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Chapters (73)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Also by Anita Frank
  4. Note to Readers
  5. Dedication
  6. Part One
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. Chapter Fourteen
  21. Chapter Fifteen
  22. Chapter Sixteen
  23. Chapter Seventeen
  24. Chapter Eighteen
  25. Chapter Nineteen
  26. Chapter Twenty
  27. Chapter Twenty-One
  28. Chapter Twenty-Two
  29. Chapter Twenty-Three
  30. Chapter Twenty-Four
  31. Chapter Twenty-Five
  32. Chapter Twenty-Six
  33. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Chapter Thirty-Four
  41. Chapter Thirty-Five
  42. Chapter Thirty-Six
  43. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  44. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  45. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  46. Chapter Forty
  47. Part Two
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Chapter Forty-Two
  50. Chapter Forty-Three
  51. Chapter Forty-Four
  52. Chapter Forty-Five
  53. Chapter Forty-Six
  54. Chapter Forty-Seven
  55. Chapter Forty-Eight
  56. Chapter Forty-Nine
  57. Chapter Fifty
  58. Chapter Fifty-One
  59. Chapter Fifty-Two
  60. Chapter Fifty-Three
  61. Chapter Fifty-Four
  62. Chapter Fifty-Five
  63. Chapter Fifty-Six
  64. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  66. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  67. Chapter Sixty
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. Extract
  70. Chapter One
  71. Chapter Two
  72. Chapter Three
  73. About the Publisher

‘It’s over. Thank God. In Europe at least.’ The bike chain ticks between them as they walk together towards the shallow steps that rise from the yard to the path running along the back of the house. ‘They say Japan won’t last long now.’

Gwen nods, then calls Tom again. The older woman rests the bicycle against the retaining wall, before removing a bundled apron from the wicker basket on its front. She opens it up with care.

‘Look, spotted these on my way here. I’ll make some soup if you can spare me a drop of cream for it.’

Gwen grins at the welcome sight of fieldcap mushrooms nestled in the scoop of cotton. ‘Well, I won’t tell if you don’t, Muriel.’

‘Let’s just hope the end of the war means the end of rationing too,’ Muriel mutters, bundling up the fruits of her foraging. ‘Where’s Nora?’

‘Bringing in the cattle,’ Gwen says, leading the way up the steps.

‘I bet she’s pleased. She’ll be released from service, I suppose.’

‘Not immediately, I wouldn’t have thought. The country still needs feeding, and I can’t manage without her.’

‘No … I’m sure she’ll have to stay for a while yet,’ the woman concedes, though she doesn’t look best pleased by the prospect.

As they reach the back door, Gwen calls again for Tom. Her voice contains a warning note this time that brings him to his feet.

‘Gwen …’ Muriel’s sudden gravitas causes Gwen to pause, her hand resting on the latch. ‘Have you heard from Jack?’

‘No.’

‘But you haven’t heard anything to suggest …’

‘No.’ This time the word comes wearily, battle-worn and fearful.

‘Gwen … what are you going to do?’

‘Nothing.’

‘But …’

‘I’m going to do nothing, Muriel, because there is nothing to be done. Jack won’t be coming back.’ She opens the door into the farmhouse kitchen.

Muriel huffs, her grey brows pitching upwards. ‘Certain of that, are you?’ She brushes past Gwen to deposit the parcel of mushrooms on the table. ‘Because I’ll tell you now … I’m not.’

‘He won’t come back, Muriel.’

The old woman turns to face her.

‘Perhaps he won’t, but tell me this: what are you going to do if he does?’

Chapter Four

Jack

June 1939

He walks on in the burgeoning morning light, a foreigner in a strange land. He is used to gunmetal seas stretching, ever restless, to the horizon, not the patchwork of fields that peacefully flow before him now.