Page 45 of A Call to Home (Women of the Resistance #3)
Bari
October 1944
Fitzroy Maclean came into Leo’s office.
‘Fitz, you’re back! I didn’t know.’
‘Sorry. I’ve been up to my neck in paperwork since I got here. But I’ve got something for you.’
He held out an envelope. Leo took it and gazed at the writing. It was familiar and yet it took her a moment to be sure.
‘Alix?’
‘Yes. She asked me to bring it. Sorry I couldn’t get it to you sooner.’ He smiled at the joy on her face. ‘I’ll leave you to read it on your own.’
Leo slit the envelope and read:
Darling Mama,
There is so much I want to say that I hardly know where to start. You will have heard by now that Belgrade has fallen to a combined force of Russian soldiers and Partisans, so the war, or my part in it, is over. Miraculously, I seem to have come through it unharmed. There are still Russian soldiers in the streets but they will have to leave soon. That was the agreement between Marshall Tito and President Stalin. So soon, we hope, things will start to get back to normal.
Mama, wouldn’t you like to come home? You and Papa. I’ve spoken to Tito and he is ready to welcome you both, under the condition that Papa does not engage in any activity designed to promote the return of the king. I know that goes against his loyalty to the Royal House, but we must accept that Peter is not popular here at the moment. Tito tells me that there are talks going on about a regency council to discuss the role of the monarchy and I think that is probably the best answer. He thinks that Papa’s advice might be very helpful.
It feels all wrong that I should be inviting you to come here, as if you were strangers. Of course, there is nothing to stop you just getting on the first plane. But I know you must have doubts about your welcome, which is why I talked it over with Tito in advance.
I suppose it may not be possible for you to leave your post at the moment. Presumably you are under orders, like any member of the military. But if you can get away, and persuade Papa to come too, I will be overjoyed. That is, if Papa has forgiven me. I so long to see you both. There is so much to tell you.
Brigadier Maclean has agreed to bring my letter and I’m sure if you decide to come he will try to help with seats on a plane. It may be more difficult for Papa to come from London I suppose. Anyway, I think Maclean will be able to arrange for me to get a letter or a radio message from you to let me know the answer. He has been a kind friend to me since he arrived.
Please come! If it is impossible I will try to come to you, but it would be so wonderful to be all together in our own home again.
Your loving daughter,
Alix
Leo went in search of Maclean and told him the reason for the letter.
‘She told me what it was about,’ he said. ‘Will you go?’
‘Of course! I can’t wait to see her again. Is there any chance of a flight? I’m sure I can clear it with my CO to get a few days’ leave.’
‘What about Sasha? Flights from London could be a problem.’
‘But Sasha is here! He wangled a flight over a week or so ago and he’s still here.’
‘Well, in that case it shouldn’t be too difficult. Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do.’
As soon as she could get away Leo went to join Sasha. He was still staying at the Auberge and she had moved in with him – a great improvement on the cramped quarters she had been sharing. It was too dark now to sit out on the balcony and with blackout restrictions still in force they had to come inside and draw the curtains. He ordered their usual Martinis from room service and as soon as they were settled with them in hand she produced the letter.
‘Look what came today.’
He took the envelope. ‘What is it?’
‘Don’t you recognise the writing? It’s Alix.’
‘What does she say?’
‘Read it.’
She watched his face as he read, a flickering slideshow of emotions, pleasure turning to anger and injured pride.
‘She is inviting us to come home! Who does she think she is?’
‘Darling, she appreciates that. She says she knows we could just get on a plane. But we must be realistic. Tito is in control, for the moment anyway. If we just turned up he might see us as… I don’t know… subversive elements? We could be refused entry, put straight back on the plane, or even arrested. Alix has seen the danger and found a way round it.’
He thought a moment and then nodded reluctantly. ‘She seems to be pretty thick with this Tito character… “I talked it over with Tito”, “Tito tells me…”. What’s going on there?’
‘Well, she has been acting as his secretary, so I suppose she must be pretty close to him.’
‘Hmm,’ Sasha muttered suspiciously. He looked at the letter again. ‘She must know that it is impossible for me to forswear my loyalty to Peter.’
‘She isn’t asking you to do that. Just to promise you won’t campaign for his restoration. See what she says about discussions about a regency council? Have you heard anything about that?’
‘No. I’ve been out of touch while I’ve been here. And anyway, Subasic doesn’t take me into his confidence since he started negotiating with Tito.’
‘But see what she says? Tito thinks your advice could be valuable. Isn’t this a chance for you to exert some influence over the choice of members for this regency council?’
He got up and paced around the room, wrestling with contrary emotions. Finally he said, ‘Very well. We’ll go. At least we’ll see Alix again.’
‘I think we must be prepared to find that she has changed a great deal,’ Leo said. ‘She’s been through a lot since we were last together.’
‘She wants us back, though,’ he said. ‘She wants to be reconciled.’
Leo got up and put her arms round his neck. ‘Yes. And as she says, it will be wonderful to be all together again. I’ll speak to Fitzroy tomorrow and see if he can get us on a plane.’
Belgrade. October 1944
Alix spent two days at Kuca Magnolija, getting to know the people who worked and lived on the estate and bringing news to those whose sons had volunteered to serve under Tito. Some of it was bad. It weighed on her conscience that many of the young men she had recruited had not survived and there had been no opportunity to inform their parents. It was one of the worst jobs she had ever had to do, but she was comforted by the stoicism of many of them who had already concluded that they would never see their sons again and she was buoyed up by the joy and relief of those whose sons would be returning to them in due course.
On the third day she drove back to the city. Tito had taken up residence in a villa on the outskirts, which must once have belonged to a wealthy merchant. She had to wait until he had finished a conference with Dr Subasic.
