘looking on the bright side, the mission has every chance of success; you could all be heroes.
And if we get you to the States, we’ve an arrangement with our sympathizers there. They’ll get you to Canada, give you new papers as British immigrants.’

David thought, it won’t matter if I’m a half-Jew there. Or not much. I could maybe even get to New Zealand, be with Dad. He wondered if Sarah would come with him, or whether, as he
feared inside, that was all over now. Then he realized something else, and looked up sharply at Jackson. ‘There isn’t a pill for Frank,’ he said.

Jackson shook his head. ‘There’s no guarantee he’d take it. Or he might take it the moment it was given him. If it comes to it, Natalia will be armed and we’d rely on her
to stop Muncaster from being taken.’

David looked at her. She said, ‘David, I have to be the one with the gun. They don’t expect a woman to carry arms. I am experienced and it gives me that little extra element of
surprise.’

‘Which can be useful if you have to act quickly,’ Jackson agreed. He closed his briefcase. ‘Natalia, I’m afraid I’ve got to ask you to prepare to leave within the
half-hour. Just take what personal things you need, and make sure there’s nothing here that could be of use, or lead them to us. I’ve got an address for the three of you to stay the
next couple of nights. Go through and see Dilys first. Tell her to make arrangements to move.’

‘I suppose I have to leave my paintings,’ Natalia said.

‘Yes, I’m afraid so.’ Jackson gave his apologetic smile again. David thought, he respects her, he trusts her. But Geoff and I are underlings and I’ve already failed
once.

Natalia went out, shutting the door quietly behind her. Jackson raised his eyebrows. ‘Well,’ he said. ‘This is it.’

Geoff said, ‘It’ll be strange if Frank Muncaster turns out to know nothing important.’

‘Oh, no,’ Jackson said heavily. ‘We’re pretty sure he does.’

G
UNTHER TOOK THE WOMAN
back to Senate House. In the car she had said nothing although sitting in the back with her, Gunther could feel the trembling of
her body through the leather seat. In her kitchen, when she’d come in and found them, she had stood rigid with shock. Syme had told her she was being arrested on suspicion of being a member
of an illegal organization, that this was a matter of national security. Gunther asked where her husband was and she replied she didn’t know, she would have expected him home from work by
now. Looking at her face Gunther thought,
there’s more to it than that
, and he asked her to give him her handbag and empty her pockets. Then she said, firmly, that she wasn’t
going to say anything else until she had a lawyer present. She added primly that she was sorry if that seemed discourteous, which made Syme laugh. After that she didn’t say another word.