‘Be quiet! I warned you! I should never have let you come.’ He pokes his finger towards her face, making her take a step backward. ‘Say another word and you’ll be following in his footsteps faster than you know it.’

He jerks me hard by the arm and pulls me away from his mother.

‘Sorry. I’ve tried to protect you from her bitter, stupid tongue. Silly cow!’

‘Tomas! You shouldn’t talk of your mother like that. It’s understandable, that she feels that way—’

‘No. She has no right to feel anything except gratitude. My father was nothing but a filthy traitor and she should disown the bastard. But she won’t do it. She won’t. She has no vision. Anyway… I won’t talk about this anymore.’ His face is red, his teeth clenched. ‘How dare she try to ruin this day for us.’

‘She hasn’t ruined it.’

He looks at me, and his face relaxes.

‘No. You’re right. She hasn’t. She can’t. This is going to be one of the best days of my life. And once – well you know – once we are free to be together properly, well, then I shall be the happiest man on earth.’

The room pitches.

‘I should like to sit down for a few moments, Tomas.’

I sink onto one of the chairs. Tomas goes to speak with Vati who stands, big and awkward, in the corner of the room, looking as if he would prefer to be anywhere else in the world but here. Tomas’s mother has turned her back and is whispering something in the ear of the tallest of Tomas’s brothers.

The door opens and Erna, the only person outside the family I’ve managed to convince them to trust and allow to come, slips inside. Like ice cream on a hot day, she is the most welcome sight. Her eyes dart around the room and she smiles when she sees me sitting alone. She comes to me, her hair neatly braided, her nose freckled from the sun.

‘Are you doing okay?’ She sits next to me and studies my face.

I swallow. ‘I don’t want to talk about me. Quickly, while there’s a chance. Have you thought of anything? Could there be another option?’

‘I have. I’ve contacted a trusted friend.’ She stops. Her face closes. ‘It’s complicated, Hetty, but we’re working on things.’

‘Who is? What things?’

‘I can’t say more at the moment. I hope to have news soon.’

‘But I don’t have time, Erna!’ Invisible hands claw at my throat. ‘I’m to go to Berlin in just two weeks. Everyone is being told I’m spending a few weeks at Hausfrau school, until closer to the time the baby is due. Vati wants me away as soon as possible. He cannot bear the sight of me.’