Papa encircled them both. ‘My children, I am so proud of you both.’

The engine noise increased. The plane was here.

‘Go – go on, both of you – take my love with you and give it to Mama. I wish I could send it to Aunt Ella and Aunt Mags and everyone, too.’

Her father and Randie left Marjie then. They made a beautiful picture, father helping son to safety.

‘Tell Mama that I love her more than life.’

This whisper was spoken into the darkness. They were gone. Marjie could see them boarding, and then the plane lifted off the ground. A tear seeped out of her eye as loneliness engulfed her. An arm came round her. She rested her head on Sibbie’s shoulder.

‘You still have me, Marjie – nothing will part us. Well, until this is all over, and then I’m off with my Paulo.’

Marjie giggled. ‘And I’m off with my Wills. And we’re going to make lots of babies, and keep them safe, and there’ll be no more wars.’

‘Lots, eh? I bet me and Paulo make more.’ They collapsed in laughter. The ground beneath them felt damp and cold, but they didn’t care. A shout brought them out of their fun-making world to the reality of the tasks ahead. As they ran to help dismantle the runway, they didn’t hear the pilot radioing in to their deserted radio that he’d seen a German convoy heading towards them.

As they doused the last flame, a shot rang out. Marjie froze. Sibbie moved nearer to her. Within seconds they were lying face-down on the ground.

‘Can you see anything, Sibbie?’

Before she could answer, the sound of many trucks filled the space around them. ‘Come on, Marjie, we have to run!’

‘Take cover!’

At this shout from Arnie, Marjie grabbed Sibbie and joined the many men running for the shelter of the trees. When they reached the safety of the cover that the woodland offered, they were joined by ten or so other Resistance fighters and looked for Paulo. He pushed himself through the others to reach their side.

Arnie shouted more orders. ‘Load your weapons and spread out. Try to make it back to camp. Let’s hope that shot didn’t hit any of our spotters, although it is a worry that they haven’t been able to warn us. Good luck, everyone. Sibbie, Marjie, Paulo, keep with me.’

Sibbie grabbed the radio.

‘We’ll hide that, Sibbie – we’ve no time to dismantle it, and carrying it will slow us down.’ Paulo took the radio and ran with it to where there was a thick growth of bracken, which they’d seen in the torchlight on their approach.