Vengeance 10

As if echoing his thoughts, she kissed his forehead. ‘Sometimes I wonder if you’re not trying to hide the real reason for your ill humour behind this need to get back into action.’ When he looked at her in surprise, she shook her head. ‘I don’t mean it’s deliberate. It might be entirely unconscious.’

Memling chuckled. ‘Been talking to the new psychologist Englesby took on? Has he had a look at Englesby’s drives and motivations yet?’

Janet giggled. ‘As a matter of fact, we had tea the other day. He claims Englesby has an enormous inferiority complex and covers up with that damnable smug superiority. He also says that most of the upper class are that way. They know the rest of the world resents their money and privilege, and they’re stuffy as a defence. Sort of like whistling in the dark to keep up your courage.’

The wind struck then, whipping the curtains into the room and banishing the heat instantly. Janet sprang to the window, spreading her arms wide to the breeze. Memling followed and pulled her aside before the neighbours could see her naked earth goddess display. The rain came swiftly behind the wind, thunder crashing and banging about the city in an almost continual symphony.

Janet tugged his head down and whispered into his ear, ‘I accept your proposal, darling, whether it improves your humour or not.’

Memling laughed and pointed at the rain. ‘No German bombers tonight.’ Janet nodded seriously and led him back to the bed.

* * *

They had been in Berlin for three days, trapped in a seemingly endless round of technical conferences and symposia, before being summoned by Himmler. A chauffeured Mercedes limousine took them to his headquarters. As they drove through the streets they could see that in spite of regulations the festive coloured lights had not been turned off to comply with the blackout. Shop windows were crammed to overflowing with goods, and well- dressed shoppers struggled with packages on the icy sidewalks. Traffic, both military and civilian, was heavy, and there seemed to be more uniforms in evidence now than the previous summer.

Von Braun sat quietly staring out the window, until the limousine stalled in heavy traffic at a busy intersection. Then he turned to his friend.

‘I saw a picture of London in that American magazine Life. Leiderle brought it back from Switzerland. The city is in ruins, and the people look half-starved. Yet here you would never know there was a war. Look at them.’ He motioned towards a couple running hand in hand across the street, both clutching bundles and laughing happily, it’s as if they were on holiday, a permanent holiday, and no one will ever have to pay the reckoning.’

Bethwig remained silent. Germany triumphant! A nation surfeited with self-confidence after so many years of insecurity. How much longer could it last? The British had even begun to bomb Berlin’s industrial suburbs. How much longer would the British and their American allies show such restraint, he wondered, with British cities being subjected to terror bombing?

The limousine inched forward until it was stopped opposite a news-stand. The banner leader indicated fresh news from Stalingrad, and Bethwig wound down the window and motioned for a paper.

Von Braun glanced at the headline and snorted. ‘Herr Goebbels is still trying to convince us that the mighty army is winning the battle of Stalingrad, I see. What foolishness. I spoke to a pilot who had flown some wounded out a few days ago. He said the situation grows more hopeless by the day.’

Bethwig shook the paper loudly and jerked his head at the driver beyond the glass window. Von Braun nodded wearily and fell silent. The car broke free of traffic then, and a few minutes later they were walking up the broad steps into SS headquarters. An officer was waiting to conduct them directly to the Reichsführer who stood to receive them, smiling broadly. He indicated two chairs, then occupied a few moments with pleasantries and comments on how well the battle at Stalingrad was shaping, while the aide brought coffee — not ersatz, Bethwig noted, but the real thing.

‘Well, now, gentlemen, I see by the reports that in spite of difficulties, you have made remarkable progress in the past few months. I understand that you are readying another A-Ten for testing. Fine, fine. We must keep things moving along now that the Americans are beginning to make themselves felt in the war.’ Himmler hunched forward and stared at each man in turn.