Cate bent and picked up her bag before they hurried off.

“Slow down,” Elise whispered. “We need to look relaxed, like it’s the most natural thing in the world for us to be out here.”

Cate forced her breath and her feet to slow, allowing Elise to steady her until they were out of earshot.

“Cate, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, anything.”

“Is it wrong of me to want Adelaide to get on that boat? Should I be letting her make her own mistakes, or am I right in deciding this for her?”

Cate thought for a while, seeing the house come into view and knowing they didn’t have long. “I think you’re right. If she were my sister or my daughter, I’d know that no matter how strong she thinks she is, she’s powerless against a Nazi commander. He might fall in love with her, but he could also kill her without a second thought if he ever finds out who you are hiding in your attic. I’d want her gone, too.”

“Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

“Can I be completely honest with you, though? Without offending you?” Cate asked, stopping at the steps of the house as darkness started to fall around them.

“Please. I feel like we’re closer already than most of the friends I’ve known in my entire life, so whatever you have to say, I want to hear it.”

Cate glanced up to make sure Adelaide hadn’t come to the front door, but there was no one there. “I’m worried she could end up falling for him, and forgetting who he truly is. He’s charming her and making her feel special, and sometimes it’s hard to turn away from that kind of attention.”

Elise looked uncomfortable, but she nodded. “Go on.”

“You need to find a way to talk to her without offending her, to explain that men are like peacocks, strutting around and doing anything and everything to attract the female they want. She needs to see the situation for what it is, otherwise she’ll never agree to leave.”

“I know what you’re saying, and you’re right,” Elise said. “I just don’t know how to make her listen to me.”

“Let me then,” Cate said. “Sometimes it’s easier to take coming from someone other than family, and there are some things I can tell her that I’ve never spoken about before. I know she’ll listen.”

Elise gave her a quick hug, and Cate willingly returned it.

“You have my blessing to say whatever you need to her,” Elise said. “I’ll never forget you when you go, Cate.”

Cate smiled. “Trust me when I say that I’ll never, ever forget you, either.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ELISE

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ELISE