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‘ I can’t believe our good fortune!’ Lizzie squealed when Jack told her the plan was for them to go undercover together in an operation in Vichy controlled South of France.

Jack raised his finger to his mouth. ‘You’ll give us away. I’m certain no one in the history of Military Intelligence has been this excited to venture behind enemy lines indefinitely.’

Lizzie lowered the pitch of her voice so only he could hear. ‘You’re right. If they suspect us, it’ll be called off in a flash, and they’ll probably send one of the newer recruits with you.’

Jack’s lips tugged into a mischievous smile. ‘I did argue for you not to accompany me.’

Lizzie punched his arm lightly. ‘Of course you did. I’m sure Val would be suspicious if you didn’t try to stop me going. You never want me to have any of the fun.’

Jack held up his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. ‘You are a dangerous woman, Seagrove. If going into occupied France is your idea of fun, I confess I’m at a loss how to protect you.’

‘You always protect me, Raven,’ Lizzie whispered, using his codename.

‘But seriously, you must see it’s the most perfect opportunity for us to be together like a proper couple.

You’re always saying we would be married by now if it weren’t for the war.

Now, we can enjoy all the perks of married life and not be forced to live apart. And with the agency’s blessing, too!’

Jack smiled at Lizzie’s enthusiasm, which he found contagious.

It was just as well they were alone, because anyone would see at a glance how besotted he was with the young woman at his side.

‘You really are one of a kind, my darling. Anyone would think we had just won an all-expenses paid trip to the South of France. Have you forgotten there’s a bloody war on and we’ll be lucky if we get out alive? ’

Lizzie shook her head, her red lips curving into a warm smile and her eyes twinkling. ‘I haven’t forgotten. But I dreaded leaving you again, or even worse, you away without me. Going together is like a gift from the gods. Besides, it is an all-expenses paid trip.’

‘Only if you don’t count the considerable price that will be on our heads the longer we stay.’ Jack snorted and slid his arms around Lizzie, and they stood there swaying silently for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

‘I’ve got to scoot off to an emergency meeting soon. The Dutch section wants me to advise on a situation,’ Jack said, breaking the silence.

‘You’re always in demand. I hope I can be like you one day.’ Lizzie was only half joking. Jack was one of the most experienced agents in Military Intelligence, and the fledgeling country-targeted sections of the SOE called on him to share his expertise.

Jack King was a legend in the field and was fast becoming one at Baker Street, too.

He dropped a kiss on Lizzie’s pert nose. ‘Stay exactly as you are, please. You are already perfect. Lord, help me if you become a crotchety old spy like me.’

Lizzie glowed under his appreciative gaze, like a cat basking in the sun. ‘Will I see you later?’

‘You can count on it. Dinner tonight?’

Lizzie nodded. ‘I’d love that. I told Ma and Pa I’ll be back though, so I’ll have to go home after dinner, or they’ll worry.’

‘No problem. I’ll get you back to them safely before the witching hour.’ When he reached the door, he turned and winked. ‘See you at our usual spot by the station at seven?’

‘See you then.’

They spent much of their time dodging other agents, and their personal life was as clandestine as their work. It wasn’t easy keeping their relationship secret, but it had to be done.

A joyful smile lingered on Lizzie’s face.

The implications of their mission unfolded in her mind.

They wouldn’t have to pretend not to be in love in France.

They could live together freely. Clearly, they would need to put some serious thought into their cover as husband and wife so their stories would be bulletproof, but the thought of living openly with Jack made Lizzie’s stomach fizz.

Val’s face appeared in the doorway, jilting Lizzie out of her romantic reverie. ‘I’ve been looking all over for you,’ she said. ‘I need you.’

Lizzie was embarrassed to be caught grinning on her own, and she hoped Val hadn’t noticed.

‘What are you doing mooning around in here, looking like Father Christmas came early?’

Lizzie cleared her throat and forcibly restrained the slow blush threatening to stain her pale cheeks. She was working on controlling her emotions and hiding her reactions, but it was a challenge. ‘Oh nothing. I was just thinking about a recent telephone call from a friend, that’s all.’

Val looked at her quizzically. ‘If I didn’t know you barely have a spare minute for a social life, I would think you were daydreaming about some lucky young man.’

The statement took Lizzie by surprise, and she flicked her hair over her shoulder in an awkward gesture, but somehow kept the blush at bay despite the tingle on her neck.

‘Imagine! Wouldn’t that be a fine thing?

No chance, that will have to wait until after the war, I’m afraid,’ she garbled, smiling as she followed Val along the dimly lit corridor to her office.

Her heartbeat gradually slowed to its regular pace, and she told herself to be more careful.

She was in a hotbed of spies and, despite Jack reassuring her, they were all too obsessed with their work to notice what their fellow agents were doing, Val was astute.

Lizzie fished out the file Val had been searching for and plopped it onto her desk. ‘Here it is. Where do you want me today?’

