inside.

“Told you I was good at knots!” He grinned up at Edie as the colonel sank to his knees, trussed up like a post-office parcel. Len was beside them now too and he put his foot on the colonel’s chest, pinning him to the ground.

Edie glanced over her shoulder and saw Gus gather Greta in his arms. She raced across the carriage to where Donny was leaning over Karl’s body.

The young German blinked and smiled up at her. “Hello.”

“You’re alive,” said Edie. “Thank goodness!” She sank down on her knees. But a patch of dark red blood was spreading across his shoulder.

“Run,” she said, looking up at Donny. “Run for help. Please.”

“Go,” agreed Len. “You’re the fastest runner.” He stooped down and picked up the pistol from where it lay on the floor. He stood guard over the colonel, who was still parcelled-up in the map and squirming. “Bring the doctor and a policeman, if you can.”

“Thank you!” said Edie, and Len nodded as Donny sprinted out the door. Then she turned to Perky. “Thank you too,” she beamed. “I can’t even bear to think what might have happened if you hadn’t come along when you did.”

Perky blushed. “I knew something was up,” he said, looking at Gus and Edie and then towards Karl. “All that talk of signal boxes and whatnot. You were trying so hard to keep me away from here I thought I best come and have a look for myself.”

“It’s lucky you did,” said Gus as Greta ran forward and flung her arms first around Perky and then around Edie.

For once she seemed lost for words. Edie stroked her hair. “It’s all right,” she whispered. “You’re safe now.”

“So,” said Perky. “Is anyone going to tell me exactly what’s going on… ?”

When help came, the colonel was marched away under military guard.

“I hope you rot in prison,” spat Len Snigson. “How could you betray your country like this?”

“There’s nothing left to betray. Britain has gone to the dogs!” snarled the colonel. “It’s full of scum like you and your halfwit brother. Hitler has the right idea. If only we had a strong government like the Nazis, then all the low life in this country would be flushed out. Britain could be great again… Truly great… ” He was still ranting as he was bundled out of the door.

But Mr Hodges, who had turned up with the Home Guard, snorted loudly. “Nonsense, Colonel. You’re only selling secrets because you owe money from betting on all those fancy card games you play in London. I reckon that’s why you disappeared down there again this week, hoping you could win some of it back again.”

Edie remembered the empty room she had seen when she peeped through the window at England’s Corner on the day Greta got lost. Perhaps what Mr Hodges was saying was true and the colonel had gambled all his money away.

“Liar!” he roared as he was heaved into the back of the butcher’s van, kicking and screaming, but still tied up tightly in Perky’s knots.

Karl, meanwhile, was carried out on a stretcher and driven away to the same hospital where Aunt Roberta worked.

The children were desperate for news of their brave airman as soon as Aunt Roberta got home that night. “He’s doing well and he’ll make a good recovery,” she said, after she had hugged each of them in turn and checked they were safe and well after their ordeal too.

“When Karl’s strong enough, he’ll be moved to a prisoner of war camp,” Uncle Peter explained to them over dinner. “There’ll be other captured German airmen there. He’ll be well looked after and kept safe until the war is over.”

“Just like our father, I suppose,” sighed Gus.

It turned out the grown-ups had known the children were half-German all along. They’d found out all those weeks ago when Aunt Roberta went to Maidbridge to arrange having them to stay as evacuees. It seemed their English grandmother had never approved of her daughter marrying a German in the first place. She had been only too pleased to send Gus and Greta away.

“I saw the mess you’d made of your ration books and guessed you were trying to hide something,” Aunt Roberta said gently.

“We knew you’d tell us if you wanted to,” said Uncle Peter. “But as to your father staying in a Prisoner-of-War camp, I’ve been doing a little digging… ” He slipped his hand inside his jacket and pulled out one of his famous brown envelopes. “He is not our enemy. He has lived in this country for years and worked for the government, as you know. There were plenty of people who could vouch for his good name. Even the Home Secretary agrees he has no business being in prison.”

“What are you saying?” said Gus slowly.

“I am saying,” said Uncle Peter, “that if I were you, I might just go down to the station and meet the evening train.”

“You mean… ” Gus leapt up so fast, his chair toppled over.

“I am not saying anything.” Uncle Peter smiled. But Aunt Roberta handed Greta a cardigan.

“Run along,” she said.

Edie stood up too, but Uncle Peter put his hand gently on her arm.

“I think we’d better sit this one out, old girl,” he whispered as the two Smith children tore out of the door. “We might not be wanted just now.”

“Did you really get Mr Schmidt released?” she asked.

“Wait and see.” Uncle Peter tapped the side of his nose. “But just remember, if he does come, it is Smith, not Schmidt – he changed his name.”

Aunt Roberta smiled and Uncle Peter’s good eye sparkled like a boy with a jar of secret sweets.

“Good job neither of you are spies, like Colonel Crowther,” said Edie. “I don’t think you’d do very well under interrogation.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” said Aunt Roberta innocently. “All I know is that I’d like a nice cup of tea.”

“Right… ” said Edie. But, when she peeped out of the

Добавить отзыв
ВСЕ ОТЗЫВЫ О КНИГЕ В ИЗБРАННОЕ

0

Вы можете отметить интересные вам фрагменты текста, которые будут доступны по уникальной ссылке в адресной строке браузера.

Отметить Добавить цитату