iron pirate (11 page)

He sensed the glances and the occasional bold stares from some ol the women. Why should he feel so ill at ease? This might be the last time for a long while that they could relax and drink too much. It could just as easily be the last time ever.

He heard a woman laugh and saw the auburn hair shining beneath a deckhead light.

Erika Franke wore neither a gown nor a uniform, it was something in between, dove-grey which set off her hair and her skin. She was speaking with Zeckner, a quarters officer, so that I lechler made to step aside before she saw him.

He was still uncertain what to do. Leitner had explained that t he orders came from von Hanke and even higher. Erika Franke was to stay aboard. Incredibly, there was also a camera team. That in itself was not unusual in major warships, but with the prospect of immediate action it could put their lives at risk. 1 .eitner seemed to treat the whole matter like a personal publicity operation.

She called, 'Why, Captain, so you have come amongst us after all!'

He faced her, surprised and angry at the way she got under his skin and made him feel clumsy.

He said, 'I hope you are being looked after?' She had long lashes and eyes which seemed to change colour as he watched. Hazel and then tawny.

She smiled. 'You are staring, Captain.'

Hechler took a glass of champagne which someone thrust into his hand.

'Yes. I'm sorry.' He raised the glass and lowered it again. 'And I apologise for the way I greeted your arrival on board.'

She touched her lip with her tongue as she had when she had faced him at their first meeting.

That must have cost you a lot, Captain.' She nodded, her eyes grave. 'I suspect you are not used to bending your knee.' The smile moved into her eyes again. 'Especially to a mere woman.'

Leitner joined them before Hechler could answer. He said, 'Good party. It will make everyone believe we are here as a part of a local squadron.' He beamed and showed his perfect teeth. 'Let them all relax and enjoy themselves, eh? Who cares about tomorrow?'

Theil was making signals from the door and Leitner remarked, 'A night full of surprises. As it should be.'

Hechler glanced past the noisy, laughing figures and saw her as she stepped over the coaming. He felt as if his breath had stopped, that even his heart was still.

Her hair was quite short so that her small, perfectly shaped ears were visible, as were the pendant earrings as she turned to look around.

Several officers stopped talking to stare, questions clear on their faces.

Hechler put down his glass. Inger had always commanded a lot of attention, like the first time he had seen her and lost his heart.

She had an escort, a much older man in an olive-green uniform, a political officer of some kind and obviously quite senior. That too was pretty typical, he thought bitterly.

Leitner was watching him, one eyebrow cocked. 'She asked to come.' He spread his hands with mock gravity. 'What must I do? How could anyone refuse her?'

'Your wife, Captain?'

Hechler looked at the girl with auburn hair. He felt suddenly lost. Trapped.

He said, 'Yes.'

'She is very beautiful.' But she was studying him, her eyes quiet with interest. 'You seem surprised?'

Leitner smiled. 'It is only right, Dieter.'

Hechler said, 'She has no place here.'

Biit she was coming across, men parting before her or trying to catch her glance.

She wore a red silk gown with thin shoulder straps. It was cut very low both front and back and Hechler guessed that she wore little if anything underneath it.

She presented her hand for him to take and kiss. Even that was perfectly done. The perfume on her skin, it too he could recall as if it were yesterday.

Leitner was shaking hands with her escort, but Hechler did not even catch his name. It was as it nothing had happened, that the

fire still burned. The touch of her hand, the movement of her breasts which were barely concealed by the red silk, seemed to render him helpless.

He knew Theil and some of the others were watching. They were learning more about their captain every day. Why had she come?

She said softly, 'You look tired, Dieter. Doing too much.' She observed him calmly. 'As always.’ Her eyes moved to the girl. And who is this?'

Erika Franke met her gaze, unruffled by the casual but faintly imperious tone.

She replied, 'I work here.' She gave a quick smile. 'I shall go and enjoy myself.'

Inger watched her leave and said, 'That's the flier. I thought I knew her.' She seemed to relax. 'She's been in some bother, I believe.'

