Paulo brought her out of these thoughts. ‘Mmm, I can smell your meal cooking, and you look all in. Let’s get you two rested. You can sleep in my sleeping bag, Sibbie. I have made a soft under-cushion for myself by piling up bracken into a bed shape; it is all dried out now and makes a good mattress.’

‘And you can sleep in mine, darling.’

‘Thanks, Papa. If we are to stay here, then I will commandeer that, the moment you leave.’

‘Ah, glad to get rid of me, are you?’

‘Yes. I want you safe, and I want you to be with Mama. I won’t worry so much about her then.’

Her papa squeezed Marjie to him. ‘But we will worry about you, my darling girl. We will also be very proud of you.’

When they woke it was late afternoon and the still atmosphere had a chill to it that made Sibbie not want to get out of the cosy sleeping bag. Opening her eyes, she saw Paulo sitting on a log just inside his tent, gazing down at her.

‘That’s a lovely smile to wake up to.’ Her hand crept out of the bag and reached for his. ‘I love you.’

‘Thank you. I am honoured to have your love.’ His rakish smile matched his looks, as his black hair fell untidily over his forehead. Running his fingers through it, as he did now, was a gesture that she’d seen him do so often. His dark eyes twinkled as he whispered, ‘I wish I could get in there with you.’

‘There’s no room – you would squash me.’

‘Ha, wouldn’t you like that?’

Sibbie felt herself blush as she yearned for that to happen. Paulo’s expression showed that he’d read her thoughts. He leaned forward. ‘One day, my darling Sibbie.’ His lips pressed on hers and his tongue gently prised open her mouth. Sibbie melted into the sensation and longed for that ‘one day’ to be now.

As they came out of the kiss, Paulo’s sigh was heavy with feelings that matched her own. Holding her eyes with his for a moment, he whispered, ‘I love you, my Sibbie.’ Then abruptly he stood up. ‘I’ll leave you to get dressed, before someone comes looking to see if I’m up to no good.’

His laughter lightened the atmosphere and she giggled at him. When he left, Sibbie wondered what it would be like to make love to Paulo. Unable to control her feelings, she made herself scramble out of the sleeping bag and dress.

As she emerged from the tent she met Marjie. ‘You slept well, sleepyhead.’ They hugged one another.

‘I’m glad to be here, Marjie. I know there’s more danger for us, but I sometimes felt a bit of a phoney agent, working in a shop and waiting for orders.’