The Sky Beneath Her(40)

The Oceanus was a desirable target. She might carry 132 souls aboard, but I suspected her cargo hold was packed with precious raw materials like uranium, manganese, and chromium, all favorites in military manufacturing circles.

Large guns positioned at the bow of the ship were manned by young soldiers with gazes trained on the horizon.

I’d come so far. Hunger, humiliation, and so many lies. I’d done it all to reach the United States. And now to think I could be so close to freedom, only to have it ripped away by an unseen team of men I could have been acquainted with in Vienna.

A flicker of movement caught my attention. Dr. Brooks approached me. “Frau Werner?”

I raised my gaze to him. “Good morning.”

His gaze scanned over me. “You look nervous.”

I painted over the worry with a grin. “You aren’t worried? So much water. So many endless waves.”

Dr. Brooks took his seat, spreading his napkin over his lap. “I work better with water under my feet. This great vastness is beautiful, no? Did you know water covers two-thirds of the world? We can’t survive without it.”

The waves smacked against the bow, jostling me. Stoneware dishes and glasses rattled. “It’s also frightening.”

A smile teased his lips. “You’ll arrive in New York City, and you and your baby will live a fine life.” His words were awash with such certainty.

His comforting words grazed their mark. “Tell me about New York.”

“So much to say. I grew up in a brownstone in Brooklyn.” When my brow rose, he added, “A town house on the east side of New York City. But I now spend most of my time in the port city of Norfolk, Virginia.”

Before the war, I’d read US novels and magazines that described cities with tall buildings, solid roads, and so many people. Since Germany’s annexation of Austria, Austrian newspapers only reported low US morale, a failing society, and weak soldiers. But the Lisbon papers spoke of the United States as a strong, vast country ready to supply the Allied war effort. “What do you like best about New York?”

“The food. The plays. The Hudson River.”

“Water again. You sound like you’re a creature of the water.”

“I am.” The definitive statement suggested a literal truth.

“What else do you love about the city?”

Hints of regret darkened his gaze. “The theater. The symphony. Central Park is in the center of the city. It’s over eight hundred acres of trees, grass, lakes, and pathways. Nothing prettier on a warm spring day. It reminds me of the Volksgarten in Vienna.”

“The People’s Garden,” I said easily.

“So, you have been to Vienna?”

I paused. “I’ve read about it.”

“Ah. The Volksgarten is a stunning park. Very lovely. It was once an imperial garden. And of course, many rare books in all those narrow side street shops. I hear the books have been a casualty of the war in Vienna.”

Even this far from Austria, I hesitated to speak out. One more slip, and I could reveal too much. “So I have heard.” I rearranged my napkin. “How is Norfolk different from New York City?”

“Smaller. A large port city. Smaller shops. Families. Kids. By now, the city must be awash with soldiers and sailors ready to set sail for Europe and fight.”

Many young men in Austria had already died on the battlefield. “I pray for them all.”

As if he understood that fear dominated my calculations, he removed a card from his vest pocket. It read, Dr. Atticus T. Brooks, Book Dealer. There was no address under the name, but he removed a pen from his pocket and scribbled a phone number. “If you find yourself in need of assistance, you can send word.”

I flicked the edge of the card with my gloved finger. “Thank you, but it would be too much to ask.”

“Nonsense. Now that international crossings are precarious, I’ll be staying stateside for the time being. I would consider it an honor if you contacted me. I can always use help in the Norfolk bookshop.”

A bookshop was tantalizing. I wondered if his shop was like my uncle’s store. I tucked the card deep in the pocket of my skirt. “Thank you.”

I liked Dr. Brooks. He wasn’t as physically impressive as Alfred. But he had intelligent eyes that missed little. “What was your favorite discovery on this trip?”

“You shift the topic very smoothly, Frau Werner.”

My lips softened. “I would say you’re better at it than me.”

He grinned. “Guilty as charged.” He leaned forward a fraction, straightening the untouched spoon by his plate. “I’d say the coins I found in North Africa. They date back to Roman times.”

“Roman. Over a thousand years old.”

“Older,” he said. He reached into his pocket and removed a handful of silver pieces. He placed several in my palm.

Several were perfectly round and engraved with the profile of a Roman emperor sporting a laurel wreath. As I shuffled the bits of metal around my palm, I found one that caught my attention. It was identical to the coin I’d tossed into the Danube River four years ago.

When I looked up, Dr. Brooks regarded me closely. “You have found the outlier.”

“Where did you get this one?”

“I don’t remember.” When I tried to return the silver pieces, he added, “Keep that one. It’ll remind you of home and me.”