“Addy, you asked me not to treat you like a child, so I want you to know that I trust you. If you think you can help us by luring Wolfgang away, then it seems sensible.”

Addy couldn’t hide her surprise. “You do?”

“I do. I suppose I was so worried that you might develop feelings for him that your allegiance to Cate and the others might be compromised, but I can see that was unfair. It was you who fought to save them from the very beginning.” Elise enveloped Adelaide in a big hug. “I love you so much, Addy. I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you—it’s only because I want the best for you.”

Adelaide inhaled and slowly let her breath go. “He told me today that France has officially fallen.”

Elise stood and walked back to the dresser, and Adelaide watched as she touched lightly all their mother’s possessions. “Papa’s friend said he was expecting it. It’s almost impossible to believe, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“Adelaide, the day the others go, I’m going to go with them, to help guide them.”

Addy nodded. “I heard you say that earlier. It sounds like a good plan.”

“But I want you to come too,” Elise added, and Addy could tell there was something more, something bigger that her sister wanted to say.

“All right,” she replied. “I suppose I can somehow get him away and then double back and meet you somewhere.”

Elise came back toward her then, sitting and taking her hands in hers. “Addy, I want you to go to England with the others. To safety.”

Adelaide laughed. “You what?” But her laughter fast died away as she saw that Elise was serious.

“It’s too dangerous for you to stay, with Wolfgang here. What if he finds out you’ve deceived him?”

“Why? He won’t even know what I’ve done. It’ll be far more suspicious if I disappear!”

Elise squeezed her fingers. “But you’ll be gone. He can wonder all he likes, but at least you’ll be safe.”

“And you? Are you going, too?”

Elise shook her head. “No. I’m staying, but I want to help the resistance, so I don’t know what my immediate future looks like.”

Adelaide pulled her hands away as they started to shake, eyes locked on her sister’s as she stood. “Has this been your plan all along? To get rid of me?”

“To keep you safe!” Elise went to stand too, to reach for her, but Adelaide stepped away, wrapping her arms around herself.

“But I don’t want to leave,” she cried. “I don’t want to leave here, I don’t want to leave you, and I don’t want to leave . . .”

Elise’s face fell. “I was right all along, wasn’t I? You are in love with him.”