Chapter 16

16

At lunch time, Jana closed the bookshop and sat at the back, tucked out of sight in the armchair, The Gardener's Year on her lap. She carefully counted lines and words, jotting down the emerging code in a small, spiral notebook. Several times, she started a new attempt; it was a challenge to convey the message as concisely as possible. Finally, the message read:

Request help in aiding transport of children to safety.

She prayed that help for Lillian's children would come. She turned the paper over and started the urgent task of conveying Heydrich's tantrum of words: the ominous mention of thousands on a train, and what did he mean about putting on a show? Again, it was a painstaking job, but finally, she was satisfied.

On the table beside her lay a bookmark covered in navy fabric, the end open. It was safer to use dark colours as they concealed the secret within. She cut the note to size and slipped it inside before stitching the end closed. For extra safety, she stitched a narrow pink ribbon along both of the short edges. Then she took the book holding the bookmark to behind the cash desk .

As she was bending down, there was a rap on the window.

She looked up to see a woman's large, round face pressed up against the window, frowning, her hand cupping her eyes. Although Jana acknowledged her, the woman's knuckles struck the glass again.

Jana went to unlock the door for the impatient customer, unable to get Heydrich out of her mind.

Days passed and Jana waited for a contact to show. She hadn't been able to sleep, Lillian's pleading eyes dominating her thoughts. Maybe Lillian and her family had already been taken and any help would be too late. And the other information was urgent. At times, Jana despaired that resistance against Heydrich was futile, and other times, she was driven with determination to stand up and act; the rollercoaster of emotions was exhausting.

It was the fifth day after her conversation with Lillian when the bell above the shop door jangled and Jana turned. Heat rushed to her cheeks. It was Andrej. Her joy at seeing him was mixed with confusion; he'd said he couldn't come to the shop any more, yet here he was at nearly six in the evening, the collar of his coat turned up and his hat pulled down low. He wore clothes she hadn't seen before and a pair of spectacles. He must have been watching the shop because a customer had just left.

‘Did Lenka get my letter?' She lowered her voice, although the shop was empty .

‘I passed it on so I'm sure she did. Hopefully, you'll hear from her soon.'

She sighed with relief, then waited. Why was he here?

He took a step closer and she caught the scent of his cologne: a warm, woody smell that was inviting, sensual. She hadn't noticed him wear cologne before.

‘I have something to say to you.' His gaze was so deep, her breath halted.

‘Yes?' she whispered.

‘"Words are like X-rays; if you use them properly, they'll go through anything."'

She stared at him, confusion fuddling her brain. Had she heard correctly? Was Andrej speaking the words from Aldous Huxley? Was he speaking the words the last contact had given her as a code? Was he…?

Andrej gave a small smile and nodded.

‘I'm as surprised as you are that we've been put in contact with each other,' he said. ‘I knew, of course, you'd helped Michal. But learning that you passed on secret messages, here in the bookshop, was a shock; it puts you in terrible danger. Just me coming here puts you at risk.'

‘Are you with the resistance?' she asked, trying to sort her jumble of thoughts.

‘Are you?' His dark, eyes shone with intensity. He was following protocol, avoiding direct answers. He had given her the correct code, the book quote, so surely she could trust him. She had to.

‘Can you help me? Help some children in terrible danger?'

‘I'll do everything I possibly can.'

‘How will you help?' she asked, hope for Lillian and her children igniting inside her.

‘First, I need some details. How many and how old are they? '

‘Two sisters, aged ten and four.'

‘They'll need a safe house.' He gave her a meaningful look. ‘I presume the small boy found one.'

Babi had been more than willing to have Michal but should she turn up on her grandmother's doorstep with two more children? ‘I'd take a whole troop of children hiding from the Nazis,' she'd said. Jana was in no doubt she meant it, but still…

‘I can arrange it.' The words flew from her mouth before she could stop them. ‘How can we get the children out of Prague?'

‘I've already got things in motion.' He threw a glance at the door, then said, ‘We need to move quickly. There will be more round-ups in the next few days. Heydrich is putting pressure on the police.'

Heydrich's furious words sprung to mind. Jana bit her lip to stop herself from bursting out what she'd overheard. Just in time, she remembered the rules: information was to be coded inside a bookmark and passed on. But if Andrej was a contact, then she could give him the message. Or simply tell him. But then he would know she was spying at the castle. On the other hand, he probably knew about her cleaning job…

‘Jana…?'

‘Yes, we must act quickly. What should I do?'

‘Meet me on the Charles Bridge in an hour. At the statue of Saint Christoper. I'll have it all arranged by then.'

His eyes fell on the yellow bruise above her eyebrow. ‘What happened?'

Her hat had hidden it from view in Tyn Church when she'd handed him Lenka's letter.

‘It's nothing. I stumbled in the dark.' She didn't want to talk about that now; there were more important things.

‘Take care, Jana. Till later. '

She opened her mouth to speak but he was already retreating out of the shop.

Twenty minutes later, she was climbing the stairs to the attic, her mind racing. What would Papa say when she told him what she'd agreed to do? There was no way to contact Babi and ask if she were prepared to commit further treasonable acts against the Reich. Acid rose in her throat, as the image of Babi being manhandled into a police car sprung in her mind.

In the attic, Papa was bent over his workbench.

‘Are you working on something new, Papa?' She peered over his shoulder at the wooden figure he was crafting to life.

‘It's for Michal,' he said, pausing, and smiling up at her. There was a light in his eyes she hadn't seen for a long time. ‘He told me he's always wanted a dog of his own, and that's what I'm making him. He's a quick learner and will soon have his new four-legged friend scampering across your grandma's floor.' It seemed that having Michal in his life had lifted his spirits despite the background of the circumstances. What would he think about Michal having some friends to play with?

‘I need to speak to you about Babi,' she started.

He raised his eyebrows and she took a deep breath. His face turned grave as she told him she'd met a woman called Lillian who'd suspected she was behind Michal's escape and had asked for help. Jana was careful to make no reference to messages passed via the bookshop, or Andrej stepping forward as a resistance member. She told him simply that Lillian had a contact and Jana would find out more later.

‘I don't want Babi to be more at risk than she already is, but…' Her words drifted away .

Papa was silent. He bent his head and massaged the bridge of his nose before he sighed. ‘Babi would say that it's no more illegal to hide three children than one. We both know she would want to help these children…'

She planted a kiss on his cheek. ‘Thanks, Papa.'

‘I haven't done anything yet. Tell me how I can help.'

‘I'm meeting Lillian this evening to get details of the plan.' She felt a pang at the half truth.

‘I'm scared for you, my darling daughter. If anything should happen to you…'

She turned, avoiding the sorrow in his expression; it reminded her of when he talked about the loss of Mama.

‘I'll be fine, Papa. I know what I'm doing.'

Even to her ears, her platitude sounded lame.