Exodus - Leon Uris [61]
There were only a few days left until Operation Gideon moved into the final phase. The tension harassed Mark, and Kitty’s strange behavior harassed him even more. He made a date to meet her at the King George in Famagusta.
As he drove to Famagusta his nerves were on edge. It had all gone too easily. Ben Canaan and his gang of bandits had run circles around the British. The British were aware that something was happening but they could not for the life of them seem to find the outside workers. Mark marveled at the finesse and skill of Ben Canaan and the courage of the Palmachniks. The outfitting of the Exodus, the training of the children had gone off perfectly. It would indeed be the biggest thing of his career, but because he was part of it all he was very worried.
He reached Famagusta and parked beside the King George Hotel, which was much like the Dome in that it sat on a beach with terraces overlooking the water. He found Kitty at a table looking out at the sea.
“Hello, Mark,” she said, and smiled and kissed him on the cheek as he sat beside her.
He ordered drinks and lit a cigarette and one for Kitty. She was absolutely radiant. She seemed ten years younger than she had that first day in Kyrenia.
“I must say, you look the picture of happiness,” she said in deference to his sour expression.
The drinks arrived.
“Are you on pins and needles for the big moment?”
“Sure, why not?” he snapped.
Their eyes met over the tops of their glasses. Kitty set hers down quickly. “All right, Mr. Parker. You are all lit up like a road sign. You’d better start talking before you explode.”
“What’s the matter? You mad at me? You don’t like me any more?”
“For goodness’ sake, Mark. I didn’t think you were so thin skinned. I’ve been working very hard ... besides, we agreed it would be best not to see too much of each other during the last two weeks, didn’t we?”
“My name is Mark Parker. We used to be friends. We used to talk things over.”
“I don’t know what you’re driving at.”
“Karen ... Karen Clement Hansen. A little refugee girl from Denmark via Germany.”
“I don’t think there is anything to discuss ...”
“I think there is.”
“She’s just a lovely child I happen to like. She is my friend and I am her friend.”
“You never could lie very well.”
“I don’t wish to talk about it!”
“You’re asking for trouble. The last time you ended up naked with a marine in bed. This time I think you’re going to have the strength to kill yourself.”
Her eyes dropped away from Mark’s glare. “Up to the past few weeks I’ve been so sane all my life,” she said.
“Are you trying to make up for it all at once?”
She put her hand on his. “It has been like being born all over again and it doesn’t make sense. She is such a remarkable girl, Mark.”
“What are you going to do when she goes on the Exodus? Are you going to follow her to Palestine?”
Kitty squashed out her cigarette and drank her cocktail. Her eyes narrowed in an expression that Mark knew. “What have you done?” he demanded.
“She isn’t going on the Exodus. That was my condition for going to work for Ari Ben Canaan.”
“You damned fool ... you damned fool, Kitty.”
“Stop it!” she said. “Stop making something indecent out of this. I’ve been lonely and hungry for the kind of affection this girl has to give and I can give her the kind of understanding and companionship she needs.”
“You don’t want to be her companion. You want to be her mother.”
“And what if I do! There’s nothing wrong with that either.”
“Look ... let’s stop yelling at each other ... let’s calm down. I don’t know what you have figured out, but her father is probably alive. If he isn’t, she has a family