Colonel Berry

Chapter Ten

David woke from the knock on the door, and after he had untangled from Maria, he rose from the bed and headed into the sitting room, draping a robe over his shoulders as he called to the door, "Yes?"

"Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes," came Rachel's voice from the hallway.

"Thank you. We'll be down."

As he returned to the bed, he watched Maria roll onto her back, draw her knees up and splay them out. "One more before we clean and dress. I've missed this so much."

He doffed his robe and stood devouring her with his eyes as he quickly rose. "No mistaking that body language."

"Nor this." She reached up and grabbed his erection to gently guide him down on top of her, humming a moan as they connected.

A quarter hour later, dried from their quick shower and beginning to dress, David asked, "Have you spoken with Bethia about Wachtmeister Schwarz?"

"He's finally stopped calling on her." Maria chuckled. "Smart as a bag of potatoes, she says. It took him over two months to realise she has no interest in him."

"Could simply be suspicious about the activities here. Using calling on her as an excuse to pry and snoop."

"Likely initially, but Tante said he was satisfied after Georg took him on a tour of the property, showing him all the work done preparing the land for vines. Also, letting him watch the men grafting the scions."

"But he continued calling on her after that?"

"And she continued showing disinterest. Opa had advised her to not be rude nor to anger him. He's known to have a vindictive streak."

David nodded as he buttoned his shirt. "Remember what Opa said at Christmas: He's been warned about false accusations, and he appears to suspect everybody as being dishonest. I wonder how he remains in charge of the Police."

"Likely because occasionally one of his accusations finds merit. Or perhaps the accused have been unable to prove them false." Maria slipped her feet into a pair of evening pumps and examined herself in the mirror, then she linked her arm into David's. "Ready. Anyway, he stopped calling when he realised Tante was showing interest in Herr Grünmann."

"Is she still seeing Grünmann? Karl's his name, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, and she still enjoys his company. He sympathises with France and Britain, unlike Schwarz."

"Yes, I remember that. Umm. Oh, my! That smells delicious," David said as he guided Maria to the top of the stairs.

"Mama told me they're roasting pork tenderloins and we're having the 1911 Blauburgunder,"

He blew out a deep breath. "We need this war won and put behind us so we can relax into more consistently enjoying life as we now are."

"I've been thinking about that. Relaxing. Enjoying. The soldiers are very young. So young they've not yet finished maturing physically or emotionally, and they've not yet had much opportunity to enjoy. Yet here they are, thrust as pawns into a petty squabble among a bunch of old farts who are too proud to call an end to the horrors."

"So true. When we were winnowing the files to select potential candidates for this mission, I was shocked by the average age, and even more so by their educational level. Many of them have had only minimal schooling. The average I now find from reports is six years."

"No? Surely not?"

"Sadly, yes." David and Maria reached the bottom of the stairs and walked along the grand hall. "But experiential education can be better than formal for some."

"They've certainly been thrown into experiential learning with this." Maria tilted her head up with a puzzled expression. "Manny must be at the lower end of the range."

"No, surprisingly, near the upper end. Think about this, though. One student barely makes the grade every year, and they advance all the way along. Another becomes bored with the slow pace which is far below their awareness and intelligence, and they leave school. Which would you choose?"

Maria pursed her lips and nodded as they reached the entrance to the dining room. "We need to discuss this in greater depth at another time. But now, let's enjoy family and dinner." 

David startled as he saw Karl Grünmann beside the table talking with Bethia. Oh, God! Bethia, what have you done? He paused a moment to gather his thoughts, Thank God it's not Schwarz. Then he stepped forward, extending his hand. "Herr Grünmann, what a pleasant surprise." 

"Beth told me you and your wife would be here from Bern this evening. Please call me Karl. I'm still deeply appreciative of your stopping to assist Christmas Eve." He chuckled. "You had far more pressing things to do than that."

David nodded and smiled. "But they would have been unconsummated without you."

"You didn't know that at the time."

"But you were in need."

"And that's my appreciation. Youth today don't understand this. Hell, many supposed adults don't."

David was about to reply when Georg wheeled a laden trolley into the dining room, followed by Rachel with a bread basket. After the platters and bowls had been transferred to the table, Bethia said, "Please, let's sit and enjoy."

They passed the platters and bowls around the table, serving themselves. Then when the wine had been pouted, Bethia raised her glass. "Here's to family and to peace."

Karl smiled as he touched his glass to hers, then to David's. "And may your operation here continue undetected."

David's mind spun as he analysed Karl's statement. He knows. How much? Maybe only suspicions. For how long? He decided to let the topic drop as he replied, "And to a swift end to the war."

The six carried on a flowing conversation as they ate, then at a lull, Karl turned to David. "I've watched the activity here with increasing interest since last autumn. I often fish for trout in the stream which divides our properties, and from there, I have a fine view of the new vineyard. I puzzled for a while about the continuing arrival of fresh chalk."

"The men knocked the tops off the higher domes to give the new roots a better chance to take. And they spread the shattered chalk to broaden the vineyard."

"Yes, I saw that, and I thought it a clever idea. But the chalk continued to come after the domes had been lowered and recovered with soil."

"Mining it from other areas to expand the breadth of the calcareous mix which the vines favour."

"My operations could make great use of your tunnel."

Clever way to get me to admit it. "And what are your operations?"

"Supplying our saboteurs in Germany with explosives."

"Yes, I suppose they'd be difficult for them to acquire in Germany in the present situation. How do you currently do it?"

Karl laughed. "You're very good at this game, David." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I've managed to chase Wachtmeister Schwarz away to prevent his stumbling into anything." He placed his hand on Bethia's. "And I'm pleased I did. I've grown rather fond of Beth."