Chapter 36

The following day all anyone could talk about was the continuing deportations.

‘They're nothing more than animals,' one of the secretaries grumbled in the kitchen as Peggy made Advocate Le Gresley's morning cup of coffee.

‘Animals wouldn't be that cruel,' her friend argued, and Peggy had to agree. It was unthinkable that innocent families could be treated so cruelly. She hadn't said so to her family or Helen, but it had shaken her badly.

‘I heard those bastards had bayonets and were threatening the poor souls queuing to leave. How could they? And with children there to witness such behaviour.'

Peggy wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt at comfort.

‘Mind you,' the secretary continued, ‘I heard about one man who had recently had an operation on his stomach who was turned back. Didn't want the effort of taking him with them, I suppose.'

‘Did they let his family stay behind, too?'

‘I think so.' She shivered. ‘Imagine having such a close call as that. Poor things.'

‘They're better off than those who had to go, though, aren't they?'

Unable to bear any more, Peggy finished making her boss's coffee and left the kitchen. Happy though she was for the family who had been allowed to stay, imagining the fear of the deportees was too much for her. She returned to her work hoping to keep busy enough to stop thinking about what was happening at the harbour.

Focusing on what she could do, instead of what she couldn't, Peggy decided to speak to Tony and invite him to number 3 to check her handiwork in the attic. It would be useful having a fresh eye survey the room and see how well hidden Helen and Bobby were. There would only be one chance to save them if the Germans did decide to search their home.

Her thoughts were distracted by more documents being delivered. After the messenger left, she sat and stared at the folder, nausea surging through her as she tried to pluck up the courage to look at the paperwork. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on doing this job. As much as she wanted to help others and knew that having prior knowledge of bad news before it was imparted helped some people, there was something to be said for blissful ignorance.

She took a deep breath and pulled the file towards her. Slowly opening it, she looked down at the top document and began to read. When she finished, she closed her eyes. ‘Thank God,' she said, her heart pounding with relief to be able to translate good news for a change.

Tony was unable to accompany her home, having been called into a late meeting with his father and a couple of the directors, so Peggy left by herself. A few times on her way home, she sensed she was being watched. Hoping to see who it was, she stopped in front of a shop pretending to look in the window while studying the reflection. She noticed two German officers, but they were far enough away for her not to be concerned about them. Telling herself that feeling watched was expected at times like these and that she was being oversensitive, she continued her walk home.

* * *

‘The rest of the deportations are postponed, you say?' Ida asked, clutching Peggy's hand. ‘Due to bad weather? But how long can that be expected to last before they start again?

‘I don't know if it even is the true reason, or if maybe this is their way of bringing the deportations to an end. Not all these soldiers are dreadful people,' she reminded her mother. ‘Some are as fed up at being stuck here as we are having them on the island. I also think there's quite a bit of embarrassment about sending people away against their will.' She lowered her voice. ‘Some English people will still be going in a few days, but only because they've been jailed for various offences.' She thought of Tony, relieved that nothing else had cropped up about his arrest. ‘I'm not sure why they're sending them to Germany, but I presume they're making an example of them as a warning to the rest of us.'

‘What offences will they have they committed to be punished so severely?' Her mother's face paled, and Peggy wondered if she too was thinking about youngsters who had been caught carrying out small acts of resistance against the German authorities.

‘Sabotage, breaking curfew, that sort of thing.'

Ida shook her head slowly. ‘That's ridiculous. I can't stand much more of this, I really can't.' She pointed at the ceiling and lowered her voice. ‘I was told when I was at the bakery this morning that they were planning to send English women now, even those without husbands. Will they still do that, do you think?'

Peggy wished she knew. ‘I've no idea. I haven't been given those documents. Maybe they were sent straight to the Constables of each parish where those women live, but hopefully now they're blaming the bad weather for the delay, those women might also be spared.' She thought of Helen and Bobby. ‘At least we know of two people who are safe for now.'

Her mother closed her eyes and rested a hand on her chest. ‘Let's hope they stay that way.'

Peggy opened her mouth to respond when a heavy knock on the door made them both jump. ‘Who can that be?' She knew it wasn't Tony by the knock. Something told her that whoever it was would be in uniform. Her heart dropped.

‘I'll get it, Mum.'

She stepped into the hallway as Babs hissed at her from the first-floor landing, ‘Keep them busy. I'll go and warn Helen, she's just out of the bath.'

Peggy waited for her sister to run up the next flight of stairs and open the attic door, before taking a deep breath and slowly opening the front door. Surprised to see the officer standing on her doorstep, she froze. ‘Captain—' She couldn't recall his name.

‘Captain Heinrich Engel of the Wehrmacht,' he said proudly, clicking his heels together.

‘Good evening, Captain Engel,' she said as loudly as she dared without drawing his attention to her behaving oddly. ‘Did I forget something at work?'

He seemed pleased with himself for some reason. ‘No. I. We are—' He indicated Sylvia Bowman's house next door, and it took a moment for Peggy to understand what he was trying to convey. Her mouth dropped open before she managed to gather herself. ‘You're billeted in that house?'

He beamed at her. ‘Ah, yes.'

An icy sensation trickled through her nerves. It was all she could do to refrain from shivering. ‘I see.' She didn't at all. Struggling to calm her rapid breathing, Peggy forced herself to remain professional.

‘You live here with your family?' he asked in German, looking over her shoulder at the hallway and kitchen beyond.

‘I do,' she replied in English but gave a nod in case he didn't understand what she said.

Hoping he wasn't going to offer to walk her to work, or even back home again, she tried but failed to think of a way to bring Tony into the conversation without voicing her thoughts. She stared at him waiting for him to fill the silence.

His face reddened and he stepped from one foot to the other. Peggy was relieved to see him look uncomfortable but said nothing, hoping he would leave.

Eventually he gave a nod and a tight smile. ‘Goodnight, Miss Hamel,' he said again in his native tongue. ‘I hope to see you again in your office.'

Not wishing to encourage him, she said, ‘Goodnight, Captain,' and closed the door.

She watched through the mottled glass panel in the door as he hesitated before turning and walking down the steps. Seconds later the front door slammed in the next house. Peggy let out a groan, and it was only then that she realised she'd been holding her breath.

The kitchen door opened a touch, then fully as her mother came out to join her. ‘I couldn't hear much,' she said. ‘Especially as he spoke German, but I didn't like the tone of his voice.' She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘I have a horrible feeling Peggy, my girl, that the captain has taking a fancy to you.'

Peggy was thinking the same thing. ‘I wish I could disagree with you, Mum,' she said miserably. Why was it that just when it seemed as if things might be getting a little better, some other torture was foisted on them?

‘Has he gone?' Babs whispered from the landing.

‘Yes,' Ida answered. ‘But I have a nasty feeling he'll find an excuse to come back soon.'