Aimee heard Sergeant Grimm give new orders and the German prisoners moved off and onwards to Cléry. By the time she slipped out of the woods, and headed east again to find Marius, the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

She didn’t know who he was. She did know his lies had saved her life.

31 August 1918: Peronne

Aimee opened her pack and took out the letter from General Bruce. She showed it to the Australian soldier who was in charge of loading the boats across the Somme to Peronne on the east bank. ‘See? We can go anywhere and you have to help us.’

The soldier pushed his helmet back a little and rubbed his head. ‘But the battle isn’t over.’

‘The Germans are running away,’ Aimee argued. ‘We saw it from the top of the ridge.’

‘I know. But they have snipers... sharp-shooters with rifles. They hide behind any tree or building or shell-hole and shoot our men when they try to follow.’

‘They won’t shoot us. We’re not in your army. We look like refugees.’

‘But you’re not?’ the soldier asked.

Aimee had found Marius waiting for her by the landing stage. They smiled at one another when she arrived safely. But they both knew they had to cross the river before Silver Hand discovered his mistake and came after them again.

‘We are in the White Lady group.’

‘You look a bit young to be spies.’

Aimee sighed. ‘We are messengers. My mother is a member in Bray. This boy speaks perfect German. He can mix with the enemy and report back to us.’

‘Why would he do that?’

‘Because he’s from Austria. His family hates the German people.’

The Australian soldier watched a wagon bringing wooden beams and metal girders to repair the bridges on the far side. He guided the men as they lifted the materials off the lorry and on to the barge. Other boats of all sizes were landing with prisoners and wounded troops and the odd group of refugees who had lost their homes in the fighting. ‘So can we cross?’ Aimee begged.

‘When it’s loaded you can find a corner on this barge,’ the soldier said. ‘You’ll be there in half an hour.’

Aimee explained what was happening to Marius. They looked back up to the ridge. There were no sign of their hunters. But in half an hour they could still arrive.

At last the barge was ready to leave. Marius and Aimee perched on an oak beam and felt the boat rock as the sail was raised, and it made the short trip across. At that moment the sun glittered on the hand of a man who stood at the top of the ridge above the river. The man with the silver hand must have seen them for he threw both hands in the air in rage.