Doctor Who_ Just War - Lance Parkin [30]
— not just crime and injustice, but pure, stark evil. I’ve gone through a lot in the last couple of years: I’ve been stabbed, tortured, starved, blasted, mauled, betrayed, absorbed, poisoned, possessed, lacerated, bruised, conscripted, electrocuted, impregnated, drugged, abandoned, abused, battered, probed, burnt. Blown up, shot down, kicked in, thrown out. I’ve done it all. I even died once. But I always bounced back within a couple of weeks, ready for my next exciting new adventure. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but bones mend if you’re young enough and you’ve got a good doctor. This time it’s different.
‘It’s over.’
Celia had been crying for the last hour. Sobbing, trying to speak but unable to form the words. Ma Doras had cradled her in her arms, and Celia had sobbed like a baby. Now, Ma watched as the younger woman wiped her eyes and sat up.
‘I have to go, I’m putting you at risk.’
‘Nonsense, dear.’ Ma Doras poured herself another cup of tea. ‘Besides, where would you go?’
Celia unfurled a small piece of paper. ‘I got a note this morning. It was pressed into my hand in Smith Street after the shooting. I didn’t see who gave it to me. It’s from the Resistance.’
‘There isn’t a Resistance. Not one of us likes the Germans, you know that, but there isn’t a Resistance. In France there might well be groups hiding out in barns, blowing up châteaux and sabotaging factories, but there’s nothing so romantic here. Celia, there isn’t even a railway line to sabotage yet. The best we can manage is to water down the Germans’ beer a bit more than our own, or to huddle together and listen to the BBC News when we think the Germans won’t be looking.’
Celia seemed shaken, and said uncertainly, ‘They’ve promised me passage back to Britain.’
‘And then?’ Ma knew she didn’t need to remind her of the threat of betrayal, of mines and naval patrols, the plain fact that she almost certainly wouldn’t get as far as the mainland.
‘I’ve got some friends in London. I should be able to trace them.’
‘London’s a big place. Have you got valid papers?’
‘I can get hold of papers, and Roz and Chris are pretty distinctive. If I can’t find them, there’s a house outside Canterbury. I’d go there and wait for the Doctor.’ Celia paused, then, ‘Ma, I killed Gerhard. I did it to protect you.’
The old woman considered this revelation for a moment.
‘Yes. Yes, I thought you must have. This morning, you already knew about it when Franz came to tell us. Luckily, Hauptsturmführer Rosner didn’t notice. You took Gerhard to the beach last night, too, didn’t you?’
It’s probably just as well that he died. He’d have been able to identify us all.’ Benny didn’t sound convinced.
‘Why did you take him in the first place, for heaven’s sake? I know you’re spying on the airstrip for the Doctor, so why on Earth did you take a German with you?’
A couple of nights ago I was nearly caught by a patrol there. You know the curfew rules: I’d have been shot if they had seen me, especially there. The night before last someone else was shot up there, or so I heard. I led Gerhard on. That way, if we’d been caught up there he would have covered for me — he genuinely thought we were on a date.
That was the plan, anyway. To be honest with you, I was scared I was going to be caught, it was a snap decision, if I’d had a couple of days to think about it I’d have chosen differently, and I made a mistake.’
‘Yes.’ The word hung in the air for a moment. Ma looked at Celia — Bernice, she corrected herself. This woman didn’t look like a killer. Then again, neither did the young soldiers, nor the Doctor. Bernice had stood, ready to leave.
‘I’m going first thing in the morning. Don’t worry, I won’t wear my wig, so they won’t recognize me. Say goodbye to Anne for me.’
Ma stared after the young woman as she closed the door behind her, listened to her footsteps climb the stairs, then turned to the window. The evening was drawing in, a chill was heading up from the sea as it did every night.