“It’s the only place he’s been for the last week.” She made a quick phone call and within moments he appeared from the hallway.
Deep circles beneath his eyes marred his face but he lit up at the sight of her. If the foyer hadn’t been filled with such misery and desperation she might have rushed across it to throw her arms around him. He would’ve run to meet her too, she could feel it in his quick steps.
“I need to speak to you, in private. Do you have time?”
“A few minutes. Susan, I’m out for a brief walk. I’ll be back soon.” He led her out of the Chancery. “Let’s go down to the Seine. I need some fresh air. It’s a madhouse here.”
“It’s a madhouse everywhere.”
“It’ll only get worse if the Germans press on toward France.”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. I’m worried about Wallis.” They crossed through the Place de la Concorde, passing posters plastered on buildings proclaiming France and her allies were strong enough to defeat Germany. The faith in the French Army and the Maginot Line rivaled anything found in Notre Dame. After everything she’d heard from the Duke, she prayed that faith wasn’t misplaced. “I don’t know if I’m turning a molehill into a mountain or if I should even tell you about this but I didn’t know who else to talk to and it’s been bothering me for days.”
They reached the walk along the Seine where the booksellers with their green carts crowded with books and prints for sale sat waiting for buyers. There weren’t many people browsing today and most of the stalls were locked up tight.
“What happened?”
“Maybe I’m overreacting and she isn’t saying anything people don’t already know but she’s gotten herself into so much trouble before. That’ll be nothing compared to sharing information during war.”
He jerked to a stop. “Tell me what she said and I’ll tell you if you’re overreacting.”
She studied him, his strong face serious as he waited, but she hesitated. She shouldn’t betray Wallis but she couldn’t risk Wallis doing something that might come to haunt her more than losing the extra-chic title. “Promise you won’t tell anyone at the Embassy about this.”
He laid his hands on her shoulders. “I won’t.”
She rested her hands over his and took a deep, soothing breath. She had to believe she hadn’t misread him or his feelings for her and that she could trust him. “I think Wallis and the Duke are being too free with sensitive information and with the wrong people.”
She told him about the Maginot Line and what the Duke had said about the weakness through the Ardennes, the lack of reserve troops, and Wallis telling Mrs. Bedaux. He listened, his expression tightening with every sentence. She’d been right to be worried. “She didn’t do it on purpose, I’m sure of it. Wallis can be shortsighted but she isn’t a traitor.”
“Not everyone would agree with that. Europe is becoming a very dangerous place and even innocent discussion could be taken the wrong way.”
“Could they be tried for treason?”
“Anything’s possible but I doubt it. The backlash would be terrible and the Duke still has supporters in England.”
“Wallis doesn’t.” She’d seen the correspondence between the Duke and Mr. Churchill and the loyalty of men like Mr. Forwood and Mr. Metcalf. Wallis didn’t have those kinds of allies. “They could hang her.”
“I doubt it’ll come to that.” He pulled her close and she settled against him. “His Majesty’s Government knows the Duke is careless with sensitive information. When he was King, he used to leave government papers lying around Fort Belvedere where anyone could see them, including Herr von Ribbentrop, who was a regular guest. Cabinet members knew it and began holding things back. They wouldn’t have sent him to the Ardennes if they thought he could get into real trouble there.”
He was trying to comfort her but there’d been no mistaking his alarm when she’d told him what she’d overheard. The situation was more serious than he was letting on. She had to warn Wallis to be careful.
Amelia knocked and entered Wallis’s bedroom. “Can we chat?”
“You should be in bed. We have another long day of packing boxes tomorrow.” Wallis licked her finger and turned the page of her book, sitting ramrod straight in bed as always.
“I know.” Amelia twisted her satin robe sash. “But I wanted to talk to you about what His Royal Highness told us about the Maginot Line and the Ardennes. Why did you tell Mrs. Bedaux about it? If she mentions it to her husband, he might pass it on to the wrong sort of people.”
Wallis didn’t look up from her book. “One would think you’d have some faith in her after the faith she’s shown in you.”
“I’m grateful, but . . .”
“You’re accusing her and me of what amounts to treason.”
“I’m trying to protect you from accusations. If the newspapers or Buckingham Palace get wind of this, you could be in for a world of trouble.”
“Who’s going to tell them? You?”
“Of course not.” That was a whopper of a lie and it made her stomach hurt. “But war makes everyone and everything much more suspect. Even innocent things can look bad.”
“Or, as King Carol said, there could be opportunity, perhaps a changing of the guard.”
“You mean for His Royal Highness to be King again?”
They locked eyes, neither of them flinching from the other’s gaze.
“Of course not.” Wallis waved a dismissive hand at Amelia, breaking the standoff and allowing Amelia to finally exhale. “He was glad to be rid of the job, but war could mean a more prestigious position for him than inspecting the French, who, if he’s right, are going to lose anyway.”
“War is precarious, and no one can be certain of any outcome, no matter how secure they think they are.”
“Something both of us should keep in mind.” Wallis slid her finger in the book and closed it. “I need to know I can count on you, that you’re on my side.”
“I’ve always been on your side. That’s why I wanted to talk to you about this.”
“I’m glad to hear it, and that you mentioned it to me. I should be more careful about what I say and to whom. I don’t want people to take my words out of context and think poorly of me; it’ll reflect on you too, especially given your past. I’d hate to ruin your reputation and standing. Thank you again for being so sensible. I don’t know what I would do without you. Now, off to bed. We have another long day tomorrow.”
Wallis resumed reading, dismissing Amelia.
