Exodus - Leon Uris [270]
“I’ll be there,” Kitty said.
“Mrs. Fremont. I want to speak to you before the meeting. As you know, I am the commander here and in the future you and I will have to work in close co-operation. I wish to express the opinion that I have complete confidence in you. In fact, I consider it fortunate for Gan Dafna that you are here.”
Kitty looked at Jordana curiously.
“I believe,” Jordana continued, “that it would be good for the morale of the entire village if we set our personal feelings aside.”
“I believe you are right.”
“Good. I am glad we have an understanding.”
“Jordana ... just what is our situation here?”
“We are not in too much immediate danger. Of course, we will all feel better about things when Fort Esther is turned over to the Haganah.”
“Suppose something goes wrong and the Arabs get Fort Esther? And ... suppose the road through Abu Yesha is closed.”
“Then the prospects become very unpleasant.”
Kitty arose and paced the room slowly. “Please understand that I don’t want to interfere in military matters, but looking at it realistically—we may fall under siege.”
“There is that possibility,” Jordana said.
“We have many babies here. Can’t we talk over plans to evacuate them and some of the younger children?”
“Where shall we evacuate them to?”
“I don’t know. A safer kibbutz or moshav.”
“I don’t know either, Mrs. Fremont. A ‘safer kibbutz’ is merely a term of relativity. Palestine is less than fifty miles wide. We have no safe kibbutz. New settlements are falling under siege every day.”
“Then perhaps we can get them to the cities.”
“Jerusalem is almost cut off. The fighting in Haifa and between Tel Aviv and Jaffa is the most severe in Palestine.”
“Then ... there is no place?” Jordana did not answer. She did not have to.
Chapter Three
CHRISTMAS EVE, 1947
The ground was sticky with mud and the air was crisp and the first snow of the winter floated down on Gan Dafna. Kitty walked quickly over the green toward the lane of cottages. Her breath formed little clouds.
“Shalom, Giveret Kitty,” Dr. Lieberman called.
“Shalom, Doctor.”
She raced up the steps and into the cottage, where it was warm and Karen had a steaming cup of tea waiting.
“Brrr,” Kitty said, “it’s freezing outside.”
The room was cheerful. Karen had decorated it with pine cones, ribbons, and imagination. She had even got permission to cut down one of the precious little trees, which she had filled with tufts of raw cotton and paper cutouts.
Kitty sat down on the bed, kicked off her shoes, and put on a pair of fur-lined slippers. The tea tasted wonderful.
Karen stood by the picture window and watched the snow fall. “I think that the first snow falling is the most beautiful thing in the world,” Karen said.
“You won’t think it’s so beautiful if the fuel ration gets any worse.”
“I’ve been thinking about Copenhagen and the Hansens all day. Christmas in Denmark is a wonderful thing. Did you see the package they sent me?”
Kitty walked up to the girl, put her arm around her shoulders, and bussed her cheek. “Christmas makes people nostalgic.”
“Are you terribly lonesome, Kitty?”
“Since Tom and Sandra died Christmas has been something I wanted to forget—until now.”
“I hope you are happy, Kitty.”
“I am ... in a different way. I have learned that it is impossible to be a Christian without being a Jew in spirit. Karen, I’ve done things all my life to justify something missing in myself. I feel, for the first time, that I am able to give without reservation or hope of compensation.”
“Do you know something? I can’t ever tell the others because they wouldn’t understand, but I feel very close to Jesus here,” Karen said.
“So do I, dear.”
Karen looked at her watch and sighed. “I must eat early. I have guard duty tonight.”
“Bundle up. It’s very cold outside. I’ll work on some reports and wait up for you.”
Karen changed into bulky, warm clothing. Kitty knotted the girl’s hair and held it in place while she put on the brown stocking-like Palmach cap so that it covered