As always, Flors caught her and held her. Clinging onto Flors, Ella bent double with the weight of her sorrow. Sobs rasped her throat. Tears seemed to be draining from every part of her. ‘I can’t go on – I can’t.’

‘You can. And you will, my dear friend. I will be by your side, as will Cyrus; and as you will be by our side in our grief, too.’

‘Oh, Flors, it can’t be happening again. It can’t. We – we’ve lost everything . . . everything.’

‘No, we haven’t. Ella, listen. Everything is on hold, that’s all. You have to go forward with the spirit you showed back there, when you said your goodbyes. Lonia, and Cyrus and I, need that of you. You did so much for me as I watched your courage. Don’t crumble now, Ella; don’t, please.’

These words from Flors got through to Ella. She straightened and calmed her wails of distress.

‘That’s better, my darling friend. I know you needed that moment, but it has passed now. You will cope. It’s what we do, remember? We cope with whatever this bloody world throws at us.’

‘Ooh, Flors, you swore!’

Flors giggled. It was a giggle that turned to a laugh, which Ella couldn’t help let into herself. She smiled at the warmth and comfort it gave her.

‘You have to admit, Ella, there’s never been a generation that’s gone through the hell of two world wars.’

Ella linked arms with Flors. ‘And we beat them last time, and we can do it again. Just let them try to destroy us altogether, and they’ll have a fight on their hands like nothing they are experiencing now.’

‘It’s Flors and Ella against the world once more.’

‘And when we get to England, it will be Mags, Flors and Ella against the world.’

‘Yes, watch out, you Germans: we’re on our way.’

They both laughed at this, which prompted a loud ‘Shush!’ from Philippe. This made them giggle even more and, as if they were children, stuff their fists into their mouths to try to quieten the noise.

It was fully light by the time Ella, Flors and Cyrus got to speak again, and the late-September sun was warming them enough for them to remove their coats.

Ella didn’t know how far they’d walked, only that she was beginning to feel the ache of their trek in her calves, and that hunger was knotting her stomach. Lonia had walked quite a lot of the time, and had been carried by them all at others. She had taken to Mona and was now holding her hands and Philippe’s and was chatting away.