She wore a pair of rubber gloves and carried a large black plastic sack. Scooped up the detritus and the ripped bags, crammed them into the new one. The foxes had been particularly active that morning. Every dustbin had been tipped over, including, Dora saw, her own, even though she was meticulous in making sure there was nothing to tempt the animals.

And there it was again. Dora picked the letter off the forecourt, was about to ram it into the bag. Pocketed it instead. She’d have one more look at it. She stood up, heard the rumbling of the dustcart, secured the top of the black bag tight. She’d have a word with the dustmen when they came. Ask them to clean the mess in future. What did she pay her rates for, if it wasn’t to clear the rubbish and light the streets?

When she thought about it, this woman was looking for Dora, last heard of in 1943. So she must only be interested in the time before. La Ferme de l’Anse. She could talk to her about those days. A wartime affair. You know how these things go. Flash in the pan. Whirlwind romance.

She’d write to this Barbara Hummel after all. Though she may have left the hotel already. It was not the sort of place you stayed in long term. That would be the best of all worlds. Dora would have replied, the woman would never have known.

Dora smiled, stepped onto the pavement, flagged down the dustmen.

Chapter Two: Joe

CHAPTER TWO

JOE

Jersey: May 1985

Joe fingered the halter in his hand. The air was still, save the melody from the fields, the rustle of the grasses as the mice and the beetles scurried about their business, the hum of the bees as they dipped inside the clover blossoms.

He pulled the letter out of his pocket. It had been sitting there for a couple of days, forgotten. He was getting absent-minded. It had a Jersey postmark and the sender’s address written on the back of the envelope. B. Hummel, c/o Hotel de France, St Saviour’s Road.

Dear Mr O’Cleary,

Thank you for your help. I am pleased to report that I have traced a Dora Simon (not Simons, or Simmons). I am hoping that I may be able to meet her in London next time I visit and will be able to report back more about your friend.