‘I don’t know, but the fact that I speak French and am studying German might be of use in some field or other. Anyway, there may not be a war. We are just speculating.’

Beth and Belinda had run across the lawn and were now demanding attention. For half-sisters, they had a lot of similarities, although Beth, at fifteen years old, was looking more like a young woman than a girl. Her shining black hair and beautiful, huge dark-brown eyes reminded Sibbie so much of Beth’s late father, the beloved Montel.

As Sibbie pulled the girls in close, she told them, ‘Look how beautiful and grown-up you are.’ Belinda giggled, but Beth smiled up at her, bringing Montel to mind once more. Although Sibbie had only been four when Montel died, she’d never forget him.

‘I’ve grown an inch taller than I was before you left at Easter, Sibbie, and I’ve turned thirteen now, you know.’

‘You have, Belinda. Oh, it’s good to see you both, and I hadn’t forgotten it was your birthday last week – I have brought you something from Scotland. It’s from Aunt Betsy’s and my mum’s shop. Well, actually you have two presents, as I brought something for everyone.’

‘Ooh, I’m glad it’s not from Uncle Angus’s fishing business – I’m not keen on fish.’

They all burst out laughing. Belinda took after her father, Uncle Jerome; she was witty like him and always made everyone laugh, and she could come out with the funniest lines.

‘Beth, Belinda, come and help with the trays, please.’

As the girls ran to obey their mother, Sibbie felt Marjie grip her hand. ‘Sibbie, if it does come to war and you volunteer, then I will too. My dual nationality will allow me to, and besides, I will be useful as well. I speak English, French and Polish – and now I am going to be learning German too.’

‘You speak Polish? I didn’t know that.’

‘Yes, Aunt Ella has taught us over the years, as she wished to speak her native language from time to time. Even Uncle Arnie speaks Polish with her when they are at home. It seems that once you have mastered two languages, it gets easier to learn more.’

‘Maybe we can do something together. Oh, what fun that would be! We can win the war and then continue our studies. I’m not that keen on being a teacher yet, anyway.’

‘Nor me. Paulo is the one who wants to take up that profession, and Aunt Ella is seriously considering sending him over here to study. She is afraid for him because of her Jewish ancestry, which makes him half-Jewish.’