She thought of Jimmie, and an image of bombs exploding on the Lancastria flashed in her head. “Yes.”
“What makes you think you could fight the enemy?”
“People I care about were slaughtered by the German military.” She looked into his eyes. “I despise them.”
Bodington, his face stoic, lowered his head and scribbled on his paper.
Ruth’s patience waned. “Sir, these questions are quite unorthodox. What are you trying to learn from this?”
“I’m evaluating if I can risk your life,” he said, picking up his cigarette. “And if you have the guts to risk it.”
Ruth’s skin turned cold.
He took a drag and blew smoke through his nose. “Would you like to carry on?”
She swallowed. “Yes.”
For over two hours, Ruth answered Bodington’s questions. He set aside his notes and lit his fourth cigarette of the morning.
“I want you to work in occupied France,” he said, turning his chair toward her. “Your role will be to organize resistance, and act as a liaison with London.”
Ruth’s heart thudded inside her chest as she fought to keep her composure.
“I’m a general staff officer for the Special Operations Executive—SOE—a newly created organization to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in German-occupied Europe. Assuming you successfully pass our physical and instructional training programs, you will be deployed to France by either sea or air.”
Ruth took a deep breath, attempting to process his words.
He put down his cigarette and stood. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to make your decision.”
As Ruth rose from her seat, horrid images of bombs falling on innocent civilians filled her head. A wave of vengeance flooded her body. She turned to him and said, “I can give you a decision now, sir. I accept—but I have two requests.”
Bodington frowned. “We do not make concessions with candidates.”
“Please, sir. Hear them out. I think one of the requests will be of help to you, and the worst that could happen is that you say no and rescind my offer.”
Bodington rubbed his jaw. “Very well.”
“The first request is that you grant Lucette Soulier, a parachute packer of the WAAF, an interview with the SOE. She’s from Paris, and she experienced everything I did while working for the ambulance corps in France. I’m quite certain you will find her to be an outstanding candidate.”
“All right. What is your second request?”
“There is a young French Jewish girl named Aline Cadieux in the Dankworth orphanage, which has been unsuccessful with finding her a private home in the countryside. She’s lost her family and her father is missing in action. I’d like for someone of influence to contact USCOM, an organization to bring refugee children to America, and arrange for Aline’s passage to the United States.”
He shifted his weight. “That’s quite a request.”
“With all due respect, sir,” Ruth said, holding her ground. “If the SOE is capable of deploying agents into German-occupied territory, it should have no trouble placing a girl on a boat to America.”
Bodington smiled, as if he were impressed or amused by her pluckiness. “I think we can make that happen.”
A wave of relief washed over her. “Thank you, sir.”
“I will be in touch in a few days with plans for your training, and we’ll take care of notifying the WAAF that you are being deployed to a confidential assignment. In the meantime, you are to tell no one, including Lucette and Aline, about your role or the SOE.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ruth shook Bodington’s hand and left his office. She made her way to the train station, all the while knowing, with great certainty, that her life would never be the same again.
CHAPTER 59
LONDON, ENGLAND—OCTOBER 1, 1940
Ruth, walking with an eagerness in her stride, entered the front gate of Dankworth Hall and traveled down a stone walkway. Inside the building, she found the director of the orphanage waiting for her in the entrance hall.
“Good day,” Mrs. Webb said, clasping her hands in front of her.
“Hello,” Ruth said. “Thank you for allowing me to speak with her first.”
The woman nodded. “I was quite surprised to receive a telegram from the British government, instructing the orphanage to release Aline to a representative of the United States Committee for the Care of European Children. I assume you had something to do with it.”
“I did. I wrote several letters to USCOM. Are you having any luck with getting some of the children into homes outside the city?” she asked, wanting to steer the conversation away from how Aline was selected.
Mrs. Webb perked her head. “We have. A retired couple in Daventry has agreed to take in two five-year-old girls to live in their home.”
“That is good news,” Ruth said. But she felt terrible for the children who remained in the orphanage. The Luftwaffe had bombed London for twenty-four straight nights, and she expected the raids to worsen before things got better. “I hope you are able to find safe havens for the rest of the children.”
“Me too,” Mrs. Webb said.
“When will the chaperone for USCOM arrive?” Ruth asked.
