Exodus - Leon Uris [10]
Mark was silent in thought. Kitty winked mischievously and waggled a finger under his nose. “Don’t be so serious ... you want to know the other reason I didn’t meet you at the airport?”
“You’re acting tipsy.”
“I’m starting to feel that way. Well, Mr. Parker, I was in Famagusta seeing my boyfriend off. You know me ... one lover leaves by ship while another lands by airplane.”
“As long as you brought it up ... who was this guy you came to Cyprus with?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Colonel Howard Hillings of the British Army.”
“Anything dirty between you two?”
“Dammit, no. He was so proper it was disgusting.”
“Where did you meet this guy?”
“Salonika. He was in charge of the British mission in the area. When I took over the orphanage we were short of everything ... beds, medicine, food, blankets ... everything. Anyhow, I went to him and he cut wads of red tape for me and we became friends for ever and ever and ever. He really is a dear man.”
“Go on. It’s getting interesting.”
“He got notice a few weeks ago that he was being transferred to Palestine and he had leave coming and wanted me to spend it with him here. You know, I’d been working so hard I’d completely forgotten I haven’t had a day off in eighteen months. Anyhow, they cut his leave short and he had to report to Famagusta to sail to Palestine today.”
“Future prospects as Mrs. Hillings?”
Kitty shook her head. “I like him very much. He brought me all the way to Cyprus to find the right setting to ask me to marry him ...”
“And?”
“I loved Tom. I’ll never feel that way again.”
“You’re twenty-eight years old, Kitty. It’s a good age to retire.”
“I’m not complaining. I’ve found something that keeps me content. Mark, you’re going to Palestine too. There are a lot of officers here leaving for Palestine.”
“There’s going to be a war, Kitty.”
“Why ...? I don’t understand.”
“Oh, lots of reasons. Lot of people around the world have decided they want to run their own lives. Colonies are going out of vogue this century. These boys here are riding a dead horse. This is the soldier of the new empire,” Mark said, taking a dollar bill from his pocket; “we’ve got millions of these green soldiers moving into every corner of the world. Greatest occupying force you’ve ever seen. A bloodless conquest ... but Palestine ... that’s different again. Kitty, there’s almost something frightening about it. Some people are out to resurrect a nation that has been dead for two thousand years. Nothing like that has ever happened before. What’s more, I think they’re going to do it. It’s these same Jews you don’t like.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like Jews,” Kitty insisted.
“I won’t debate with you now. Think real hard, honey ... since you’ve been on Cyprus. Have you heard anything or seen anything that might be, well, unusual?”
Kitty bit her lip in thought and sighed. “Only the refugee camps. I hear they are overcrowded and in deplorable condition. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. Just say I’ve got an intuition that something very big is happening on Cyprus.”
“Why don’t you just say you’re naturally nosey by profession?”
“It’s more than that. Do you know a Major Fred Caldwell? He’s aide to Brigadier Sutherland.”
“Terrible bore. I met him at the governor’s.”
“He met me in my room before you got in. Why would a general’s aide be sitting on my lap ten minutes after I landed on a matter that is seemingly trivial? Kitty, I tell you the British are nervous about something here. I ... I can’t put my finger on it, but five will get you ten it’s tied up with those refugee camps. Look ... would you go to work in those camps for me for a few weeks?”
“Certainly, Mark. If you want me to.”
“Oh, the hell with it,” Mark said, setting down his drink, “us two kids are on vacation. You’re right ... I’m nosey and suspicious by profession. Forget it, let’s dance.”
Chapter Six
ON