The Oslo Affair (Shadows of War, #2) CW Browning (sci fi books to read TXT) 📖

“Perfect!”

Anna continued to look at the menu and, while her attention was occupied, Evelyn cast a slow look around at the neighboring tables while she removed her gloves. Their fellow diners seemed to be a mix of local residents out to enjoy the superior cuisine of the hotel restaurant and other foreign travelers like themselves. There were none that appeared suspicious in anyway and Evelyn laughed silently at herself as she realized she was looking for nefarious-looking Russians and Germans behind every menu.

“I think I’ll gain a ton of weight while I’m with you,” Anna finally announced, setting the menu down. “Everything looks so wonderful.”

“Do you go out to dinner very much?” Evelyn asked, setting her gloves with her purse on the chair beside her.

“Not very, no. Drinks, yes! But it’s expensive to eat out in Oslo, as I’m sure you noticed, so I don’t do it very often. Unless, of course, I can talk a nice, good-looking man into paying for it,” she added with a grin.

The waiter returned to set down a bottle of wine and poured them each a glass before Anna gave him their dinner order. He nodded and went away again and Anna looked across the table.

“Do you eat out often?”

“I don’t know if I’d say it’s often, but I do enjoy a good meal in town,” Evelyn said evasively. “Of course, I also count a nice pub in that.”

“I think I’d enjoy England if I ever got the opportunity to visit,” Anna said thoughtfully. “Is it true that everyone carries an umbrella all the time?”

Evelyn blinked and chuckled. “Well, yes, for the most part. There’s nothing worse than getting caught in the rain.”

“Perhaps one day I’ll get to see London.”

Evelyn sipped her wine. “Have you ever traveled?”

“You mean aside from Sweden and Denmark? No, not really. We went to Finland once when I was very young, but I have no memory of it.”

“Do you want to?”

“Oh yes. I’ve always wanted to see Europe. Now I don’t suppose that will possible, at least until after the war.”

Evelyn smiled dryly. “No. I wouldn’t advise it just now. France is safe enough at the moment, but if Hitler decides to move then that won’t last for long.”

“Erik wrote in his last letter that he thinks the Germans will try to take France in the Spring. What do you think?”

“I think your brother is right,” she said slowly. “If Hitler plans to attack France, he will wait until the winter is over. He can use the time to reinforce his army and air force.”

“If he does, Norway and Sweden may become the safest places for you,” Anna said after a moment. “You should stay! I’m sure Daniel would love to have you in the embassy.”

Evelyn laughed. “I don’t know if I’d like that much. It’s awfully cold here.”

Anna waved that away. “You’d get used to it.”

“I think I’d rather not find out. I enjoy my English weather, thank you.” Evelyn watched as Anna sipped her wine. “You’re bored with your work at the law firm, aren’t you?” she asked suddenly.

Anna looked up in surprise, her eyebrows soaring into her forehead.

“What? How did you know?”

“It was something you said. You said it was a job, nothing more.” Evelyn tilted her head and considered the other woman thoughtfully. “That’s why you agreed to come with me, isn’t it?”

After a second of hesitation, Anna nodded.

“You have no idea how unbelievably dull it is,” she complained. “I feel as though I live for the times when Daniel asks for my help. At least with him I feel like what I’m doing is important. At the firm, all I do is translate boring documents into Norwegian and type memos. I don’t even get to deliver the documents to the firms in Oslo. We have a courier boy who does that.”

Evelyn smiled sympathetically. Her hunch had been right. Anna was desperate to do something meaningful with her life, and secretarial work was not it.

“I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way last year.”

“And now you’re here.”

Evelyn nodded slowly. “And now I’m here,” she agreed.

Her eyes slid past Anna as something caught her attention. She wasn’t sure what had drawn her eye, but something had and Evelyn felt a strange shiver go down her spine. In an instant, she recognized it as the same chill she had felt in the street when she first caught sight of her Soviet friend.

Her lips tightened and she looked past Anna at the tables filled with laughing guests. None of them were any different than they had been, and the waiters moving between them were unexceptional. To the right, midway between their table and the door, a white column was covered with mirrored glass, reflecting the restaurant back to itself. It was a stunning display, really, and Evelyn’s gaze rested on it for a long moment. Had something in the reflection caught her attention? If so, whatever - or whoever – it was was gone now. All she saw reflected were the tables and waiters between them.

“Is everything all right?” Anna asked.

“What? Yes! Yes, everything’s fine. I thought I saw someone I recognized,” Evelyn said easily, reaching for her wine glass. “Perfectly ridiculous, of course. I don’t know a soul in Sweden.”

“Not even the person you’re meeting?” Anna asked, raising an eyebrow. “You know them, surely.”

She mentally bit her lip. Anna was very quick, and she had been very careless to make that slip.

“Yes, of course. I wasn’t thinking.”

Anna nodded, her dark eyes seeing more than Evelyn wanted, and she resisted the urge to squirm in her seat.

“When are you meeting them?”

“I actually don’t know.” Evelyn forced a smile. “He’s going to contact me.”

“Is that how this usually works?” Anna asked, lowering her voice. “Do you usually just wait for someone to contact you?”

Evelyn swallowed. She had no idea how to answer that. This was the first time she’d done anything like this, but she wasn’t about to