L. No time for details but Marjorie’s made it. Message received via very brave French agent last thing yesterday. She’ll be home as soon as can be arranged. More news to follow. Contact me when you’ve read this. F.

Laura shut her eyes and breathed a long, drawn-out sigh of relief. Her friend and Freddy’s soul mate was alive, contrary to their deepest fears. On top of the lack of sleep, she felt as if she might crumple, and she put out one hand to steady herself.

She was severely tempted to rush back to the admiral’s flat, wake up Kitty and tell her then and there. She stopped herself, knowing her friend needed her sleep and that a few more hours would make no difference. The second she finished her shift, however, she was going to be back there, sharing the news. Last night, for one bleak moment, Laura had thought she’d lost both of her dearest friends. Now they were both restored to her. To hell with her miserable landlady – life was wonderful again.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

For a moment Nancy couldn’t move. Then she ran, with Tommy hissing ‘keep down!’ as he followed behind. She halted by the shed door and bent to the ground. It was definitely Georgie’s little slipper, blue to match his favourite pyjamas. She picked it up. He was here, she could feel it in her bones.

‘Georgie!’ she called softly. ‘Georgie! Are you there? It’s Mammy and Tommy, come to get you.’

She could hear nothing but her own short breaths and the hammering of her heartbeat. Putting her mouth close to the shed door, she tried again.

Tommy crouched so that his ear was right where the door met its splintered frame. ‘Georgie!’ he called, a little louder. ‘Are you there? Can you hear me?’

For a moment there was silence, and then came a tiny scrabbling sound.

‘Georgie? Is that you?’ Tommy asked, turning so his mouth was next to the door’s edge.

There was more scrabbling, closer now.

‘Mammy!’ came the little voice. ‘Mammy! I’m cold!’

For a moment Nancy couldn’t move. Fear, relief, anger and overwhelming love for her child flooded through her in waves, rooting her to the spot. Then she sprang into action, trying to open the door, tugging at the handle, but it didn’t budge.

‘Keep down!’ Tommy hissed. ‘Look, it’s fastened with a lock. You’re just making a noise for nothing.’

‘We’ve got to get him out!’ she exclaimed.

Tommy nodded, but he was thinking fast. ‘I know. I know.’ He addressed the door edge again. ‘Georgie, we’re going to get you out any minute now. You stay quiet and keep a little way away from the door. You’ll see me and Mammy soon.’ Then he turned to Nancy. ‘Have you got a hair grip in your bag?’ he asked.