“I asked at the town house. Let’s walk a bit.” He downed the last of his herring and they crossed the bridge into the old city. She remembered the stolen ration cards hidden in her bag and wondered what he would say if he knew about them. As the crowd hurrying toward the station thinned, Erik leaned close, bending to speak softly into her ear. “I came to warn you not to go anywhere near a certain apartment on Nassaulaan in Zoeterwoude.”

Ans went cold all over. How had Erik known it was one of her houses —the one she had been on her way to visit, in fact? Had the police been following her? Was her entire underground cell in danger? If so, she needed to warn them! But no, right now she needed to remain calm and not panic. She needed to play dumb and hide her guilt from Erik. “I don’t understand,” she said. “Why are you telling me this?”

“The Gestapo knows they’re hiding Jews in that apartment. I overheard them talking this morning, saying they’re going to raid it soon.”

“But I —”

“In the meantime, they’re watching it and waiting to arrest anyone who visits. I know you’re helping Jews, Ans, so I came to warn you. If you have any involvement at all with that place, don’t go near it.”

“Erik . . . thank you.” She wouldn’t say if she was involved or not, but he was certain to notice how badly shaken she was. Not only had she come dangerously close to being caught and arrested herself, but she was terrified for all the people living in that apartment. If only she had learned of the raid sooner. If only she could have convinced the inhabitants to move to safer hiding places. Ans fought hard not to cry, but tears of grief slipped down her cheeks just the same.

Erik pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “I love you, Ans. I worry about you all the time. I wish . . .” He sighed and didn’t finish.

“Where are we going?” she asked as they walked past the Beestenmarkt. She needed to put aside her fear and grief and warn the other people in her cell.

Erik halted and took both of her hands, facing her. “Ans, let’s not wait any longer. Let’s get married.”

“Married? . . . When?”

“Now. Tomorrow. This week. We could go to the registry office and fill out all the paperwork. Then we could be together from now on. You would be safe with me.” She saw his love for her and thought of Professor Huizenga’s love for Eloise. Both men longed to hide the women they loved behind locked doors and keep them safe from harm. But Ans couldn’t live with herself if she went into hiding and stopped helping the underground —any more than Eloise could.