Chapter 53

It was just after seven-thirty a few evenings later when someone knocked on the door. Helen was sitting with the family after supper and the unexpected sound made them tense. They stared at each other for a second before Helen and Babs stood up.

‘Quick, get upstairs,' Ida hissed at Helen. Then, pointing at Babs, she added, ‘You answer the door but wait until the coast is clear.'

Helen quickly carried Bobby to the first landing and gave Babs a nod when she glanced up at her from the front door. She heard Babs speaking to Tony and then to a woman. She froze when she recognised the voice. Why was Mrs Edwards visiting Ida's home?

‘Please, do come in,' Babs was saying.

Unsure what to do, Helen stayed where she was on the first floor, deciding it was safer to wait until one of the Hamels came to fetch her, as they usually did to let her know when it was safe to join them again. She heard Ida asking probing questions and smiled. Her fondness for the woman who had taken her and Bobby in was increasing all the time. If only her own mother had been as approachable and put others' needs before her own like Ida had done, then she wouldn't have felt compelled to run away and Bobby would be living in relative safety with her family in East London.

Hearing footsteps, Helen moved further back into the shadows.

‘Helen,' Babs called to her quietly. ‘Mum said for you to come down. You have a visitor.'

Unsettled by the unusual event, she smoothed down her skirt and pushed her fingers through her hair, wanting to look her best before going down. She entered the living room wondering why the woman who had employed her at Villa Millbrook had come to number 3.

‘Mrs Edwards. How nice to see you.'

The housekeeper got to her feet and held out her hand. ‘Hello, Helen. You're looking well.'

Helen knew she was much thinner than when they had worked together, but then so was everyone else. She noticed more lines around the housekeeper's eyes and streaks of grey in her neat hair and wondered what the upright but kind woman had gone through in the time since they had last met.

‘It's lovely to see you,' Helen said honestly.

Ida motioned for them to sit.

‘I'm sure you're surprised to see me here,' said Mrs Edwards.

‘I am a bit,' Helen answered.

Mrs Edwards folded her hands in her lap. ‘Tony came to see me,' she began. ‘And I have a suggestion to put to you.'

Helen and Peggy swapped glances and Ida frowned suspiciously. ‘And what might that be?'

Mrs Edwards gave her a tight smile before continuing. ‘I have a bungalow, Mrs Hamel. It's up Mont Cochon, so not too far from here. It has a mature garden with lots of trees.' Her voice was gentle. ‘Most importantly, I don't have neighbours close enough to overlook either house or garden.'

Helen heard Ida mumble something. She wasn't sure why Ida seemed unhappy with what Mrs Edwards was telling them. Come to that, she herself didn't know what Mrs Edwards was getting at. Then it dawned on her. ‘You're inviting me and Bobby to stay with you?'

Mrs Edwards nodded. ‘I am. I appreciate it might not suit you and it is only a suggestion. Tony is aware that I am alone and have space for two more people, also that my home is relatively private.'

‘I didn't realise you knew each other,' Helen said surprised.

‘It's a small island,' Mrs Edwards said. She breathed in deeply before exhaling slowly, then added, ‘We met though my personal circumstances. You see, my mother lived with me until earlier this year when she passed away.'

‘I'm so sorry,' Ida and Helen said at the same time.

‘Thank you. Soon afterwards Tony delivered paperwork for his father, who has always looked after my mother's affairs, which is how we know each other.'

Helen couldn't think what to say. On the one hand she loved living with the Hamels. She sensed it must have been her comment about Bobby that had caused Peggy to speak to Tony, and then Tony to speak to Mrs Edwards. Whether she liked it or not, she needed to put her son's health first. She was going to have to be brave and not let the gratitude she felt towards the Hamels cause her to turn down this offer.

As if aware of her thoughts, Mrs Edwards said, ‘Naturally you will all be welcome at my home at any time.'

Helen turned to Ida. ‘What do you think?' she asked, wanting her to feel involved.

Ida stared at her silently for a few seconds. Then she lowered her gaze to her fingers. ‘It's a generous offer. And –' she sighed, turning her attention back to Helen, ‘– although I haven't seen Mrs Edwards' home, it does sound exactly the right place for Bobby.'

Peggy gave Ida a surprised look. ‘Tony wouldn't have approached Mrs Edwards if he hadn't thought it the best option.'

‘I understand he's done what he thinks best,' Ida said, her tone resigned.

‘But we'll miss you and Bobby,' Babs said miserably. She sat back in her chair and folded her arms. ‘Ignore me, I'm being selfish,' she said when everyone looked at her. ‘It is a good idea.'

