“I wanted to know if Elise had any spare sanitary items. I didn’t want to ask in front of Harry, and I’ve had some bad cramping,” Cate said, smiling at Elise as she turned. “And then we got carried away whispering about how handsome Harry is. I think your sister likes him.”

Elise went to open her mouth and scold Cate, but then promptly shut it as Adelaide laughed and grabbed hold of her arm.

“So that’s why you were so prickly at the table,” Addy teased. “You should have told me you were sweet on him.”

Cate grinned and mouthed “Sorry” from behind Adelaide, and Elise raised her eyebrows in response and swatted at her sister, wondering if it would have been better to tell her the truth about their discussion than have to put up with the endless teasing.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN ADELAIDE

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ADELAIDE

Adelaide stared up at the ceiling, listening to her sister breathing in bed beside her. They’d taken to sleeping together ever since the others had arrived, and she liked it. It reminded her of when she’d been younger, and Elise had always tiptoed down to her room, knowing she hated being alone in the dark. The past few days had made everything feel so different and uncertain, and even though they’d argued for the first time since their guests had joined them, she still wanted Elise close by.

Wolfgang. She turned his name over in her mind, over and over again, trying to figure out what she actually felt for him. Was he the monster her sister kept insisting he was? Was he the man who’d given the order that day? It had been impossible for them to see; all the soldiers had had their backs to them, but why would Harry lie? After walking with Wolfgang, being in his company, everything had started to feel blurred and she didn’t know what she felt or even what she should believe. It was as if she couldn’t reconcile the allegations with the person she’d spent time with.

She was scared of him, excited by him, attracted to him and horrified by what he stood for. His uniform alone marked him as being so different from her and the values she’d grown up with. Her father had had time for everyone, and would invite anyone to the dinner table; he didn’t care what religion they followed or where they came from, he just liked anyone with a story to tell over wine and good food.

Papa would be so angry with me. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to hear his voice in her head, trying to push him away. Because the Nazis only wanted one sort of person in this world, which was the opposite of what her father had wanted.