the others."
As they returned to the parlor, Ilsa noticed that the two men who had been on the plane with them had joined the group.
"Gentlemen," Victor announced loudly, "I have the honor of introducing my wife, Miss Ilsa Lund. Ilsa, this is Sir Ernest Spencer, the British Secretary of War. Major Miles you already know. And these two brave men are Jan Kubiš and Josef Gab č ík, free citizens of Czechoslovakia and comrades-in-arms."
Ilsa shook hands with them all. Sir Ernest was a tall, ascetic-looking man with an aristocratically refined face and a small pencil mustache. Major Miles was a powerfully built military man. By contrast, Kubiš and Gabčík seemed hardly more than boys. "Very pleased to meet you all," she said.
"Before we go on," said Victor, "my wife has some thing to say."
Ilsa gave him a slight bow. "Gentlemen, the past two years have been especially trying for both my husband and me. There were times when, frankly, I despaired. For a while I thought Victor was dead. Later, I myself was seriously ill. But, as you can see, we have both survived."
How radiant she looks, thought Laszlo as he watched her performance with growing admiration. He was very proud to call her his wife—and now, in the safety of London, he could.
"And because we have both survived," Ilsa went on, "it is now time for us to fully consummate our partner ship." She smiled at her husband, the smile that had first caught his eye and then won his heart. "Therefore, from this moment on I have the honor and pleasure to inform you that I shall be a fully active partner in this operation—anything that you can say in front of Victor you can say in front of me."
Sir Ernest cleared his throat. "Well said, Mrs. Laszlo," he remarked. "But surely you realize the ex traordinary danger..."
"My husband and I have already discussed that. Any danger we encounter we wish to share."
Major Miles looked at Victor. "Mr. Laszlo, I con gratulate you. With a brave and gallant wife like this, you hardly have" need of our assistance."
Inside, Victor was beaming. He knew that Ilsa was magnificent, but never before had he suspected just how splendid she really was.
"Gentlemen," he said, picking up the skein, "you can see how devoted my wife and I are to the cause. We are, both of us, prepared to die for our beliefs—as are our colleagues from Czechoslovakia in this noble endeavor." The nod of his head indicated Jan and Josef. "We do not ask the same sacrifice from you. Only that, when the time comes, you will be there for us—-just as surely as we are here for you at this mo ment."
Ilsa rose to go. "I hope you gentlemen will please excuse me. There is someone very important whom I must see. Someone I have not seen in a very long time."
There was a moment of silence, broken by Major Miles. "I hope you will forgive me, madam, for asking who this someone might be."
"What's the matter, Sir Harold?" she replied. "Don't you trust me?"
"Nothing of the sort. But in an operation like this, one must maintain the highest level of security. There fore, it is with the greatest regret that I must ask you who—"
"I am going to see my mother," Ilsa said candidly. "I hope that is all right with you gentlemen. I have not seen or spoken to her in two years. I'm sure you will all agree that it is high time that I visit her."
Three of the men knew who Ilsa's mother was and what she had suffered at the hands of their enemy. "Please allow me the honor of escorting you person ally to that great lady," said Major Miles, visibly chas tened.
"That is most kind of you, Sir Harold," Ilsa said. "But I'm quite sure I can find my own way."
She took her coat from Mrs. Bunton and went outside. A taxi came right along. She hailed it, gave the driver an address, and stepped into the cab.
C HAPTER F IVE
Ilsa Lund sat in the taxi, accompanied only by her thoughts. Involuntarily she let out a deep breath and felt a sense of relaxation sweep
As they returned to the parlor, Ilsa noticed that the two men who had been on the plane with them had joined the group.
"Gentlemen," Victor announced loudly, "I have the honor of introducing my wife, Miss Ilsa Lund. Ilsa, this is Sir Ernest Spencer, the British Secretary of War. Major Miles you already know. And these two brave men are Jan Kubiš and Josef Gab č ík, free citizens of Czechoslovakia and comrades-in-arms."
Ilsa shook hands with them all. Sir Ernest was a tall, ascetic-looking man with an aristocratically refined face and a small pencil mustache. Major Miles was a powerfully built military man. By contrast, Kubiš and Gabčík seemed hardly more than boys. "Very pleased to meet you all," she said.
"Before we go on," said Victor, "my wife has some thing to say."
Ilsa gave him a slight bow. "Gentlemen, the past two years have been especially trying for both my husband and me. There were times when, frankly, I despaired. For a while I thought Victor was dead. Later, I myself was seriously ill. But, as you can see, we have both survived."
How radiant she looks, thought Laszlo as he watched her performance with growing admiration. He was very proud to call her his wife—and now, in the safety of London, he could.
"And because we have both survived," Ilsa went on, "it is now time for us to fully consummate our partner ship." She smiled at her husband, the smile that had first caught his eye and then won his heart. "Therefore, from this moment on I have the honor and pleasure to inform you that I shall be a fully active partner in this operation—anything that you can say in front of Victor you can say in front of me."
Sir Ernest cleared his throat. "Well said, Mrs. Laszlo," he remarked. "But surely you realize the ex traordinary danger..."
"My husband and I have already discussed that. Any danger we encounter we wish to share."
Major Miles looked at Victor. "Mr. Laszlo, I con gratulate you. With a brave and gallant wife like this, you hardly have" need of our assistance."
Inside, Victor was beaming. He knew that Ilsa was magnificent, but never before had he suspected just how splendid she really was.
"Gentlemen," he said, picking up the skein, "you can see how devoted my wife and I are to the cause. We are, both of us, prepared to die for our beliefs—as are our colleagues from Czechoslovakia in this noble endeavor." The nod of his head indicated Jan and Josef. "We do not ask the same sacrifice from you. Only that, when the time comes, you will be there for us—-just as surely as we are here for you at this mo ment."
Ilsa rose to go. "I hope you gentlemen will please excuse me. There is someone very important whom I must see. Someone I have not seen in a very long time."
There was a moment of silence, broken by Major Miles. "I hope you will forgive me, madam, for asking who this someone might be."
"What's the matter, Sir Harold?" she replied. "Don't you trust me?"
"Nothing of the sort. But in an operation like this, one must maintain the highest level of security. There fore, it is with the greatest regret that I must ask you who—"
"I am going to see my mother," Ilsa said candidly. "I hope that is all right with you gentlemen. I have not seen or spoken to her in two years. I'm sure you will all agree that it is high time that I visit her."
Three of the men knew who Ilsa's mother was and what she had suffered at the hands of their enemy. "Please allow me the honor of escorting you person ally to that great lady," said Major Miles, visibly chas tened.
"That is most kind of you, Sir Harold," Ilsa said. "But I'm quite sure I can find my own way."
She took her coat from Mrs. Bunton and went outside. A taxi came right along. She hailed it, gave the driver an address, and stepped into the cab.
C HAPTER F IVE
Ilsa Lund sat in the taxi, accompanied only by her thoughts. Involuntarily she let out a deep breath and felt a sense of relaxation sweep
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