gratitude that God cared enough to have surrounded her with people to help her stay close to His side. Surely what they were about to do was the right decision. She needed to remind herself of that and tell Genny, too.
“Genny, just one thing eased my mind last night. If Edward really thinks God has abandoned Belgium, then when everything goes well, might he realize how wrong he’s been? that he can trust God to protect us instead of trying to do it all himself?”
Nearly an hour later, Isa stood at the kitchen window alone, waiting for a delivery. Any delivery, German or otherwise. So far not even the goods for the dinner had arrived.
Clara had not returned, though she’d sent her nephew with a message that she would be home in plenty of time to prepare the meal for that evening. From her vantage point, Isa couldn’t see far past the garden or down the alleyway. She saw trees, low bushes, the stone fence. The tops of other homes nearby.
And then, through the gently swaying, colorful branches of the beech tree, she saw the top of a wagon. It rambled down the narrow artery at a slow pace, far slower than the rate of Isa’s heart. Not surprisingly these days, an ox pulled the wagon rather than a horse. Just as well; he made the load look light.
Getting the press this far had succeeded. That counted the mission nearly half-complete.
Isa saw the driver as he pulled the rig up to the gate. His face was darkened by a bushy beard streaked with gray, thick matching brows. But Isa would know Edward anywhere, from the curve of his shoulders to the length of his arms. Rosalie had outdone herself this time. No one would recognize this wizened old man as the young man Isa loved.
Edward coughed and spit on the pavement, then stepped down with all the care of an older man. Isa could no longer see him then, but she did see Henri emerge from his room above the carriage house. She folded her arms in front of her, itching to go outside.
Oh, Lord, watch over us now!
* * *
Genny played the piano as she’d never played before. The act was as much a prayer as it was a production. Only by keeping her mind on the Lord could she banish the tremor making her nearly fumble every chord. Only by prayer could she remember the notes—notes she hadn’t played in over two years.
She was grateful she hadn’t needed to knock on the Major’s door with an invitation. Genny hadn’t liked that idea from its inception, less so when knowing she must occupy him on her own. He’d joined her not long after she’d begun, as if it had been his own idea to leave his room and find her just down the hall.
The hymn ended and she began another. Delivery of the press must be under way by now. Years without playing soon evaporated as her fingers found their way across the keys to the tune of “Nearer My God to Thee.”
* * *
Isa stepped aside to allow Edward and Henri access to the pantry, each carrying a box. “Henri will take these down to the room,” Edward said. “Then he’ll help me bring the casting in if there’s no one around. It’s too heavy for either of us alone. You’ll have to stand watch outside, Isa.”
Isa made her way to the wagon. She looked both ways, seeing no one near. But when Edward turned quickly on his heel and motioned her to silence, she looked frantically around.
And then she saw him. A German sentry coming round from the back of the wagon.
“Where did all this food come from?” he inquired, first in German and then in broken French.
“Kommandantur.” Edward’s voice was raspy as he turned his back on the sentry and started lifting another box. “Just this one,” he said to Isa. “The rest go to the courthouse.”
“We are hosting Herr Lutz from the Kommandantur tonight.” Isa, proud of imitating confidence she didn’t feel, hoped the name would mean something. “We’re expecting a second delivery any moment. Wine, you know.”
The soldier lifted a brow, duly impressed. He raised a hand to lift the top of the box in Edward’s arms, but Edward turned just in time to avoid the contact, as if he hadn’t noticed the soldier’s intentions.
“Just a moment.” He came to stand in front of Edward and opened the box. Isa peered around him to