could carry between the lining of my skirt and the cotton on the outside.”
Edward leaned back in his chair, emitting a breath. “I don’t know if I should be grateful or angry.”
“Why should you be angry?”
He leaned forward again, folding his hands on the table. “Is there anything else you smuggled in without telling me? a codebook, maybe? plans to blow up the Kommandantur?”
Isa laughed. “You’re too funny! Why should I have told you about the money and the gems? What would you have done differently to get them here?”
“You could have warned me about the flute,” he said. “I almost threw the blasted thing in the river, along with that silly book of yours.”
“My diary! Don’t remind me.”
“Oh, Edward, you didn’t throw away Isa’s diary?”
“I did. I know of at least two priests who’ve been killed for keeping a journal, and I wasn’t about to join their ranks because of some silly sentimental rubbish.”
“Don’t call my diary rubbish!”
“Perhaps not—rubbish wouldn’t send anyone to the firing squad. Did you happen to mention Gourard’s name in that diary?”
She didn’t answer.
“I can see you did. A connection to someone who’s escaped over the frontier is automatic guilt in any German court.”
Isa was about to protest when she caught the little shake of Genny’s head. Clearly Genny thought this was one argument Isa could not win.
“How soon can we contact Gourard’s network to help us leave? I have the name of a priest who will arrange for papers for the rest of you, passes to travel outside of Brussels.” She glanced at Edward. “We don’t need more than that, do we? You can guide all of us out the way you guided me in, can’t you?”
“What about your loyalty to Belgium?” Edward asked. “That’s all you’ve touted since I picked you up, how this is your home and you belong here.”
“I meant every word, but I’ve always planned to use this treasure in the best way to benefit all of us. So when Belgium is its own again, there will still be Belgians to populate it.”
“Well, at least you’re talking sense.” Edward eyed her. “Your plan might work.”
“Good! How soon shall we leave?”
“I can talk to Father Clemenceau today.”
“You—you already know Father Clemenceau?” Isa caught back more questions. “Of course, since Gourard arranged for you to be my guide, you must already know all of the connections between here and Holland.”
“I know some,” he said slowly.
Genny shook her head. “Those people are so dangerous. Albert has a healthy fear of it all. I wish you knew less than you do.” She patted her son’s forearm and then looked at Isa. “Now both of you know too much.”
“I only know a few names,” she said.
“Well, forget them,” Genny advised. “As for escaping over the frontier, I don’t—”
Taking up one of the diamonds, Edward interrupted his mother. “This much money will make the trip far less dangerous than you imagine, Mother. We can bribe every checkpoint guard between here and the border and walk right out.”
“How can you be so sure? Greed is one thing, loyalty another.”
Isa put an arm about Genny’s shoulders. “Edward will make sure we’re safe.”
“I wouldn’t agree to seeing you out if I didn’t think you could safely escape, Mother,” Edward said. “I wouldn’t put your life—or Jonah’s—in worse jeopardy than staying here.”
“Not to mention your own life,” Isa added. Or mine, but she didn’t dwell on that omission just now.
Edward didn’t look at her.
There was something heart-stopping in that simple act of avoidance.
“I will have Father Clemenceau talk to you,” Edward said. “As soon as he sees the medium of exchange Isa’s brought, he’ll tell you how safe the journey could be. Will you talk to him?”
His mother nodded.
“Good.” Edward twisted the velvet back around the gemstones, pushing them toward Isa. He stood. “Put these back where you had them, and by all means keep them safe. I’ll tend to the arrangements.”
Isa stood too, leaving the jewels on the table. “Wait.”
He slowed but did not stop until he was at the door.
“You’ll make arrangements for all of us, won’t you, Edward? All of us?”
He placed a hand on the dark knob. But he didn’t open the door, nor did he turn back to them. He stood still for a long, silent moment. “I’ll make arrangements for you and my mother and Jonah.”
“Then you might as well sit down,” Isa said quietly. “What would be the use of spending all this on bribes just to turn around at the border?”