And this? She held up the report.
I told you Schellenberg was important, didnt I?
But this business about trying to win the Duke of Windsor over to their cause. Its nonsensical. Hed never do such a thing.
I agree, but Schellenbergs instructions seem real enough. If necessary, hes to kidnap the Duke and Duchess. Its as simple as that. He smiled. You see, liebchen, its now more important than ever that you leave here Monday and make your way to Lisbon.
Taking this with me?
Youd probably do better to memorize it.
Suddenly she was filled with a fierce exhilaration. You know, Uncle Max, being a Jew never really meant all that much to me until I came here and saw how Jews were treated. It was all right for me. Good clothes, position, an American passport, but Ive had to walk on while old ladies with yellow stars on their coats have been kicked into the gutter by animals in uniform. God, but it would be nice to hit back for a change.
Youll do it, then?
Why not? She folded the report, raised her skirt and slipped it into her stocking as Irene Neumann had done. Ill read it again later.
There was a knock at the door and Vogel, the head waiter, looked in, holding a bunch of red roses. I thought youd like to know weve got distinguished company tonight.
And who would that be? Max Winter asked.
Heydrich himself and General Schellenberg. Vogel handed the roses to Hannah. These are for you with General Schellenbergs compliments, and will you join them after the show?
The Garden Room was nothing like as busy as usual. Vogel gave Heydrich and Schellenberg a booth that was usually reserved for guests of the management.
Champagne, Heydrich said. Krug. Two bottles and put more on ice.
Certainly, Herr General.
Vogel bustled away and Heydrich looked the place over. As usual with such clubs, there were a number of pretty young hostesses available, seated at the bar. He looked them over with the eye of the true connoisseur.
Vogel appeared with the champagne and Heydrich said, The blonde, third from the end of the bar. Tell her to come over.
The girl came immediately. Heydrich didnt ask her name. Simply told her to sit down and poured her a glass of champagne. Then he pulled back her skirt and stroked her silken knees while he talked to Schellenberg.
Connie and his boys were playing Some of These Days and Heydrich drummed out the tempo on the edge of the table with the fingers of his free hand.
Excellent really quite excellent. You know, Walter, one of the more fatuous requirements of our present system is that it expects me to consider Negroes my inferior, which is rather unfortunate in my case as I adore Louis Armstrong, the music of Duke Ellington and the piano playing of Fats Waller.
Schellenberg said, The Jewish situation creates the same personal difficulties, dont you find? I mean, almost every mathematician, or musician or scientist of note seems to be a Jew, and rather large numbers of them have left. I wonder just how long we can stand that?
Heydrich frowned, which hardly surprised Schellenberg. He was well aware of his superiors dark secret which was that his maternal grandmother, Sarah, had been Jewish.
That kind of talk will get you into nothing but trouble, Walter. There are times when I despair of you. Times when a definitely suicidal strain shows through. He refilled Schellenbergs glass. Here drink up and shut up!
The trio started to play a little louder, Uncle Maxs voice boomed out and a moment later, Hannah emerged on stage and started to sing.
A great many of her numbers were in English, which was what the crowd expected. She worked her way through a number of popular songs of the day including The Continental, That Old Feeling, Time on My Hands, a Noël Coward number, Mad About the Boy, and ended with a really beautiful rendition of These Foolish Things that had the diners standing up and cheering.
Schellenberg had been totally absorbed and was on his feet applauding madly when he glanced to one side and noticed Heydrich still sitting down, one arm around the young girl, frowning up at him in a strangely calculating way.
As the applause died down, he said, Careful, Walter, youre letting your enthusiasm run away with you. I think you like this one too much, perhaps.
Schellenberg nodded to Vogel who went and spoke to Hannah who had stopped beside the piano to talk to Connie. She came across, pausing here and there to speak to well-wishers.
He stood up. You were marvellous truly.
He held her hands tightly for a moment and she responded in spite of herself. Thanks I enjoyed doing it and thats usually good for the audience.
General Heydrich, may I present Fräulein Hannah Winter?
Heydrich didnt bother to get up. Excellent, Fräulein. Really very, very good. His manner was cool enough to border on the offensive. He said to Schellenberg, Actually, Walter, Ive decided to have an early night. Ill take the car and send it back for you, if you want to stay on, that is.
Yes, I think I will.
Suit yourself. Heydrich got up, clutching the blonde girl firmly by one arm. Fräulein a pleasure.
Hannah and Schellenberg watched them go. He poured her a glass of champagne. You have another show?
Yes, in an hour.
May I escort you home afterwards?
She put a hand on her thigh, aware of the folded report that she had pushed into her stocking. It gave her a strange feeling of power over him so that she smiled and said yes and was aware of that familiar hollow feeling of excitement.
Your General Heydrich, she said. Does he usually take bar girls home with him?
