‘It is best that I don’t tell you.’ Marjie smiled at Marianne to soften having to say this. She liked her and thought that if they had met in another lifetime, they could have been friends. ‘But please don’t worry. Not long ago a whole trainload of Jewish people were rescued. That mission was far more dangerous. The children will be in Avignon in a week, I promise.’

‘That is good. Thank you, Marjie. And I understand – I shouldn’t have asked. I know they will be safe in your hands.’ At this, Marianne kissed Marjie’s cheeks and looked deep into her eyes. ‘You are all so brave.’

Brave? Margie didn’t feel brave. She just hoped their mission to rescue the children worked.

As she waited for everything to fall into place, she went through the plan in her head. A truck that disposed of waste was to call for them in an hour. The priest would direct the driver and his mate to pick up a couple of deliberately stained and torn mattresses from around the back of the church. She would then guide the children to walk behind the mattresses, out of sight from any prying eyes, and help them into the truck, where there would be blankets for her and the children to lie on. The mattresses and a few cardboard boxes would be placed over them.

This part worried Marjie, since they would have to remain like that for three hours, as the truck took them near to Valence. The first safe house was just a mile across fields from where they would be dropped off. Then tomorrow they were set to start a cross-country trek.

She was comforted by the thought that many of the local members of the Resistance would be in hiding, guarding them along the way, and that André would be with her once she reached Valence. He would be able to reassure the children, as he had been training to be a teacher before he was directed to go on Germany’s forced-labour programme, from which he absconded and joined the Resistance.

Marjie sighed. She had tried to sound confident that they would save the children, but she knew the plan was precarious, especially with a sick child to care for.