Ida turned to Helen. ‘We will all miss you and the little one,' she said. ‘But this isn't about us. It's about what's best for the pair of you.' She wrung her hands. ‘I've also been concerned that Leutnant Müller has come here a couple of times. I've worried that he might spot either one of you.'

‘Don't you mean Captain Engel, Mum?' Peggy asked, looking stunned.

‘No, dear. This was that younger one who came that time Hauptmann Shneider was here searching the attic.'

Helen couldn't understand why Ida hadn't told them before now. ‘I never heard him.'

Ida raised her hands. ‘I didn't like to worry you. You've all got more than enough to contend with and I wasn't going to add to your concerns.'

‘But Mum, we need to know,' Peggy argued.

‘Leutnant Müller?' Mrs Edwards turned to Helen and gave her a thoughtful look. ‘He was at the house when you worked there, wasn't he?'

Helen nodded slowly. ‘He was. He moved in next door when they took the place over after my aunt died. That was when the Hamels kindly took Bobby and me into their home.'

Mrs Edwards puffed out her cheeks. ‘I always thought him a rather kindly young man, but there was something about him.'

‘He's a Nazi,' Tony said.

‘Tony, stop.' Peggy smiled, probably to soften her words, Helen supposed. ‘I don't like him coming here for any reason.' She narrowed her eyes. ‘There's more, isn't there, Mum?'

Ida hung her head. ‘I'm afraid there is.'

Babs knelt at her mother's feet and took her clasped hands in hers. ‘Tell us, Mum. What's been going on?'

‘That other one, the nasty one. Hauptmann Schneider, he came once in the day when you girls were at work.'

Helen felt sick. He had been in the house while she and Bobby hid upstairs? What if they had made a noise when he was there? She swallowed bile as it rose in her throat. ‘When?'

Ida turned to her. ‘I didn't like to frighten you and I couldn't warn you. It was all so unexpected. Anyway, you're two flights up and you and Bobby are always quiet, walking in your stockinged feet.'

It was true, Helen thought, calming slightly. She was always careful not to drag one of the trunks across the floor during the day, and Bobby never wore shoes anymore, although that was mostly because he didn't possess any that fitted. Another thing her son went without.

‘Why was he here?' Tony asked. ‘Did he give a reason?'

Ida shrugged. ‘I think it was to frighten me. He didn't stay long, or say much, just came into the house and through to the kitchen, had a look around and left.'

Helen had heard enough. ‘We'll go,' she said, without giving Mrs Edwards' offer another thought. She might be slightly intimidated by the housekeeper, but clearly she and Bobby were in more danger than she had imagined. They needed to get away from the soldiers next door and not have to worry each time Bobby made a sound. Also, he needed to be able to play outside as any child should have the chance to do.

‘Are you certain, Helen?' Mrs Edwards asked. ‘Please don't feel obliged.'

‘I don't,' she said honestly. ‘I'm very grateful for your kind offer. Although I am slightly concerned that, as well-behaved as Bobby is now, he might become rowdier when he discovers your garden and is allowed to run around freely.'

The woman's face broke into a smile. ‘I know I come across as rather staid.' Helen was about to argue, but she raised her hand to stop her. ‘I'm aware how I appear to others. And to a certain extent that has been my aim, both to gain respect as housekeeper of an important house and because it helps keep people, especially soldiers, at arms' length.'

It made perfect sense to Helen. ‘I can imagine why you'd want to do that. However, I worry that after living quietly with your mother, you might find Bobby more boisterous than you expect. I'd hate there to be any bad feeling between us.'

‘Helen,' she said looking amused. ‘I'm the youngest of six children and the only girl. I've grown up with noisy, unruly boys.' She looked at Bobby. ‘I think I'll be able to cope with this little one, so please don't worry on that score.'

Tony stood up. ‘I'm afraid I'm going to have to accompany Mrs Edwards home now. I have somewhere I need to be straight afterwards. Can I assume a decision has been made?'

‘You can,' Helen confirmed, avoiding looking at any of the Hamels. ‘Please let me know when you want us.'

‘That's settled, then. I have some ideas about how we might get you both to Mrs Edwards' house,' Tony said. ‘I'll let you know more tomorrow.' He looked at the wall dividing their house from number 2. ‘I don't think we have any time to lose, especially now we know that both officers have been back to the house. I'll let Peggy know what I need you to do in preparation.' He gave Ida an apologetic look. ‘I'm afraid I think that we have little choice but to move Helen from here tomorrow night as soon as it's dark.'

No one answered. Helen couldn't imagine how Tony was going to slip Bobby away right under the Germans' noses. She would just have to trust he would manage it, somehow.