The Consequences of Fear, Jacqueline Winspear [most important books to read TXT] 📗

means his feet are killing him,” said Maisie as she rose from the chair and kissed her husband on the cheek, before hurryingalong to the library.

She felt the color drain from her face as she listened to the caller. “Yes—yes, of course. I’ll get him straightaway.” Sheput the receiver down on the desk and ran to the kitchen.

“Maisie, what is it?” Scott’s smile evaporated as he looked up.

“The call is for you, Mark. It’s . . . it’s very serious.”

Maisie reached for her father’s hand.

“I’ll make a cup of tea,” said Brenda, standing up and hobbling toward the stove.

“What’s happened, Maisie?” asked her father.

“I didn’t ask—but I—I know it’s a matter of extreme gravity. It was an American, from the embassy. I could hear it in hisvoice . . . that something is terribly wrong.” She bit her lip.

“Oh love, it’s probably—” Frankie stood up and put his arm around his daughter, just as Scott returned.

“Maisie. Just a minute.” Scott beckoned her from the doorway, his face drawn.

In the library, he closed the door and put his arms around her.

“A car will be here soon to pick me up, Maisie, and—”

“All that way in the blackout? The driver will never get here, and—oh, Mark, what’s happened?”

Maisie felt Scott’s hold become tighter.

“The Japanese have attacked our ships in Hawai’i, at a place called Pearl Harbor. I’m to return to London immediately. Theambassador delayed having embassy staff called back because it was our wedding day, but now we have to leave. We don’t knowhow many are dead yet, but we believe it’ll be in the thousands. About nineteen vessels are gone—half the Pacific Fleet wasin Pearl Harbor.” He released his hold and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “And I know what’s going to happen next.”

“Mark—?”

Scott took both her hands in his own. “We’re in, Maisie. Roosevelt will declare war on Japan, and because they’re an Axispower, it’ll all come down like a house of cards. So we’re in.”

Maisie’s eyes filled with tears. “I—I don’t believe it. Oh Mark—I know it’s what we’ve all talked about—but not like this.”

“Maisie, right now I think everyone at the embassy is borderline terrified. We knew it would happen eventually, that the United States would join the Allies, and we know what we’ve got to do, and we’ll do it—but it doesn’t take away the fear. Controlled fear, that’s what it is—and it can be pretty powerful. Over here the people have been living with it every day for over two years now. We’ll take a leaf out of your book.” He paused to take a deep breath, and when he continued, Maisie heard his tone change, becoming more resolute. “Let me tell you one thing, Maisie—they sure went for us when our guard was down, but they can’t attack America and get away with it. I don’t even know if the Japanese strike is over yet. Reports are still coming in. But you can bet the piper will be paid. The piper is always paid.” He looked around the room. “I could do with a shot of Scotch.”

“I’ll get it.” Maisie poured a glass of whisky and handed it to Scott, watching as he swirled the amber liquid against crystalbefore downing the measure.

“What do you think this means, Mark—for all of us?”

“Time will tell.” He smiled at his bride, a smile Maisie knew was forced. “But I reckon there is one thing you Brits can lookforward to.”

“I can’t think what it might be.”

“You aren’t holding the fort alone any more. You’ve got company coming—at last. And guess what—they’re all like me.”

Author’s Note

It was one of my favorite authors, Susan Isaacs, who in the acknowledgments to one of her novels thanked everyone who hadhelped with her research, and then added (I’m paraphrasing here), “Where their facts didn’t meet my fiction, I have jettisonedthe facts.” With that in mind I must draw readers’ attention to two points in this book where I deliberately followed thelead of the inimitable Ms. Isaacs.

Under orders from Winston Churchill, Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) was founded in July 1940 with the intentionof engaging in warfare that was far from gentlemanly. Specially trained agents were sent to France, among other locations,to set up resistance lines and to commit acts of espionage and sabotage in Nazi-occupied Europe. The first woman to be deployedby the SOE was an American citizen, Virginia Hall, in September 1941. Much has been written about the women of the SOE, butthere were no more “official” deployments of women until 1942. For the sake of this work of fiction I have allowed two femalecharacters to be sent to France as SOE agents in 1941.

I have also taken a liberty with one of my favorite songs, “At Last.” Most readers will be familiar with the gorgeous, smokyversion recorded by Etta James in 1961. The Glenn Miller instrumental version first appeared in the film Sun Valley Serenade in 1941 and was recorded with lyrics in 1942 for the film Orchestra Wives. I wanted that song for one scene in this novel, so I decided to manipulate the facts a bit. As Lee Child notes in his book The Hero, fiction comprises “stories about things that never happened to people who didn’t exist.” Many of the events in my novelsare based on fact, and sometimes, to add depth to the experience of my fictional characters in the midst of those extraordinaryevents, I’ve found it necessary to play with time . . . just a little.

Acknowledgments

Given that I tend to thank a great number of people every time I publish a novel, I will limit myself to just one named resourcefor this book. For the Welsh phrase “Roedd hi'n annwyl iawn,” I knew I had to check with an expert. Fortunately, Anne-Marieand Tim Sweet, my dearest friends since childhood, came to the rescue—Anne-Marie is Welsh, and Tim has roots in the land ofthe red dragon. They immediately contacted Anne-Marie’s coworker, Kath Caldwell, who is not only Welsh but studied the languageat Cardiff University. Thank