David settled into the seat beside the Ambassador, and once Jacques had closed the car door, he continued. "There are several reports of two being shot from the air by German aeroplanes, but they now suspect they may be citing the same incident. But other than that, there is no word."

"That's over ten hours now."

"The last report Pageot had was shortly before fourteen thirty, so seven hours. Regardless, that's far beyond the bomber's endurance. They're checking alternate landing fields."

"And the artillery bombardment continues? That's over ten hours now."

"It continued through the day at the same rate of fire but for a break at noon. The last report I received ..." David looked at the luminous hands on his watch. "An hour and a quarter ago, they were still firing. I would think they'd stop at dusk. It's too risky to set fuses and load in the dark."

"So, ten hours at five per second. How many is that?"

David made a rapid mental calculation. "Three hundred a minute, which is eighteen thousand an hour. So, a hundred and eighty thousand in the ten hours between dawn and dusk."

Evelyn shook his head. "That's a lot of church bells and roofs."

"But that's only within the count range of the reports. There are thirty kilometres of front being bombarded, so it's likely several times that. The French have been trying to locate the largest of the guns, but their aerial observation has been stymied by German aeroplanes shooting them out of the air or chasing them away."

The two continued to discuss the situation until Jacques opened the car door in the porte-cochère of the residence. They remained silent as they entered, and then, in the foyer, Evelyn said, "We'll see you at dinner. Henry will be here, and he may have some insights."

David climbed the stairs as quickly as dignity would allow, then when he deemed he was out of sight, he rushed the remainder of the way to the suite at the end of the hallway.

"Mama is pregnant," Maria said as she rose from the chaise longue to greet him.

He looked down at her belly as he strode across the room. "Your fertile period has just ended. I know I've been flooding you twice a day, but we won't know for almost two weeks." He wrapped his arms around her.

"No, not this mama." Maria laughed. "I received a letter from Mama this afternoon. This is the second month she's missed."

He kissed her forehead, then squeezed her to his chest. "A playmate for ours."

She nodded and hummed as she snuggled her face into his neck. After a long silence, she asked, "They've started, haven't they?"

"The clouds finally dispersed late yesterday, and the artillery barrage began at dawn."

"And the clear sky means the bombers would be able to fly. Did they?"

He nodded. "They set off at first light, but at last report, none have made it back."

"None yet? How long can they remain in the air?"

"Three and a half hours."

Maria closed her eyes and remained silent.

"Reports show the Germans kept a steady patrol of Fokkers above the battlefield, shooting several French observation craft out of the air."

"You're allowing your language to slip, David."

He chuckled. "Fokker, spelt F-O-K-K-E-R, is the name of their aeroplane with a single set of wings. It's faster and more manoeuvrable than anything our side has, and since last summer, it has wreaked havoc with our flying. The slower and more cumbersome French bombers would have been like sitting ducks for them."

"How many bombers?"

"I'm not sure. Pageot told me there were three flights, but I didn't question how many in each. Could be two in each. Could be six. Maybe more."

After another long silence, Maria said, "Mama enclosed a letter for you." She tilted her head toward the table. "It's from the Swiss Army."

He sighed. "I've been expecting that."

"Your training?"

"I can't see what else it would be. The six-month deferment is up in three weeks." He began undoing the buttons at her neck, and then he paused to untie the bow of her bodice.

"Aren't you going to open it?"

He continued with the buttons down her blouse. "I'd rather open this first." He spread the blouse front, took a nubbin between his teeth and flicked his tongue over it.

<><><>

At seven twenty-five, David and Maria descended the stairs and walked across the foyer into the anteroom. Colonel Picot greeted them, then immediately asked, "I had heard the clouds have lifted to the north; have bombers been deployed?"

"Three flights at dawn, but none had returned by mid-afternoon."

Henry pursed his lips as he slowly nodded. "So Fritz must have also redeployed the Fokkers."

"That's what I've assumed." David ran his fingers through his hair. "I hope they were stopped on the way back, not on their way out. That they were able to bomb their targets, so their missions weren't for nought."

"Any action yet at Verdun? Or are their movements the elaborate ruse I had suggested? It still seems folly for them to attack there."

"They began an artillery bombardment at first light this morning, and the last I heard, they were still at it. My estimate is half a million or more shells, and ..." He paused as Evelyn and Edith arrived and led them into the dining room.

Once they had settled around the table, Evelyn said, "I've been thinking the past while, David; with none of the bombers back to report, we've no way of knowing the results. The newspapers won't be allowed to print anything about it."

"I've cabled William, suggesting I send two to Oppau and Pirmasens. As far as I'm aware, we're the only agents he has in the region."

The men continued to discuss recent events as they ate, then in a lull part way through the main course, David said, "I received a letter this afternoon from the Swiss Army, ordering me to report to the Zeughaus in Schaffhausen to begin my indoctrination training."

"When must you report?" Evelyn asked.

"By noon on Friday the seventeenth of March."

"So, we have you for another three and a half weeks." Evelyn turned to Henry. "What's your schedule after the middle of March?"

"Increasingly busy. We already have over twelve hundred seriously wounded prisoners accommodated at mountain resorts, and we expect the first tuberculous prisoners to arrive by the end of March." Henry looked at David. "How long is the training?"

"Seven weeks. The letter states I'll be released the sixth of May. I can have Rick handle the routine matters while I'm away. I'm delighted by how he has grasped the scope and accepted additional responsibility. And he knows when to ask for advice."

Henry nodded. "I can easily advise by telephone." He chuckled. "So you'll be attending your third boot camp. One was more than sufficient for me."

"I'm a slow learner." He grinned, then continued. "They've accepted me into the Artillery, so at least some of my training will cover new information."

"You'll need to act dumb and inexperienced not to be found out."

"Maria suggested if I'm suspected, I tell them I had trained with the German Army. It would also explain my face wounds if I told them I deserted while on sick leave when my family returned to Switzerland."

Henry pursed his lips as he nodded. "That fits the timing. Should you consider telling them this when you arrive at the Zeughaus?"

"That might be a better approach. It may relieve me of having to repeat basic parade drill and discipline indoctrination."

"But what if they see you as a foreign belligerent?" Evelyn asked. "You would still be a German soldier, even as a deserter."

David nodded. "Yes, but not a willing one. A Swiss citizen conscripted without choice, then fleeing at the first opportunity."

"Grandpa will know." Maria patted David's arm. "He still has all the high-placed connections from his Army days. He'll know the best way to handle this. We need to visit with them, anyway; it's been two months."