Hechler did not want to discuss it. 'I was not expecting -'

‘That
is evident.' She smiled and touched his cheek but her eyes were quite cool. 'No matter. You are a man, a
hero,
some say.'

Leitner had moved away and was in deep conversation with her escort. The latter was staring across, unwilling to be shelved so soon.

Hechler felt the old anger again. Why should he have to put up with it?

Theil was watching too, although he was at some pains to cover it.

He heard himself ask, 'Why here and now, Inger? It's over.'

'You think so?' She rested one hand on his sleeve and touched the four gold stripes. 'You need me. You always will. Nothing's changed.' She seemed to become impatient and thrust her hand beneath his arm. 'Can we talk? In private?'

Hechler heard the lively dance strike up as another record was put on the gramophone and was grateful for the interruption. Voices grew louder and some of the guests began to revolve although there was barely room to move. Perspiring stewards and messmen pushed amongst the throng with laden trays of glasses. This evening was going to cost the wardroom a small lortune.

She said, 'Your cabin?' She looked up at him, her eyes steady, her lips shining, inviting.

They walked along the deck, the noise growing fainter as if the ship was reasserting herself, rising above them, grey steel and hooded guns.

Once she turned and looked across at the darkening water, the thin white line of a motor-launch's wake.

He asked, 'What about your friend?'

She shrugged. Even that motion stabbed him like a knife.

'Ludwig? He is head of a mission here, something to do with fisheries, I think. Don't worry about him.'

The cabin was quiet, with a tidiness which showed Pirk had been busy clearing up from the last official visitors. But there was some champagne and two glasses, as if it had all been planned. She saw his expression and said, Thank you, I should like some.'

He could feel her watching as he opened the bottle and wiped it free of ice. She never looked tired; he could not recall her ever refusing an invitation to a party or a reception. Like the time he had returned home with the knowledge he was being given
Prinz Luitpold.
He had been in bed reading when he had heard her come into the house, then the sound of men's voices.

When he had gone down he had found her in the arms of an artillery major, while another officer was on his knees beside a girl w'ho had obviously passed out with drink. The man had been tearing the clothes off her, stripping her naked while Inger and her friend ignored what he was doing.

Somehow, he could barely recall how, they had made it up. She had even been excited when he had thrown the others out of the house, had pleaded for his forgiveness and then given herself to him with such wild abandon that he had surrendered.

Looking back he must have been mad. But he had loved her then. Hechler turned with the glasses. He still wanted her. Was that the same thing?

He sat beside her, feeling the longing and the pain of it as he studied her face and her mouth. When she took his hand and put it around her breast he could feel the drumming in his mind, could think of nothing but taking her, here and now. As Leitner had said, who cares about tomorrow?

She stretched out and put down her glass so that one shoulder strap slipped away and her breast was almost lying bare in his hand. She watched his face as if to test each emotion there and said, 'You are sailing soon. Why else would Andreas invite me?'

He should have guessed that Leitner was behind it. It was a game to him. He used people with little thought for what might happen.

'What do you want, Inger?'

She touched his mouth with her fingers. I need you to love me.'

It made no sense, but he wanted to hold her, tell her everything. Hopes, fears, all the things which were bottled up inside him . . . The telephone shattered the silence and she smiled as he reached out to take it.

It was Theil, his voice hushed and troubled. One of the guests had fallen down a ladder. It was someone important. He thought the captain should know.

Hechler watched her, the way she smiled as she slipped the other strap from her shoulder and allowed the red silk to fall about her waist. Her breasts were lovely, and she touched one, her lips parted, knowing it would provoke him.

He said quickly, 'Get the senior medical officer, Viktor.' He had not met the newcomer yet and as he watched the thrust of her breasts he could barely recall his name. 'Stroheim.'

He put down the phone and looked at her. She was staring at him, her eyes full of disbelief. 'What name?'

Hechler said, Karl-Heinz Stroheim. He's new on board. I -'

She struggled into her dress and knocked over her champagne without seeming to notice it.

