First though, there was the question of whether the girl would even accept her rescuers. She might very well refuse to go with them and there would be nothing they could do to force her. Had he been in her position when he was a child, he could not imagine agreeing to go away with a pair of strangers. But there was no other option for her now; there was no going home for Klara Rieger, née Wolf – real name Raubal. Death waited for her there. So, one way or another, she had to be persuaded that it was in her best interests to accompany them.

‘We need a car,’ he said. ‘But if we steal one we’ll unleash every police officer in northern Germany. Maybe the army, too. Can cars be hired?’

‘No.’

‘Perhaps we could buy one. Surely a town would have cars for sale?’

‘Very few people even have permission to drive. Anyway there would be great suspicion and the Gestapo would be on to us soon enough.’

‘This is getting us nowhere. How well do you know this area, Frau Somerfeld?’

‘Well enough. I have friends with country houses around here. One place in particular where my husband and I used to spend weekends.’

‘Would they help you?’

‘Gott in bloody Himmel, Tom – we can’t just call on my friends!’

‘All we want to do is borrow a car. You could return it within a day. Anyway, do you have a better idea?’

‘I’m really not sure. I don’t like it.’

‘What are their politics?’

She was frowning. ‘Well, they are not part of any underground resistance. Like many people, they just keep their heads down and look forward to the day this is all over and the criminals are all dead or in prison rather than running the country. They would certainly not help us if they knew the truth about us and what we are doing. And as for you, Tom – well, they are educated people who speak French. They’d see through you in an instant.’

‘How far are these friends from here?’

‘Ten to twelve kilometres, I think. Two, three hours walk.’

‘We have to do it. We’ll work out a story on the way.’

*

Wilde tapped the ground with his stick. The trapdoor was well hidden under a covering of brush and leaves and it was ten minutes before they found it. When they prised it open, Wilde saw movement in the darkness of a small underground chamber, as the occupant shrank back into a corner.

Sunny knelt at the edge of the pit.

‘Fräulein Rieger – Klara – we are your friends.’ Her voice was warm and encouraging, like a nurse or a nanny. ‘Your father has sent us.’ She was speaking softly, in German.