The Romanov succession

She could see out past the main gate, past the sentries and their rifles-a long way down the ribbon of road that ran straight between the trees. No one was on the road. She put her back to it reluctantly and put her hand on the old prince’s arm and helped him back into the building; he had trouble with the step.

The rest of them sat in the pilots’ Ready Room, their faces as grey as the sky outside. Her father looked up when she entered the room but his mask of authority had sagged away to nothing and his eyes were lacquered as if with fever. Baron Oleg tried to put life in his face but it was tremble-lipped, white, ghastly. But for one traitor they’d have been in Moscow by now. Colonel Buckner leaned in the far doorway, forehead against the wood, putting some of his weight on his hand which gripped the doorknob-he looked as if he’d been kicked in the stomach. Brigadier Cosgrove raised his one hand a few inches to acknowledge Irina’s presence but then he withdrew into himself to brood. Absurdly, General Savinov and the venerable Prince Michael sat facing each other pushing checkers across a board.

It had been twenty-four hours since they’d heard the news.

Cramps of hunger prevented her from sleeping and finally sometime in the small morning hours she went down in search of food; she hadn’t eaten anything all day. She found General Spaight there; he gave a quick startled smile. “You’ve caught me. Raiding the larder.”

She found cheese and bread and made a meal of that. “What time is it, do you know?”

“After seven I think.”

“I didn’t realize it was that late.”

“The sun won’t be up for two hours yet.”

She sat down to eat; Spaight said, “The water’s boiling for coffee. Would you like a cup?”

“Avidly.”

“He’ll get out, you know. I’ve soldiered with Alex a long time,” he said. “He’s not the sort of man who gets captured.”

“Or killed?”

“If they’d killed him we’d have heard about it.” He was spooning coffee into the pot. “They were pretty explicit in the broadcast about the ones they’d killed or caught and identified. Alex wasn’t among them and neither was Sergei.”

“But they’re nearly twenty-four hours overdue.”

He brought his plate to the table and sat down facing her. “He’ll get out, Irina.”

“I don’t need false reassurance. Don’t patronize me.”

“It’s myself I’m reassuring. He’s too good a man-too good a friend to lose.”

They ate in silence, watching the coffeepot. When it was ready Spaight poured and brought the cups to the table. “You’re a remarkable woman, Irina. He’s a lucky man.”

“I’d rather not think that far ahead.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No-never apologize.”

He said, “It was someone in this camp who betrayed us.”

“What?”

“I found a radio transceiver in the parts room at the back of the repair hangar-shortly after Felix took off. It was still warm. Someone had just got done using it. I turned on the receiver to find out what band he’d set it to. It was the Russian Secret Service frequency. I didn’t understand any of it of course, they broadcast in code. But I know their call signs.”

“You didn’t tell anyone?”

“No. I’ve spent nearly every hour since then watching the hangar-I thought maybe he’d go back for it. But I gradually came to the conclusion he never would. He’s done with it now, isn’t he-it’s served its purpose.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you’re the only one I trust on this base right now. You wouldn’t have betrayed Alex.”

“I’m grateful for your trust. It means a great deal just now.”

“Maybe you can explain something to me then. Why would the traitor wait until after the mission was beyond recall? Why not sabotage the mission before? It doesn’t make any sense.”

She shook her head numbly. She tasted the coffee; it was strong and bitter-like the anger rising in her. “I’ve no idea at all. You’re right-it’s senseless.”

The sun was hardly a diameter above the horizon and the clouds writhed with a red conflagration. The window was open a crack to feed the coal fire and her hair was blowing gently in the draft from it; she had kept vigil at the window since the first moment of dawn.

At the hangar she saw Pappy Johnson and Calhoun talking about something with expressive gestures; there had been some trouble with one of the De Havillands yesterday.

Baron Oleg arrived in the Ready Room, nodded to Spaight and crossed the room to peer out over Irina’s shoulder. The gate was still closed, the sentries walked their posts, the road beyond was empty.

Oleg said, “The Finnish government is not prepared to have us camp here for the duration of the war. If Alex is safe he will find his way to us. We cannot wait here forever for him. We are an acute embarrassment to the Finns now.”

She put her back to him and resumed her watch on the road. “I’m not leaving, Oleg.”

“You will have to.”

“He expects us to wait for him. He may be wounded. He can’t come here exhausted and perhaps badly hurt and find this place deserted-no one could be expected to take that much.”