‘We know that Ella is in a camp in northern France for British citizens. There has been an application by the Red Cross for aid for her – the British POWs receive a monthly allowance and regular Red Cross parcels, once they are registered. But the main worry is that she told the Red Cross that the Germans know she is of Jewish descent.’

Both Marjie and Sibbie gasped at this.

‘The programme to deport the Jews from France is gaining strength, and we know that there are many Jews in this same camp; they are posing as British citizens and are refugees from Poland. They are moneyed folk, and of high standing in their communities. They could bribe and pay their way out of Poland, but if the Germans find out about them, we dread to think what will happen.’

‘And my mama knows all this and has to bear it all on her own – away from Papa, and with no news of her sons, and only false news of her daughter? It’s barbaric. My poor darling mama.’

At this, Marjie broke down. Sibbie slid into the seat next to her on the sofa. Her own heart was breaking for her aunt and uncle, and for all her cousins; and for Aunt Ella, Lonia, Paulo and Arnie, who must know by now, from Cyrus, that Ella had been taken.

It was then that Marjie voiced what had just occurred to Sibbie, as she asked how it was that her mother and Ella got separated.

‘I didn’t want to tell you this part, but . . .’

What Wills told her next was worse than anything he’d told them before. Marjie broke down completely, sobbing on Sibbie’s shoulder. Sibbie’s own composure broke then and they cried together.

Wills didn’t move from his crouching position in front of Marjie. When Sibbie looked up, tears were streaking his face. And it came to her that these two had found something so beautiful, so very suddenly, and it couldn’t be snatched away from them like this. None of this was Wills’s fault; he wouldn’t have been the one to order Aunt Flors’s interrogation. And yet, knowing all he knew, he’d volunteered to be the one to come and tell Marjie. At this thought, Sibbie knew that she had to say something.

‘Marjie, you have lost so much. As your cousin and friend, I share that loss and understand in the way that only someone who loves you can. Wills loves you and knows your pain. Don’t shut him out. He knew the cost to himself in coming to tell you everything, but his love for you drove him to do so. He isn’t the perpetrator of the deeds done to our family – simply the one who chose to bear the burden of giving the terrible news to you, so that he could be here for you.’