‘I’ll explain: London would have told you they trust me totally. I’m very secure, I operate on my own. My links with the Danish resistance are indirect and very much on my terms. London clearly think that using me to plant the occasional bomb or find out which German units are in which garrison is a waste of my talents. So I’ve been totally undercover. My only contact with them has been through the MI6 station in Sweden, and even that has been intermittent. But because I know no one in Copenhagen suspects me, I have to be certain that whoever I work with here is safe. I have to know I can trust them. I cannot afford to be compromised.’

She reached out for the cigarette, checked it was still alight and inhaled deeply.

‘I’ve watched this apartment ever since you arrived. Indeed, I was even keeping my eyes on you when you got here. If you’d been followed or if you were a traitor, believe me, I’d have known. So now I’ll be open with you. Come.’

She stood up and beckoned him to follow her into the kitchen. She went over to the sink and turned on the taps. ‘Perhaps an unnecessary precaution, but who knows? This is the only time I will tell you my real name. You are never to use it. That should be obvious, but the reason I tell you is because sometimes not knowing something can be more dangerous than knowing it. And by the same logic, knowing my true identity could also help you. It is a difficult judgement to make, I accept that. London would be horrified, but they’re not here, are they? My name is Hanne Jakobsen. In case you’re wondering, I’m not married. Apart from my elderly father, I have no one in the way of family. You now tell me as much or as little about yourself as you see fit, but I have to know the identity they’ve given you – obviously.’

Prince passed his legitimationskort to her. She examined it carefully, holding it up to the light, dabbing it with water, even sniffing it before finally allowing an approving nod.

‘This is very good. So you’re Jesper Holm, an accountant from Copenhagen. I presume you had no problems with it on your journey across Denmark?’

‘I didn’t use it.’

‘How come?’

‘My contact in Esbjerg felt I should use another identity for that journey. I had papers in the name of Hans Olsen, a sales representative from Aarhus.’

‘And everything was fine?’

‘Yes… I was stopped quite a few times, but there didn’t seem to be any problem when they checked the legitimationskort.’

‘And what happened to Hans Olsen?’

Prince tapped the sink. ‘He ended up as ashes in here.’