‘Yes, that is best. Oh God, I can’t believe I’m saying that about my own brother. I can’t bear to lose Monty. I want to see him. I want—’

‘No, Marjie, you must be strong. Don’t think of him as your brother, but as a traitor who didn’t care if you were killed or not. A man who set the Germans on his own kin – and on Paulo, his faithful friend. And who could even have killed his own father; Monty couldn’t know the plane would be on time – what if it had been late?’

‘And all to ingratiate himself with the enemy. But despite knowing all that, André, the pain of what I’m agreeing to is unbearable.’

When Arnie contacted them later that day to say he was on his way, Marjie and André decided that the group would stay on at the safe house until Arnie arrived. His message was short, but did include an update: ‘Sibbie all right. Paulo still very sick. Plane lifting them tomorrow for UK. Pray for Paulo.’

To Marjie, this was all too much. She bent her head and wept as she’d never done before. She wept for her mama and papa. Forgive me. Forgive me. Oh God, I want to be with them, I want to be home. And she wept for Sibbie and Paulo. I feel so alone, so alone. I miss you, Sibbie. And, dear Paulo, please get better – please! But most of all she wept for Monty, who was so dear to her. Why, Monty? Why? I love you so much – I don’t want you to die. Why did you do it? What makes you like you are? Oh, my precious brother, forgive me, and help me to forgive you.

Arnie looked haggard when he eventually arrived. It had been a long trek, as he explained. ‘The first twenty miles I rode pillion on the back of one of the communist freedom-fighters’ motorbikes, then I did a good few miles by rail, posing as a businessman, and finally in the back of the van of a market gardener – a contact at one of the safe houses I stayed in. I feel smelly and very tired.’

They all gathered to greet him. ‘There’s a room in the house, Uncle Arnie,’ Marjie said. ‘I’ve slept in it for the last couple of nights, but I want you to have a proper bed. I’ll bunk in the barn with the men.’

‘You won’t, young lady. I’ll decide who sleeps where, now I’m here. I only put you in charge in my absence, you know.’ Arnie laughed as he said this, and although it was difficult for Marjie even to smile, she did manage a small one.

‘You look tired, Marjie. What’s wrong?’