Val pushed her thick-rimmed glasses up her nose and fixed her gaze on Lizzie, reminding her of one of her schoolteachers in Jersey. ‘Good question. There’s so much going on, we could do with five of you!’

‘Shall I take that as a compliment, or as a sign of my inefficiency?’ Lizzie smiled.

‘Oh, definitely a compliment. I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ Val said, holding the file. ‘Although I’ll find out soon enough, unfortunately. Jack told you the news, I suppose?’

Lizzie nodded.

‘Thoughts?’ Val asked, nibbling the end of her pencil as she studied Lizzie.

‘I’m ready for the next mission,’ Lizzie said. ‘Well, I will be when I know the specifics.’

‘Jack’s in with the Dutch, but we could make a start without him. Did he brief you at all?’

‘No, not really. All I know is we’re both off to the South of France.’

‘Yes, it’s a beautiful time of year for it. Shame you’ll have to share it with the bloody Vichy traitors and the Boche tourists.’

‘Where will we be based, exactly?’ Lizzie asked. She’d visited Antibes as a child with her family and recalled its outstanding beauty, but she wasn’t familiar with the South.

‘Toulouse.’

‘I’ve never been there,’ Lizzie said.

‘I have, briefly. La Ville Rose , they call it. It’s a charming medieval city with pinkish terracotta buildings. The architecture is quite wonderful.’

Val seemed suddenly far away, a soft expression etched onto her usually stern features, and Lizzie wondered what had happened.

She didn’t know anything about Val’s personal life.

All she knew was she was a fierce defender of Britain and lived and breathed her job as the right-hand woman to the boss of F Section.

‘I’m getting sentimental in my old age,’ Val said, shaking her head. ‘Anyway, back to the business at hand. We need you and Jack in Toulouse.’

‘When will we leave?’ Lizzie asked, her pulse racing at the thought of dropping into Vichy France. It would be completely unknown territory for her.

‘The sooner the better. But not before you’re fully equipped and ready for every eventuality. Pull up a chair and let’s get into the details of what we need to do to prep you.’

Stella, the SOE’s beloved tea lady, tapped on the door and pushed the rattling trolley into the room, laden with a big urn of tea, mugs, and biscuits.

‘How do you always know the perfect time to appear, Stella?’ Val asked.

‘Well, I have an advantage—it’s always the perfect time for a cuppa and something sweet!’ Stella poured two mugs of tea and distributed some biscuits onto a small plate on the desk between them.

‘True,’ Val agreed, biting into the crunchy biscuit.

Lizzie smiled warmly at Stella, who had been her underground companion when they sheltered from the first London air raid at the start of the Blitz the previous summer.

They shared a bond because of the frightening experience and always exchanged a few words when they bumped into each other.

‘Heard from your son recently?’ she asked the tea lady.

‘Last I heard, he’s alive and kicking, giving those bastards what for at the Front, God bless him.’

Stella rattled out of the room, closing the door behind her.

‘Now where were we?’ Val mused, nibbling her biscuit.

‘You were saying we should discuss how to prep me,’ Lizzie prompted after she took a sip of steaming tea and replaced the mug.

‘We urgently need eyes and ears in Vichy France.’

‘Understood. Why Toulouse?’

‘It’s a fair question. The intelligence we intercepted says Toulouse is a melting pot of potential Resistance recruits, so we’ve identified it as the best location for you to set up camp.’

There was another tap at the door, and Jack’s face appeared in the crack. ‘Come in,’ called Val. ‘You’ve missed Stella, but there are some biscuits left if you’re quick.’

Jack pulled up a chair and sat near them before reaching for a biscuit.

‘What’s the latest from Amsterdam?’ Val asked.

‘Some agents seem to have got themselves in a bit of a pickle. Nothing that can’t be fixed,’ he said. ‘Gave them a few tips.’

Val knew better than to prod any further. There was a code of silence between the SOE agents, and it was an honour for Jack to be trusted by D Section.

‘We were just discussing Toulouse,’ said Val.

Jack dipped his head and hooked a pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket. He lit one and stood before crossing to look out the window. ‘You’ve got the best view in the building,’ he remarked, admiring the dome of St. Paul’s gleaming in the spring sunshine.

‘Yes, and it’s staying that way. Don’t get designs on my office,’ Val quipped.

Jack swivelled to face them, spirals of smoke looping over his head towards the high ceiling. ‘I prefer being in the field, anyway. Not cut out for being a desk boffin.’

‘Just as well we’re releasing you back into the wild, then,’ Val said.

Jack smirked. ‘Can’t say I’m not surprised. I didn’t have a chance to ask earlier. How come you and the boss have altered your position? I thought I was too much of a liability in the field unless it’s an absolute emergency?’

Val replaced her empty mug on the desk and brushed the crumbs from her lap. ‘That’s just it. This is an emergency.’