‘And I’ll be going out the back way, past the chapel.’

*

The Austin 10 came to a halt fifty yards past the college’s front gate. Mrs Vickery turned and smiled at Charlie Jung. Then she pulled the address book from her handbag and began to flick through it.

‘What are you looking for, Mrs V?’

‘Someone called Harry or Henry. Could be Trinity College or Trinity Hall – or Trinity Street, perhaps. Not far from here, I feel, Mr Young. Soon have it, I’m sure.’

Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

‘I’m so sorry, Edie. I can’t believe I’ve put you through all this.’

‘Darling Lydia, it’s always better to overreact than do nothing. Truly, I was delighted to help.’

They were back at Trinity Villa. Lydia had changed her mind yet again on the way to Girton and begged Edie to go to Addenbrooke’s after all. But once there, the hospital visit had been little short of embarrassing. The doctor had examined Klara thoroughly but had been a little bemused.

‘Well,’ he had said eventually, ‘she is a little feverish. But I’m not sure why you’ve brought her here. Take her home, put her to bed and give her as much water as she’ll take. It may be measles, we don’t know. But even if it is, there’s very little we can do here that can’t be done by you at home. Call your GP and he’ll keep an eye on her.’

And then, to make matters worse, they had run into Rupert, and Lydia had had to admit her ridiculous loss of nerve. He had had a hard night on a police case and seemed distracted, so they had left him to his work.

Edie could see that the night’s events had taken their toll on Lydia, so after putting Klara and Johnny back to bed, she made a pot of tea and they sat drinking and chatting until she felt Lydia had calmed down enough to sleep.

‘Right, dear, I think it’s time for me to go home.’

Lydia clutched her hand. ‘You won’t mention this place to anyone, Edie? Not a word . . .’

‘Of course I won’t, darling.’

‘I feel so hunted.’

Edie sighed deeply. ‘Whatever it is, Lydia, it’s clearly absolutely bloody.’

‘I feel ashamed about complaining, though. Just think how those poor Jews in Berlin must feel. Hunted, hiding in lofts and cellars so they don’t get transported to the east. Juliet Vanderberg told me about them in a letter from America last month – all the terrible tales Jim tells her. You remember Jim and Juliet, don’t you, Edie?’

‘Of course I do, Lydia. Look, it’s about patience and fortitude. That’s all we have to fall back on in circumstances like this. Do you want to give me some clue as to what this is all about?’