Hechler stood up while she looked around the cabin like a trapped animal.

'You know him?'

She faced him, her eyes hot. 'Don't you
dare
question me! I'm not one of your snivelling sailors!' She recovered slightly and glanced at herself in the mirror. 'Take me back. I must go.'

He blocked her way. 'Tell me! For God's sake, you said you wanted me!'

She stared at him, and he could see her self-control returning, like a calm on the sea.

What will you do, Dieter? Knock me down? Rape me?' She tossed her short curls. 'I think not - your precious Andreas would not care for
that!

Hechler could not recall walking back to the wardroom. More curious stares, her bright laugh as her escort lumbered over to claim her. He heard her say something about a headache, and

then as she turned to look towards him she said, ‘It will be a relief to be alone,'

Leitner watched as she followed Theil towards the door. He asked softly, 'Not going with her, Dieter? Tch, tch, I am surprised.'

Hechler turned his back on the others, his voice dangerously calm.

'You did it deliberately, sir. For one moment I thought He shook himself angrily. 'I don't know what I thought.'

Leitner glanced towards his willowy aide who had just entered, his eyes everywhere until he had found his lord and master.

Hechler saw the brief nod. Nothing more.

Leitner picked up a fresh glass and watched the busy bubbles rising.

'I shall set an example and retire, Dieter.' He looked at him for several seconds as if making up his mind.' 'First-degree readiness.' He shook his head as Hechler made to speak.
'Not yet.
People are watching. We shall weigh tomorrow evening. As soon as the guests have departed, pass the word to the other commanding officers.' Some of his self-control slipped aside. 'You will brief your heads of departments as soon as we clear the anchorage.'

Hechler watched the crowd of guests thinning soon after Leitner had followed his flag-lieutenant outside. It was like an unspoken command, and he walked to the guardrails opposite Turret Caesar to watch the boats and launches queuing at the *    accommodation    ladder    to    collect    their passengers.

Perhaps he hoped to see the red silk gown. He did not know any more. But he could picture her sitting beside him, her lovely body naked to the waist. Then her anger - or was it fear?

Some of the departing guests were singing. The ship, deep in shadow, must look quite beautiful from the boats in the water, he thought.

First-degree readiness. Like the opening of sealed orders. Page one.

The squadron would slip away unseen in the darkness, but not a man in any of the other ships would know
Prinz Luitpold's
true purpose. When they did there would be few who would wish to change places with them.

As one of the duty officers, Jaeger, with Stoecker standing close by, stood by the gangway and watched the visitors being

guided and helped down the long ladder. The sailors were taking much greater care with the women than the men, he noticed.

He saw the girl pause and look up at him. Shad waited until he returned from rounds, and he had spent the rest of the time speaking with her.

He raised his hand in salute and saw her blow him a kiss.

He did not see the pain on Stoecker's face as he spoke her name aloud.
Sophie.

By midnight as the watchkeepers changed round for the next lour hours Hechler still walked the decks alone.

When he eventually went to his cabin he saw the glasses and ice- bucket had gone, the stain of her champagne all but mopped up from the carpet.

A light burned beside his bunk, some coffee in a thermos nearby.

He thought suddenly of the new medical officer, and her expression when he had spoken his name.

There was so much he wanted to know, so much more he dared not ask.

When Pirk entered silently to switch off the light he found the captain fast asleep, still fully dressed.

Pirk sighed and then swung Hechler's legs on to the bunk.

He thought of the newly installed admiral and what he had heard about him and his flag-lieutenant. If the other stewards knew, it would soon be all over the ship.

Pirk smiled with satisfaction and switched off the light.

The capfain would see them all right. He always had.

Hechler slept on, and with his ship waited for the dawn.

The Unexpected

Hechler slid from his steel chair on the port side of the bridge and stamped his feet on the scrubbed gratings to restore the circulation. One of the watchkeepers jumped at the sound, and Hechler noted the tense backs of the bridge lookouts as they peered through their powerful glasses, each man to his own allotted sector.