As they heard the squeal of his jeep’s tyres, Nancy said miserably, ‘I’ve rather messed up this family reunion, haven’t I?’

It was true, but neither Ilse nor Eva had the heart to say so.

‘You weren’t to know, Nancy,’ Ilse said consolingly, giving her another hug. ‘And once Max catches up with Lotti, everything will be fine. Even though there’s a non-fraternization rule, he’s got permission to marry her. A perk of his long years with MI6, I guess—that and his having been born in Germany, which rather knocks the non-fraternization thing on the head.’

Max roared out of the British sector and into the American sector, where the airport was situated. Only once was he stopped and asked to show his papers. ‘Major Max Remer, British Intelligence,’ he snapped, returning the salute he was given. ‘According to the agreement of our high commands, Allies in uniform don’t have to produce papers.’

The American lieutenant nodded his head in agreement. ‘That’s right, Major Remer,’ he said, insolently resting his hand on the pistol at his hip. ‘Just wondered where you were going in such a hurry.’

Max breathed in hard through his nose, his nostrils whitening. ‘Tempelhof. On urgent military business.’

‘OK, Major,’ the lieutenant said, having had his moment of fun annoying one of the Brits. ‘You may proceed.’

Max did so, churning a cloud of dust that would, he hoped, choke and blind the officious Yank.

By the time he got to Tempelhof, he knew he was too late. It was seven fifty-five and there was nothing on the runway waiting for clearance to leave. His barked inquiries as to whether Major Gleeson, of the United States Army, had already left for Frankfurt, were met in the affirmative.

When he asked if a woman had been among Gleeson’s party he was met with a steely gaze. ‘I can’t give that kind of information, Major Remer,’ the captain he was questioning said. ‘Major Gleeson left with two members of his personal staff, that’s all I can tell you.’

Once back in his jeep, Max slammed the steering wheel hard with his fist, cursing himself for being so foolish as not to have anticipated what Nancy’s assumptions might be; cursing Nancy for never exercising the least caution in anything she said.

Somehow, in his blood and in his bones, he knew Lotti was now well on her way to Frankfurt. He also knew he was going to have a devil of a job getting permission to travel there.

It took him three days and when permission was finally and grudgingly given it was on the understanding he was back in Berlin within twenty-four hours. ‘And if you’re not,’ Colonel Hargrave snapped, ‘it won’t help that you’re a blue-eyed boy where the powers-that-be in London are concerned. You’ll find yourself in a military prison and with the key thrown away. Is that understood?’

He managed to cadge a lift on a US transport plane. It was an uncomfortable, freezing-cold journey and when they landed in Frankfurt the rain was coming down in buckets.