When she went in he said, ‘So, did you find your house intact?’
‘The country house, yes, thank heavens. But our town house is all but destroyed. I found some of the people who worked for my father living in the cellar. They were managing to survive, but what a miserable existence! And there are hundreds worse off than them, eking out a life in the ruins.’
‘I’m well aware of that,’ Tito said. ‘To rebuild will require a tremendous effort, one that can only work if there is state control over materials and labour. I am putting that in train now. But on another matter, have you heard from your parents?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Communications are difficult still. See if there has been a signal from Maclean.’
At the top of the house, men were hunched over their sets, keeping in touch with the various divisions of the army. The British radio operators had been recalled but they had taught their colleagues well enough to maintain communications until telephone lines could be repaired.
‘Has anyone sent a message for me?’ Alix asked.
One of the men looked up and removed his headphones. ‘Oh, you’re back. There’s a signal for you from Bari.’
He handed her a slip of paper on which he had written, ‘Message received at 09:00 hours. Attn. Alix Malkovic. Message reads, Parents will arrive on flight landing at 17:30 hours today October 26th.’
Alix thanked him and hurried downstairs. As she was about to leave the house the front door opened and Steve walked in.
‘Ah, this is where you are. I’ve been looking for you.’
‘Darling!’ She hugged him. ‘I didn’t expect you back so quickly. How lovely to see you!’
He kissed her and smiled into her eyes. ‘I’ve got news.’
‘What news? Good, I hope.’
‘Oh yes. Well, I think you’ll be pleased. I’ve been posted as RAF liaison officer to the Balkan Air Force.’
‘The BAF! Where will you be based?’
‘Right here, in Belgrade.’
She drew back and gazed into his face, hardly able to believe him. ‘Oh, that is so wonderful! How long for?’
‘Till the end of the war, presumably.’
‘Then we can be together after all. I can’t believe it!’
‘That’s not all,’ he said.
‘What else?’ She studied his face, seeing the gleam in his eyes as he paused a moment, teasingly. ‘Come on, tell me!’
‘Okay. While I was over there I managed to wangle a trip to Rome.’
‘You’ve been sightseeing?’
‘No, not at all. I found out which hotel the press pack were using and that evening in the bar I managed to get chatting to a reporter for the Wall Street Journal . I told him where I’d been and how we got here just in time to see the city fall to the Reds and he said his editor would be very interested to have a first-hand account of that. Well, I’d been hoping for a chance like that and I’d already scribbled something describing the German retreat and how their plan to blow up the bridge was foiled – don’t worry, I didn’t name any names, just ‘a female Partisan’ – and then the victory parade and so on. He read it and said it was really vivid and he put me on the line to his editor and…’ he paused for breath, ‘…and they’re going to print it. It should have been in today’s paper.’
‘Oh gosh!’ The juvenile expression was all she could summon up. ‘Oh, Steve, that’s brilliant! Will it have your name on it?’
‘No, just “from our special correspondent” but they are interested in anything else I can send them. And I’ve got so much material, enough for several articles.’
‘And will they pay you?’
‘Yes, that’s the best bit. The money’s quite generous.’
‘I’m so pleased for you,’ Alix said. ‘This could be your big break.’
‘That’s what I’m hoping,’ he said. ‘You never know, they might give me a permanent job as their Balkans correspondent. Then, after the war, I could stay here and I’d have an income and time to write that book I’ve been talking about.’
She stood back and took a deep breath. ‘And I could go on working for Tito, for the time being. I’m going to insist on a proper contract, with a salary, so we’d have enough money to get married.’
He gave her a straight look. ‘As long as your parents agree?’
‘Whether they do or not. I only said I wanted them to meet you first.’ She remembered with a jolt. ‘I’ve got news, too.’
‘Go on.’
‘They are coming today – my parents. They will be here in…’ she looked at her watch, ‘…just over four hours.’
‘Where are they going to sleep? The hotels are packed.’
‘That’s all right. We can go to Kuca Magnolija. I’ve just come from there. It’s more or less undamaged because they had some German officers billeted there. I’ve warned them that the Count and Countess might return at any minute and they are prepared. I saw to it that the beds were aired and made up and I know Cook is probably making something special already. Tito lent me a jeep and a driver. I’ll keep them on.’ She stopped, breathless. ‘What about you? Can you take the time off?’
‘I’m on leave for the next two weeks, so no problem.’
She grabbed his hand. ‘Oh, my love! I really believe everything is going to come out right.’
As the plane lost height Sasha Malkovic looked out of the window at the panorama unfolding below him. The familiar outlines of the city, cradled in the angle of the two great rivers, was surrounded by tree-covered hills and verdant pastures. There was little sign of the bomb damage from this height. This was his country. He had grown up here and fought for it all through two wars, the Balkan war of 1912 and then the Great War of 1914–18. He had worked for the good of it and its people, and its Royal House, as his ancestors had done before him. He could never feel at home anywhere else. Could he now settle here, under this new regime?
The landing wheels touched down, the plane shuddered and steadied and ran on, to come to a standstill. Looking out, he saw two figures waiting, two young men, one in RAF blue, the other in some kind of grey uniform with a grey felt cap. Good looking lads , he thought.
The door was opened and a set of steps was pushed into place and the pilot waved them forward. Leo went first and Sasha hesitated at the top of the steps, wondering why Alix had not come to meet them. Then Leo was running down the steps and gathering the figure in grey into her arms. The grey cap fell off and carefully braided hair glowed like flame in the last of the sunshine. He was at the bottom of the steps and Alix was turning to him, her arms outstretched.
‘Papa?’
Then she was in his arms and he heard her whisper against his ear, ‘Welcome home!’