Frequently.
He should beware of young Lotte. The word I heard was that she was having to see the doctor.
Schellenberg laughed. We have a saying in the SS. A soldiers pay a soldiers risks.
She leaned forwards, a sudden urgency in her voice. Youre not like him like the rest of them. I dont understand.
He took her hand and said gently, Are you familiar with a song called Moonlight on the Highway?
Yes.
I have a record of it sung by the English crooner, Al Bowlly. It is an especial favourite of mine. Will you sing it for me?
If you like.
I love good jazz singing. Billie Holliday was my favourite until now. Your trio are really quite excellent.
Connie and the boys. Oh, yes terrors with the girls. Women seem to be their main spare-time interest.
For my daughter, Sarah, from one
unashamed romantic to another
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue
Lisbon1940
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Jack Higgins
Copyright
About the Publisher
PROLOGUE
In July 1940 Walter Schellenberg, SS Brigadeführer and major-general of police, was ordered by Hitler to proceed to Lisbon to kidnap the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, then staying in a villa at Estoril after fleeing the German occupation of France. This story is an attempt to recreate the events surrounding that astonishing episode. Most of it is documented historical fact although certain sections must obviously be fictional. The person who emerges from the whole bizarre affair with most credit is the Duke of Windsor himself. For that reason I offer this book as a tribute to a gallant and honourable gentleman.
LISBON19401
Just after midnight it started to rain, and the Portuguese policeman brought a cape from his sentry box and placed it around her shoulders without a word.
It was quite cold now and she walked a few paces along the road to keep warm, pausing to look back across the mouth of the Tagus to where the lights of Lisbon gleamed in the distance.
A long way; not as far as Berlin or Paris or Madrid, but she was here now, finally, outside the pink stucco villa at Estoril. The final end of things, more tired than she had ever been in her life before and, suddenly, she wanted it to be over.
She walked back to the policeman at the gate. Please, she said in English, how much longer? Ive been here almost an hour. Which was foolish because he didnt understand her.
There was the sound of a car coming up the hill, headlights flashed across the mimosa bushes, and a black Mercedes braked to a halt a few yards away.
The man who got out of the rear was large and powerfully built. He was bare-headed and wore glasses and his hands were pushed into the pockets of a dark mackintosh.
He said something briefly in Portuguese to the policeman, then turned to the girl. His English was quite excellent.
Miss Winter, isnt it? Miss Hannah Winter?
Yes, thats right.
Could I see your passport?
She got it out quickly, her hands fumbling in the cold so that the cape slipped from her shoulders. He replaced it for her politely, then took the passport.
So an American citizen.
Please, she said, a hand on his sleeve. I must see the Duke. Its a matter of the gravest urgency.
He looked down at her calmly for a moment, then nodded to the policeman who started to open the gate. The car rolled forward. He held the door for her, and she climbed inside. He followed.
With a sudden burst of power, the Mercedes jumped forward, the driver swinging on the wheel, taking them round in a circle and back down the hill towards Lisbon.
She had been thrown into the corner and now he pulled her upright roughly and switched on the light. He was still clutching her passport.
Hannah Winter American citizen? I think not. He tore it apart and flung it into the corner. Now this, I think, would be a much more accurate description.
The passport he pushed into her hands was German. She opened it in fascinated horror. The picture that stared out at her was her own.
Fräulein Hannah Winter, he said. Born in Berlin on November the ninth, nineteen-eighteen. Do you deny this?
She closed the passport and pushed it back at him, fighting to control her panic. My name is Hannah Winter, but I am an American citizen. The American embassy will confirm this.
The Reich does not acknowledge the right of its citizens to change nationalities to suit their inclinations. You were born a German. I confidently predict you will die one.
The streets were deserted and they drove very fast so that already they were into the city and moving down towards the river.
He said, An interesting city, Lisbon. To get into any foreign embassy its necessary to pass through a Portuguese police checkpoint. So, if youd tried to get into either the British or American embassies, we would still have got you.
She said, I dont understand. When I asked to be admitted the man on the gate said hed have to check with headquarters.
Its simple. The Portuguese police have accepted an extradition warrant to be served on Hannah Winter on a charge of murder murder three times over. In fact, theyve agreed to expedite the matter.
But you youre not the police.
Oh, but we are. Not the Portuguese variety, but something rather more interesting. He was speaking in German now. Sturmbannführer Kleiber of the Berlin office of the Gestapo. My colleague, Sturmscharführer Gunter Sindermann.
It was like something out of a nightmare and yet the tiredness she felt was overwhelming so that nothing seemed to matter any more.
What happens now? she asked, dully.
Kleiber switched off the light so that they were in darkness again. Oh, well take you home, he said. Back to Berlin. Dont worry. Well look after you.
His hand was on her knee, sliding up over the silk stocking to her thigh.