Page 25 of Wicked Deceptions
“In due time, darling, in due time.” He takes my hand and looks at me lovingly. “There is something I would like to ask you.”
I smile. “There is?” I’m encouraged. I don’t expect him to propose after what we just discussed, but obviously, he wants something of me.
“Spend Christmas with my family and me?”
“You want me to go to Derbyshire with you?”
“I do. I want to show you off to my family, and besides, you said so yourself you had no family to spend the holiday with. Not that I rejoice in it, but it does fare well for me, don’t you think?” He winks.
“Oh, Ben, I’d love to spend the holiday with you and your family.” It’s been years since I’ve spent a holiday with a family, and I have to say, I’m genuinely looking forward to it.
Chapter 12
It’s the day before Christmas Eve, and I’m waiting for Ben to pick me up. We are driving north to his family’s home, and I am more than excited. Ben arranged with Adam for me to have the next two weeks off from work. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get me two weeks with pay, but the chance to have a real Christmas makes it all worth it. I’ll miss the pay, but there are things I can do that can make up for it, after the holiday.
He arrives promptly at half past nine, just like he said. He carries my case to the car, then helps me in. After getting in behind the wheel, he starts the engine and we’re off.
We are on the road for about two hours before I ask, “So how much farther?”
“Oh, we’ve got a couple more hours to go. Getting bored?”
“I guess I am. I’m so used to being busy all the time. This idle time in the car is making me antsy.”
He chuckles.
“So I assume you are on leave?” I ask.
“Yes, until after the first of the year.” He gives me a sideways glance. “I feel bad, however. Many of the men on my team are not able to spend the holiday with their family. But they understand there are more pressing matters right now.”
“I guess the war doesn’t stop for Christmas.”
“No, it does not.”
“It seems, however, that things have quieted down a bit in town.” We haven’t had any attacks since the night Jenny and I hid out in Piccadilly.
“Yes, I believe they have. The Zeppelin attacks have stopped for a while, and I expect them to eventually cease in the near future.”
“Why do you think? Are the Germans retreating?”
“Oh, no. I wish.” He hesitates a moment. “I think we’ve taken enough of the Zeppelins down for them to regroup.”
“Oh, so we are getting the upper hand?”
“For now.”
“How did we do that?”
“Well, the Zeppelins fly low. We’ve figured out we can strike from the ground, and so we have pre-empted some of what would have been more recent attacks.”
“That is really good news.”
“It is, and a big plus for England and the Allies.”
“Do you see the war ending soon?”
“Hard to tell, Katie. War is comprised of full-on battles and quiet moments. The quiet times can be deceiving, as it places a false sense of calm and then all hell breaks loose again.”
“I see.”
