“But you saw me in two places earlier this evening,” Rommel said calmly, “both in the audience and on stage at the same time.”
The room was so quiet that Hofer could hear the clock ticking. “My God,” he whispered. “Are you serious?”
“Why not? Friend Berger even fooled me when he came on stage. The voice, the appearance.”
“But would he be intelligent enough to cany it off? There are so many things he wouldn’t know how to handle. I mean, being a Field Marshal is rather different from being an orderly room clerk,” Hofer said.
“He seems intelligent enough to me,” Rommel told him. “He’s obviously talented and a brave soldier to boot. Iron Cross First and Second Class. And you mustn’t forget one important thing.”
“What’s that, Herr Field Marshal?”
“He’d have you at his shoulder every step of the way to keep him straight.” Suddenly Rommel sounded impatient. “Where’s your enthusiasm, Konrad? If you’re that worried, I’ll give you a few days to prepare him. Let’s see, it’s Saturday now. How about descending on Jersey next Friday. I’m only thinking of thirty-six hours or so. Back in France on Saturday night or Sunday at the latest. If Berger can’t carry it off for that length of time, I’ll eat my hat.”
“Very well, Herr Field Marshal. I’ll notify the Channel Islands that you’ll be arriving next Friday.”
“No, you won’t,” Rommel said. “We box more cleverly than that. Who’s the commander-in-chief?”
“Major General Count von Schmettow. His headquarters are in Guernsey.”
“IVe met him,” Rommel said. “Good officer.”
“With a reputation for being pro-English, which didn’t do him any good in some quarters,” Hofer said.
“On the other hand, the fact that he’s Field Marshal von Rundstedt’s nephew certainly helped there. Who’s military commander in Jersey?”
“I’ll check.” Hofer took a file from his briefcase and worked his way down a unit situation list. “Yes, here we are. Colonel Heine is military commander.”
“And civil administration?”
“The important people there are Colonel Baron von Auf-sess and Captain Heider.”
“And the inhabitants themselves? Who are their representatives?”
“There’s an organization called the Superior Council of the States of Jersey. The president is the bailiff of the island. A man called Alexander Coutanche.”
“Good,” said Rommel. “This is what we do. Send General von Schmettow a signal ordering him to hold a coordinate ing meeting in Guernsey to consider the implications for the islands of the invasion of France threatened this summer.”
“And you want them all there?”
“Oh, yes. Military commander Jersey, the civil affairs people, the bailiff and his lot, and whoever’s in charge of the Navy and Luftwaffe contingents in the islands.”
“Which will leave only junior officers in command.”
“Exactly.”
“There’s not too much flying in and out of the Channel Islands these days. The RAF are far too active in that area. It’s usual to travel between the islands by sea and at night.”
“I know,” Rommel said. “IVe taken advice on that point from Naval Headquarters in Cherbourg. Tell von Schmet-tow to call his meeting for next Saturday. In the circumstances they must travel either Thursday night or in the early hours of Friday to make sure they get there. I’ll fly in on Friday morning in the Storch.”
“A risky flight, Heir Field Marshal.”
“For you, Konrad, and Berger, of course, not for me.” Rommel smiled with a kind of ruthless charm. “The first thing they’ll know about my arrival is when you ask the tower for permission to land at the airfield.”
“And what will von Schmettow think?”
“That the whole thing has been a deliberate ploy so that I can make a snap inspection of the military situation in the island and its defenses.”
“That’s really rather clever,” Hofer said.
“Yes, I think it is.” Rommel started to unbutton his tunic. “In the meantime, I’ll meet with Falkenhausen and Stulpnagel at some quiet spot and get on with it.” He yawned. “I think I’ll go to bed. See that signal goes to von Schmettow in Guernsey tomorrow. Oh, and speak to Colonel Haider first thing in the morning. Tell him I’m much taken with Corporal Berger and want to borrow him for a while. I don’t think he’ll make any difficulties.”