Happy Birthday: Part Twenty-Eight

~ beetleypete

This is the twenty-eighth part of a fiction serial, in 772 words.

There was a hectic time before the invasion that would become known as D-Day, and after it happened, things at Craigie House became rather flat. There were no new intakes of students, as it was unlikely more would be dropped now the landings were progressing inland. For the first time, everyone was sure that Germany would lose. Things were not going so well against the Japanese, who seemed determined to die for every inch of ground their forces had occupied.

It was September when Hettie heard the first rumour that the training school was going to be wound up early the following year. Whatever positives she could take from the good news about the war were overshadowed by her fears of a return to domestic routine with Edward in Greenwich.

George came to see her privately at the end of the month, with the devastating news that he was to be posted back to his regiment in two weeks. They no longer needed his combat skills with nobody to teach them to. Yvonne was also leaving, with a posting to London where for now, she would continue to be employed by the SOE. She had no concerns about the war ending, as she had plans to travel back to France and work with the Displaced Persons Unit. They would have need of translators once hostilities were over.

The last night with George was not about passion and love-making, rather sadness and reflection. He promised to write to Hettie care of The Admiralty, though she couldn’t see much point in trying to continue a relationship that could never go anywhere once she returned to London. Although she no longer felt the same guilt about betraying Edward, she had no intention of ruining his life by leaving him.

Once Yvonne and George were gone, along with a good number of the other staff, the huge house felt empty. Army trucks arrived to remove box after box of records, all marked Top Secret. Hettie wondered if she should tell Edward in a letter that she would be coming home in a few months, but decided to leave it as a surprise. Letters from him had mentioned the rocket attacks carried out by the Germans, alongside the fact that her mum’s confusion had got to the stage where he had employed a woman to sit with her and look after her while he was busy in the shop.

Whatever she thought of her husband, she could never deny that he was reliable and loyal. He was an inherently good man.

On a cold November day, there was a summons to see the commandant. But it wasn’t him sitting in his office. Across the desk was a mild-mannered man in a three piece suit, and a stern-looking woman in her thirties. He introduced himself as Mister Simpson, and asked her to take a seat. The woman carefully polished her glasses as Hettie sat down. He waited until the woman nodded to him before speaking.

“Mrs Wheeler, we have heard nothing but good reports about you, and to cut to the chase, we are here to offer you a job. Miss Taylor here will explain”. The woman looked nicer when she smiled.

“May I call you Hettie? I believe that is how you like to be addressed. Well, Hettie, let’s say you have come to the attention of some people who need someone with your talents. Make no bones about it, this war will soon be over, at least in Europe. Craigie House will close the week before Christmas, and in normal circumstances you would return to your previous role in The Admiralty. But as one war ends, a new enemy will surface to threaten us. Stalin and his Russians have designs on the countries they currently occupy, and a lust for the technology being developed in America and here in Britain too”.

She took her glasses off and polished them again. Hettie decided it was a nervous habit.

“The new war will not likely be a shooting war, rather one of information, surveillance, spying, and subterfuge. It will involve monitoring communications, the placing of agents in hostile countries, and using the latest advances in recording techniques and photography. All skills I am sure you could adapt to very quickly. The job will be based in London, and you would still be a government employee at a departmental head grade. But you will not be able to breathe a word about your work”.

The glasses came off again, and she spoke as she worked the cloth on the lenses.

“What do you say to working for MI6, Hettie?”

29 thoughts on “Happy Birthday: Part Twenty-Eight”

  10. (1) There was a hectic time before the invasion of the tornado into the Kansas farm property that would become known as the intro to The Wizard of Oz, and after it happened, things at Auntie Em’s house became rather flat, as the house was whisked off its foundation.
    (2) Things were not going so well against the Japanese, but at least the island nation had failed to fund their war efforts by selling tons of Toyotas to the American car buyer.
    (3) Yvonne had plans to be displaced to France.
    (4) Hettie began singing about her relationships with Edward and George.
    ā™« Torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool
    ā™« Loving both of you is breaking all the rules…
    (5) Bad citation: “Whatever she thought of her husband, Hettie could never deny that Edward was a reliable, loyal, and inherently good man with a club foot. But at least he always put his best foot forward…
    (6) Miss Taylor took off her glasses and polished the lenses. “Oh, you’re Hettie Wheeler? And here I thought I was being introduced to Hedi Lamarr!”
    (7) Overheard:
    Miss Taylor: ā€œWhat do you say to working for MI6, Hettie?ā€
    Hettie: “If I get to work undercover with James Bond, I say yes! Yes! YES!”

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