Chapter 35

They decided between them that one of the Hamels would bring up something for Bobby's lunch, and that if Ida thought it safe, she and Bobby should join the Hamels for their evening meal. Then, when he had been asleep for a few hours during the evening, Helen could go down to sit with the family for a while.

‘We'll keep the hall light off,' Ida said. ‘If we're disturbed, no one will see you running upstairs while we stall them to give you and Bobby time to hide in the secret place.'

Helen felt slightly more settled, having spent her second day in their new home. Bobby hadn't minded being there at all and seemed to think it was all a game, which was an enormous relief. He had played happily with his toys for most of the day and, deciding it would help them both to cope if they kept to a routine, Helen put him down for his nap at the usual time.

She heard the front door close and knew one of the sisters had arrived home. When it closed for the second time, she waited before taking Bobby downstairs, stopping on the top landing to listen in case she heard unfamiliar voices.

She heard the three women talking and could tell they were upset about something. Hoping it was nothing to do with her and Bobby, Helen nervously came downstairs and stood by the kitchen door.

Babs noticed her there. ‘They've published the order Peggy told us about. I hadn't realised how severe it would be,' she said, pointing to the headline on the newspaper lying on the kitchen table. ‘They're sending all Englishmen aged between sixteen and seventy, as well as their poor families. Imagine that?'

‘But that's a lot of people, surely?' Helen asked breathlessly. ‘Men and women, too?'

‘And children,' Ida said without looking up, her hand flying to her chest as she read on.

‘Children?' Helen's vision dimmed and she grabbed the back of Peggy's chair, frightened she was about to pass out with fear.

‘Mum, really,' Babs said, taking Helen's elbow. ‘Here, come and sit down.'

Helen felt a glass of water being pressed into her hand. ‘Have a drink of this,' Peggy said before sitting down again. ‘I thought I told you about this.'

‘You probably did, but the full scale of it can't have sunk in. When do they have to leave?' Helen began shivering, despite it not being cold.

‘Tomorrow,' Ida said. ‘But lovey, you won't have to go. Not now.'

Ida was right, Helen reminded herself. ‘Thanks to the three of you. Although I can't help feeling dreadful for all these people.' Something occurred to her. ‘They're definitely going to come looking for me, aren't they?'

Ida shrugged. ‘Maybe not. Hopefully they'll be kept busy with this dreadful deportation and might forget about you.'

‘Yes,' Babs agreed. ‘They might even think you've been sent away in all the confusion.'

Helen hoped she was right, then saw doubt in Peggy's eyes. ‘You don't agree?'

Peggy seemed to wrestle with her conscience, then shook her head. ‘They're too well organised for that. I can't imagine they'd ever let anyone slip through their tightly planned net.'

She almost spat the words and Helen saw for the first time how difficult it was for her friend to have to deal with the Germans at work.

Helen covered her mouth to stop crying out. ‘Thanks to the three of you, Bobby and I still have the chance of a future. I only hope they don't come looking for me here. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to any of you because of what you've done for us.'

Ida looked at Peggy. ‘You need to stop feeling guilty for the work you do and remember the lives you have saved by sharing information.'

‘Mum's right,' Babs agreed. ‘You can't save everyone, Peggy, as much as you might wish to.'

Peggy sighed then smiled at Helen. ‘I have to admit I'm relieved you and Bobby came here when you did.'

‘We all are,' Babs agreed.

‘As we're on the subject,' Ida began, and Helen felt the older woman's gaze fall upon her. ‘I don't want any more talk about you being grateful to us, Helen. We feel honoured to be able to help you and that sweet little boy. Your aunt would do the same thing for my girls if the roles were reversed.'

Helen started to thank her again then, seeing her piercing look, stopped herself. ‘Fine. I'll say nothing more about it. But I want you to promise that if it ever becomes too much, or too dangerous for us to be here, you will tell me and I'll make other plans. I won't have you taking even more chances than you are already.'

Ida would have argued, but Peggy interrupted. ‘We promise we'll tell you.'

Helen doubted they would but felt slightly reassured by Peggy's reply.

* * *

The following evening when Babs returned from work, Helen noticed she had been crying. ‘Whatever's the matter?' she asked when they were alone in the kitchen preparing their meagre supper.

Babs blew her nose and sniffed. ‘Mum said I wasn't to tell you.'

Confused, Helen said, ‘I had hoped you could tell me anything.'

Babs thought for a few seconds then her shoulders slumped. ‘It's my manager. She was deported today. I hadn't realised she was going.' She blew her nose. ‘I didn't even know she was English until I asked where she was and one of the girls who lives near her told me that her husband moved over here with her about thirty-six years ago. They could only take one suitcase each. A small one at that. I mean, how can you pack up decades' worth of belongings into a small case? It was like the evacuation, but going to a rotten camp somewhere in Germany rather than to England.' She sniffed. ‘I gather the constable of her parish visited them late last night to let them know they had to go.' She burst into tears again. ‘She's ever such a lovely woman, too. Loved her life here. She'd been working at Boots since she arrived on the island in 1906.'

Helen was unable to stop crying. ‘Oh, Babs, that's heartbreaking.'

‘I know. A bus collected them and took them to the ferry. They must have left a few hours ago.'

Helen couldn't imagine how shocking it must be for those poor people, forced to leave everything and everyone they knew. Fuelled by hatred for the Germans, she clenched her teeth. She couldn't help blurting out her feelings. ‘They are unbelievably cruel to do this to innocent people. It's despicable.'

‘I agree. There were a lot of us in tears at work today. We were told to put on a brave face by another manager. He went with a couple of others to see her off at the harbour and told us later how brave the English people were despite what they were facing.'

‘Oh, lovey,' Ida said entering the kitchen and hugging her daughter. ‘I see that you told Helen then.' She gave a minute shake of her head. ‘It's only natural to be sad for those poor souls. I was talking to Mr Vibert down at the greengrocers and he was telling me about a couple only four doors down from here who've had to go with their three small children.' She wiped her eye with the back of her hand. ‘He said the deportations will carry on for the best part of another week yet.' Her voice trembled as she added, ‘It breaks my heart to hear of people having to leave everything they've worked hard for, but it's worse to think of children being taken to heaven knows where.' She turned away, her shoulders shaking as she tried to stifle her sobs.

Helen wasn't sure what to do and was somewhat relieved when Peggy appeared.

‘Mum, I wish we could do something to help them.' Peggy stood behind her mother, her arms around her as she wept.

Helen, feeling as if she was imposing, decided she should go and find comfort in holding her little boy. The thought that chance had played such an enormous part in all their futures, saving her when so many others had been forced to leave, was humbling. She knew that without the generosity of her neighbours she and Bobby might also now be on a ferry to Germany.