“That’s what I thought. You have to hide.”

“But where?”

I opened the door to my room a crack and listened. Hearing Colonel Maust’s voice as well as Ana Lucia’s, I shut it again just as quickly. “You must be very quiet. My stepmother has company.” There was no way to avoid the truth any longer.

“Ella, is your stepmother’s guest German?” Sadie whispered.

I wanted to lie, but Colonel Maust’s accent was unmistakable. “Yes.” My heart stopped. “You must understand, I’m not like that at all. I hate that she socializes with the Germans, in my father’s house no less. I certainly didn’t expect them to be here tonight. And I didn’t have anywhere else to hide you.”

But my explanation was of little comfort. “You shouldn’t have brought me here.” There was a note of accusation in Sadie’s voice.

“I’m sorry. It was wrong of me. I was trying to help. I never meant to put you in any danger.” I searched desperately for a place to hide her. “In here,” I said, gesturing to the armoire. She stood frozen. “It’s the only way. Just until they fall asleep. Then I can get you out of the house.” Sadie climbed into the armoire and I covered her with some clothes.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Ella, is that you?” a slurred voice in the hallway called. I was flooded with alarm; Ana Lucia never ventured to the fourth floor.

“Yes, Ana Lucia.” I tried to make my voice sound normal.

“I thought I heard voices.”

“I was just playing the gramophone. I’ll stop now.”

Without saying good-night, Ana Lucia turned and stumbled down the two flights of stairs, nearly falling. I heard the door to her bedroom close. Still, I did not dare open the armoire door. Through the pipes came the awful sounds of Ana Lucia and the colonel in bed. Mortified, I prayed Sadie could not hear them in the closed armoire.

After a while, the bedroom below went silent. I waited until I was sure that they were asleep. Then I opened the armoire door and helped Sadie out. She looked angry and afraid. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but I clamped my hand over it so she would not wake Ana Lucia or her wretched guest. “Shh,” I said. “Not now.” I led her quickly from my room and down the back steps. The floorboards creaked, threatening to betray us with every step.

At last we reached the ground floor. “Is it time to go back?” Sadie asked as we stepped from the alley behind my house onto Kanonicza Street.

I shook my head. “We have another two hours at least.” It was the middle of the night and I didn’t know of another place where we could wait or hide.

“Can we walk a bit?” she asked. “I’d like to see the city one more time.”

I started to say no. We should head straight toward the river and find a place to hide close to the sewer grate. Being out and about was not safe; we were out breaking curfew and would be arrested if caught. But she already knew that. “Please, Ella. I’m free just for a bit more. Who knows when I will have a chance like this again?”