‘But it’s nothing to write home about this time,’ she says.

‘Oh, we mustn’t complain,’ he replies, aware that he is saying it because he is about to leave and go to where there is plenty of food. Karen and Rascal will be left behind with shortages and austerity. Yet he says ‘We mustn’t complain,’ and feels ashamed when he realizes why he is talking like that.

Musn’t tell them anything. Not a look that might make Karen suspect that something’s in the wind.

‘Yes, it’s good,’ says Rascal, eating quickly and greedily. He hasn’t noticed that whatever might taste good has been separated from the rest and put on his plate. ‘What have you been doing today?’ he asks his father.

‘Went out for a walk after I’d finished at the depot.’

‘Father goes out for an awful lot of walks,’ remarks Rascal to his mother.

‘Of course. He needs to walk a bit when he’s been sitting indoors. Eat up your dinner.’

Rascal looks at his father enquiringly. He has paused in the middle of his famished eating. ‘Father…’

Stig waits, absorbing this picture of Rascal so that it may remain in his memory.

Rascal suddenly blurts out something that has been nagging at him: ‘Are you working for them?’

‘What did you say!’ says his mother, rounding on him.

Stig laughs.

‘Yes, but they said so!’ explains Rascal.

‘Where?’

‘At school. Andrew said so.’

‘Did you believe him?’

‘No, but…he said so. And then I did believe him a little. When he said so.’

‘Well, you needn’t believe him,’ says Stig, nodding at him, and Rascal is as happy and trusting as before.

Stig tucks away his mental picture. But what about you, Karen? he thinks.

It seems to him that she is expecting something of him now. But he dare not. He had a desire to put his arm round her waist for a moment, but he had better not. She might notice that it was no ordinary embrace. And once she was in his arms his feelings might be too strong for him. But he will take a fine, clear picture of her with him.

He forces himself to be so indifferent that he overdoes it, hurting her. She turns away biting her lips. Only now does he notice that she has dressed herself up more than usual.

Why just now?

For you.

Pretend you haven’t noticed, or goodness knows where it will end. You’ll have to take a grip of yourself and reject the temptation. You’ll have to hurt her. There’s no other way.

He goes in to his desk to rummage among his papers. Karen is behind him somewhere. She says nothing when he leaves the room. Rascal is busy in his corner, rummaging among his things.

Stig leafs through his papers. Not a single note must be left to give anything away. Soon someone will come and start digging into all this, turning it all upside-down.

He felt Karen’s presence so strongly behind him as he left the room. Then why don’t you turn and look at her, for heaven’s sake ? Look at her standing there! No. She might notice something, and for her own sake she must know nothing at all, so that it will be easier for her when the questions rain down on her, trying to trap her. She had better have that blank ‘I don’t know!’ to save herself with. Even if it is hurtful now.