‘Oh, nothing.’ She and André hadn’t yet told the others about Monty, and Marjie never wanted to. They’d had a fight on their hands over Gisele, but in the end the men had accepted that she was staying until they could arrange to take her to Spain.

With Arnie cocking a knowing eyebrow at her, Marjie told him, ‘I do have something on my mind that I need to tell you about, but I haven’t been sleeping well since I heard about Sibbie and Paulo. I’m so glad they’ve been taken back to Britain. But so worried for them, and about them.’

‘My dear, you have to accept that things don’t look good for Paulo. Both of them were horribly tortured, but Paulo had limbs broken and suffered internal injuries. Neither of them gave in. But they were being taken to the Gestapo, who are known to extract information using horrendous torture. We saved them from that, but whether we are too late with Paulo, I’m not sure. He’ll get proper treatment in England, so it is possible he will live, but I am very afraid for him.’

‘Can we have a minute alone, Uncle Arnie?’

‘My dear. What is it? You’re crying!’

Brushing her tears away, Marjie took Arnie inside and asked the farmer’s wife, Madame Dupret, where they could talk in private. Madame showed them into her best room.

‘Non, Madame, I am very dirty.’

But Madame wouldn’t hear of Arnie using any other room. ‘You are zee most important man. I cannot treat you like you are less so.’

When Madame had left, Arnie asked, ‘Why does she look on me like that?’

But Marjie couldn’t answer. As soon as the door closed on them, she turned to Arnie. ‘Oh, Uncle Arnie, help me – help me.’

‘My dear Marjie. What is it?’ His arms opened to her and she went into them, so grateful for the warmth and love of his hug.

Once she’d controlled herself, she told him all that had happened, finishing with the worst news in the world. ‘They’re . . . they’re going to kill Monty, and I sanctioned it! I put a death sentence on my own darling brother. Oh God! Oh, Uncle Arnie, help me.’

Shock held Arnie silent for a moment. He stared down at her. ‘My God! Why didn’t you ask me?’

‘I couldn’t. I dared not use the radio and, in any case, how can you explain all that over the air? I tried to deal with it by getting Gisele away, and waiting for a decision from you, but Monty acted again.’ She told him about the failed trip to take Gisele to the border with Spain. ‘Oh, Uncle Arnie, Gisele hasn’t been well since. I – I’ve kept her away from the others, as I’m sure they would kill her.’

‘Where is she?’