Prince and Hanne sat either side of Marguerite at a metal table as they studied the file together:

Name: Anna Lefebvre

Age: 47

Residence: Sarcelles

Date of arrest: 17 July 1945

Alleged offence: the prisoner Anna Lefebvre was employed by the German occupying forces from October 1940 as a clerical worker. From November 1941 she worked for the Gestapo at 11 rue de Saussaies in the 8th arrondissement. We have specific information from three sources that after a period as a records clerk in January 1943, Lefebvre transferred to a section of the Gestapo that comprised French citizens who undertook surveillance on other French subjects. See appendices to this file for details of cases she worked on, which include infiltrating a resistance group and informing on hidden families. Lefebvre is understood to have been an active member of this unit until July 1944, when she left Paris ahead of the liberation. In July this year, acting on information received, she was arrested in Blois, where she had been living under the false identity of Eugénie Paquet. She claims she was forced to work for the Gestapo and says it was only ever as a clerk.

Action: trial of prisoner Anna Lefebvre scheduled for November 1945 at Fresnes.

When Anna Lefebvre was led into the room, she looked surprisingly defiant. Despite her prison clothes, she had a certain elegance. The collar of her prison blouse was turned up, and she appeared to be wearing make-up. She held her hands out in the expectation that the guards would remove her handcuffs, which they did, and sat down before being asked to do so.

Marguerite spoke. This was part of the investigation into Lefebvre’s case, she said; part of the preparation for her prosecution. There was a possibility that significant cooperation on her part could help reduce the seriousness of the charge against her, which at present was one of treason, carrying the death penalty.

Anna Lefebvre sat impassive, looking at Prince and Hanne as if trying to work out who they were. Even when Marguerite said the words ‘death penalty’, she didn’t flinch. She ran her fingers across her hair to make sure it was in place.

‘Are you prepared to answer some questions?’ Marguerite asked.

Lefebvre shrugged. ‘Depends if I know the answers – I doubt it, though. I keep telling you people, I was no more than a clerk at the Gestapo. The cleaners would know more than I did.’

‘According to this file, there is evidence that you were more than a clerk – you were part of a Gestapo unit spying on citizens. There are witnesses.’

‘Ask those witnesses whatever questions you have then. It’s all right for you, with your posh accent and your airs and graces, but a poor woman like me didn’t have any choice. I had an elderly mother and no job; we’d fallen behind with the rent and were about to be kicked out of the room we shared. The first job I got was in a police station – that’s hardly collaborating, is it? Then I was ordered to go and work at rue de Saussaies, and I could hardly refuse that, eh?’