War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 137

Chapter 21

“W

hat’s troubling you, my love?” Richard asked, putting his arm around Katrina’s shoulders.

“Nothing.” She pushed him away, pretending to be busy tending to the bunnies.

“I can see that you’re worried, since you have that frown on your forehead,” Richard said, trying to sound carefree. The uncertainty about the fates of her family had taken a toll on Katrina and she was closing herself down, shutting him out. Like a fish, she seemed to slip from his hands whenever he tightened his grip. Since he adored her with all his heart and soul, the prospect of losing her caused his entire body to constrict with grief.

“Things are such a mess,” she finally said. “For all the rumors of an end to the war, nothing has changed. Deportations from the Ghetto can start any day now and we still haven’t the slightest clue how to rescue Agnieska and Jan…” She wiped a strand of hair from her face and left a dirty smear in its place.

Richard instinctively raised his hand to swipe it away, but stopped midair. Given the way she’d recently reacted to his signs of affection, it would probably only heighten the tension. Since the day Stan had left to find out more about the Ghetto, Katrina’s strength and determination seemed to have gone with him, and an empty shell of her former self remained. It pained Richard to see her like this, but she stubbornly refused to let him share her burden. If Katrina suffered, he ached right along with her.

“My darling, you mustn’t give up,” Richard said. “I’m sure Stan will return any moment with a plan.”

“He’d better hurry. The Germans had another of their roundups yesterday, detaining everyone caught in the net,” Katrina said bitterly and put the rabbit into the open enclosure with grass. “All males above the age of fifteen without a sealed and stamped

Arbeitskarte

were sent to work for the Reich.” Every Pole had to register with the General Government and was issued a work card. Those without a job were always at risk of being caught in one of the roundups and sent to Germany as forced laborers.

“I’m sorry…” There wasn’t much else he could say.

Katrina turned around and her brown eyes glinted sparks of anger at him. “You are sorry! That’s all you can say? My parents are dead. Murdered by German soldiers. Ludmila and Jarek are dead, also at the hands of your kind. Piotr is probably dead. Agnieska and Jan will soon be dead, too! Stan is all that is left of my family and God knows for how long.” More tears streamed down her cheeks with every word tumbling from her mouth.

“Please, calm down.” Despite knowing better, Richard reached out for her.

“Don’t you dare touch me! You’re one of them bloody Germans!” She yelled at the top of her lungs, sending the rabbits in the enclosure in a frenzy to find cover.

He couldn’t deny the truth of her careless words. He was the enemy. His nation had brought so much death and destruction to Poland and its people, Katrina had every right to be angry with him. He’d deluded himself into thinking that their love could conquer all barriers. Love alone wasn’t enough. Not in these troubled times – times painted with the dark and destructive brush of war and death.

“Stan is clever. He’ll stay safe and return soon,” Richard said, hoping the reassurance would somehow calm her down. It didn’t. She showered him with curses, until violent sobs racked her body and forced the fight out of her. Katrina dropped to the floor, a pale, cold, blubbering picture of misery.

And he’d caused it.

“Katrina, darling, are you alright?” Richard asked, the fear seeping into his bones. But she wouldn’t answer. Incoherent scraps of words in Polish and German, mixed with sobs, bubbled out of her mouth.

Frontkoller

. He’d witnessed the meltdown of comrades at the front, caving in to the physical and mental pressures there. He’d just never thought this could happen in the rural idyll of a farmhouse.

There and then, Richard realized the burden placed on her delicate shoulders: single-handedly managing the farm, worrying about her insurgent brothers, feeding a group of partisans, and sheltering a

German

fugitive had been too overwhelming to withstand.

Her resilience had been used up. With his heart shattered into a million pieces, Richard knew he must do the right thing – lessen her burden. He scooped her up, and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. He tucked her in, soothed her to sleep, and pressed a kiss to her chilly forehead.

Downstairs in the kitchen he sat down to write a letter.

Beloved Katrina,

My presence here is putting too much of a burden on your shoulders and it endangers not only you, but also those you support. Thus, I must leave. I do so with a broken heart, because my love for you will never vanish. My hope is to see you again in more benign circumstances.

I pray you survive this terrible time and find your family. I have never been, nor ever will be, an enemy to you and yours.

Wishing you nothing but happiness.

Always your Richard.

PS: Please give my greetings to Tadzio and your brother.

He retrieved

his uniform from its hiding place and put it on beneath his peasant clothes, before packing a bag with his meager belongings, stuffing some bread, cheese and a bottle of water inside as well.

Then he returned upstairs and leaned against the doorjamb, gazing one last time at Katrina’s dear face framed by the long hair he so loved.

As a violent ache ripped through his chest, he left.