Heinz paled.
“I don’t need a doctor.”
“Yes, you do. If only to give me a witness who can testify as to why I removed you from the care of the Daltons.”
Rachel hissed something at him in German. He glared at her, but she wasn’t to be dissuaded.
“What did you say, Rachel?”
“I told Heinz to shut up and do as he was told. If he’d done that from the start, he would never have ended up on the farm. Sometimes boys can be so stupid.”
Sally hid a smile, as Harry turned scarlet. He’d obviously understood every word. She sensed Rachel’s opinion of him carried more weight than anyone else, so stayed silent.
Young love was a powerful emotion and she’d bet her life on it, Heinz or Harry, as she must remember to call him now, was head over heels in love with young Rachel.
20
They didn’t get a chance to walk too far before Tomas and Ruth came running, Maggie, carrying Liesl, trailing behind them. The younger children threw themselves into their siblings’ arms. Sally saw Harry wince from the impact but he didn’t let on to Tomas. He swung the younger boy right up in the air.
Tomas spoke rapidly in German, but Harry stopped him.
“English, Tomas.”
Tomas grimaced but did as he was told. “Maggie made cake. Ruth and I helped. We had icing.”
Sally glanced at Maggie, seeing the questions in her eyes.
“Rachel, could you take the children into the rectory, please? I just want a quick word with Maggie.”
“Yes, Aunt Sally.”
Maggie gave Liesl to Rachel and then watched as the five children went back indoors, before rounding on Sally.
“What happened?”
“Maggie, we have to get the doctor, the constable, and the Reverend. You’d never believe how they are treating those poor children. Beating them and starving them by the looks of it. All the while Dalton stuffs his mouth and Aggie gets fatter.”
Maggie put her arms around her shoulder. “Sally love, calm down, you’re not making sense. Who is beating the children?”
“Dalton. And maybe his wife too. You should see those poor boys we left behind. They look worse than they did in Liverpool Street. Can’t blame them, can you? They’ve lost their families, their home, and now they are being treated worse than animals.”
Maggie pushed Sally toward the rectory. “You go and help yourself to tea. I’ll call in to the constable and get him to round up the troops. Can’t have the likes of that going on in Abbeydale. This is England. We treat people properly.”
Maggie bustled off in the direction of the constable’s house. Sally didn’t know why she didn’t use the telephone but maybe she felt this needed airing in private. The operator wasn’t above listening in on calls.
The doctor arrived before Maggie got back, explaining he’d had a call from the constable. Harry paled when Sally introduced them, but a quick word from Rachel and he allowed the doctor to take him away to examine him in private. Maggie arrived back as they were waiting.
“Constable Halton is calling in some reinforcements from Chertsey Station and then he will call here. Did the doctor arrive and is the Reverend back?”
Sally nodded. “Doctor King is with Harry now. Haven’t seen the Reverend.”
It wasn’t long before Harry came back downstairs looking paler but relieved. Sally resisted the urge to cuddle him. Instead, she gave him the key to her house, sensing he might need some time alone.
“Go on home, love. That’s my house over there.” She pointed to the house from the window. “I will be there soon. Don’t worry, nobody will hurt you now.”
He didn’t say anything but squeezed her hand when she gave him the key. Without looking at the doctor, he left.
Rachel took the children for a walk to the park while the adults discussed the events of the morning. Reverend Collins arrived, with the constable, just as the children were leaving. The doctor barely let the door close behind them before he burst out, “That young man has obviously been mistreated by the Daltons. It hasn’t helped his old injuries.”
“Old injuries?” Maggie asked, sending Sally a look but Sally shook her head. She didn’t know anything. The doctor continued.
“I believe he was tortured or at the very least given a savage beating, not just once but over a number of days, maybe weeks. He has a number of marks on his torso, upper arms, and legs. Cigarette burns and other things I would rather not mention in present company.”
Sally couldn’t believe her ears. Who had done that? “The Daltons?” she squeaked.
“No, they seemed content to just beat him. These injuries were inflicted some time ago. Perhaps six months to a year ago. Has he said anything?”
“No, but I haven’t spoken to him much.” Sally shook her head and then remembered. “Rachel said he was in a place called Dachau, in Germany. She said her father died there, after he and her brothers and other Jewish men were rounded up and sent to live there. Harry and his father were sent there too.”
“That would explain it. I’ve heard about Dachau. He is lucky to have been released and even luckier to have been on the train. Most survivors of the camps don’t stay free for long. They disappear or are locked up again. The Nazis don’t like examples of their handy-work walking the streets.”
Sally told them what Rachel had said about her mother collecting her father’s ashes. Maggie burst into tears. “Those poor darlings. Such lovely girls,” Maggie sobbed. “What sort of animals would do something like that?”
Sally handed her a hanky. The doctor coughed before he continued. “I am hearing similar stories when I go to London to visit my club. Most hope it is lies or exaggerations. I have met many German doctors, fine men. I can’t imagine they would condone anything remotely like that. What’s been happening in Germany since the early 1930s is a disgrace. What’s worse
