‘You leave tomorrow morning for Sweden: here are your papers. The ferry sails from Copenhagen at nine in the morning and you’ll be in Malmö before noon. There’s a tram from the ferry terminal in Malmö to the central station. The Swedish trains are very good; they don’t have to worry about bombs. You should arrive in Stockholm around six that evening. There are plenty of cheap hotels around the station – and I’ve put some Swedish currency in that envelope. My advice would be to head to the British Embassy the following morning. I’ll give you the address in a moment. You’ll need to memorise it.

‘Don’t go into the embassy, though, or even too close to it: the Nazis watch the place like hawks. Hang around nearby, observe people going in and out, and if you can approach someone in the street away from the embassy who looks like a British diplomat, then do that. I’m sure you know what to do. Oh, and this hat: wear it and make sure you keep it safe. When you get to London, please give it to Gilbey. It’s most important.’

Prince took a few minutes to study the papers and take in what the German had told him. He couldn’t believe that this time tomorrow he could be in Sweden. His nightmare might be coming to an end. There was one other matter, though.

‘You promised to find out about Hanne – Hanne Jakobsen?’

‘I was about to come to that, my friend, and it’s not good news I’m afraid. She was arrested by the Gestapo in January and taken to Germany. I’m sorry, but I know no more than that. Do give Gilbey my warm regards.’

Prince spent the next few hours sitting in Jensen’s lounge, too distressed to move.

She was arrested by the Gestapo in January.

He went over those words again and again, as if there might be some cause for hope hidden within them.

Taken to Germany.

Maybe she’d escaped, like he’d managed to do. She was so resourceful, her German was excellent… but as the light began to fade, he realised her situation was most probably hopeless. It was too much for him to even think about. The nightmare he’d hoped was coming to an end was destined to continue.

He had to force himself to put her out of his mind, at least for long enough to study his new identity. As he did so, he realised he was brushing tears from his eyes.

The thought of Hanne and whatever had been her fate was more than he could manage.