Chapter 56

Helen let Tony go first, then stepped outside and immediately noticed movement behind the curtains at number 2. Her step faltered. If it was Captain Engel she assumed he had watched Peggy enough to know how she walked. Would he realise it wasn't her with Tony now?

‘Keep going,' Tony hissed through gritted teeth. She forced her feet to move and keep up with him and Bobby.

Tony took her hand, which calmed her slightly. She needed to pull herself together. Acting suspiciously in any way would draw attention to them. She felt short of breath but realised it was through fear rather than anything else.

‘Keep your head down,' he said. ‘No one will find that odd now it's snowing again. At least the weather's working in our favour tonight.'

Helen took a long, slow, steadying breath. She needed to dig deep and find the courage to get her son to safety. She focused on the garden she had yet to see and the thought of spending time in it each day with her little boy.

They passed quite a few people as they made their way towards First Tower. Helen was beginning to think it wasn't going to be such a difficult journey after all.

‘We cross over here,' Tony said when they reached First Tower. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, indicating the start to Mont Cochon, the hill on the opposite side of the road.

Helen walked next to him, wishing she could talk to Bobby, but kept quiet, suspecting that if she did he might become restless and want her to carry him. She knew she could do that for a while, but no longer. She simply wouldn't have the strength. Already her muscles felt tired, after less than ten minutes' walking.

The incline was gentle to start with but soon became steeper. Helen slipped several times, each time grabbing Tony's arm to regain her balance. When she did it for the third time and made him almost lose his footing, she realised she needed to be more careful if she wasn't to make him fall over on top of Bobby. ‘I'm sorry. I'm not used to walking on such a slippery surface.'

‘It's fine. We'll go more slowly. It's my fault for wanting to hurry and reach the house.'

She heard the fear in his voice and realised he was as frightened as her. ‘You're incredibly brave doing this for us,' she said, taking care to keep her voice low, even though there was no one around that she could see.

‘I'm only doing what's right.' He took her hand again and helped her along.

‘I hadn't realised it would be this icy,' she said by way of apology. ‘Or that I'd be this clumsy.'

They continued walking, slower now, their progress hampered by her breathlessness.

‘Would you like to stop for a while?'

Helen would have loved to but daren't waste any time. ‘No, let's keep going. I'm just unfit, that's all.'

They walked on in silence and the next time Helen slipped she grabbed hold of a tree root on the bank next to her. She was glad Tony had thought to bring a torch.

‘I hadn't realised this was where we were going,' she admitted. ‘I don't think I've ever been up this way.' She tried to imagine where they were.'

‘We're on Ruelle Vaucluse.'

She was none the wiser. ‘It's certainly rural here.'

‘Which will be much better than living next door to those soldiers.'

He was right. Once she and Bobby were at Mrs Edwards', all this would be behind her. ‘I'm not sure how Ida will make it up this way,' she said. She hadn't meant to voice her thoughts.

‘It's much easier in better weather and in daylight.'

‘I suppose so.' She tapped his arm lightly. ‘Everything all right in there?'

‘Sleeping, I suspect,' Tony said when Bobby didn't answer.

She hoped he was. She would hate to think of Bobby being anywhere near as frightened as she was at that moment.

‘What's that?' Tony hissed.

Helen tensed. ‘What?'

‘It's a military engine.' He grabbed her sleeve and without saying anything else pulled her into an entrance and switched off his torch. ‘Don't move, or speak,' he whispered as they slunk back into what she assumed must be a hedge.

She was too terrified to utter a word. She hoped Bobby wouldn't be woken by them suddenly stopping. She held her breath as headlights lit up the lane. A vehicle was making its way past where they were hiding. The two soldiers inside were arguing about something she couldn't understand.

They waited for about thirty seconds until the danger had passed and Tony took her hand to help her out of their hiding place. Helen realised she had dropped her bag in her panic. ‘Oh no.'

‘What is it?'

‘My bag. I must have dropped it somewhere.'

He muttered something under his breath, turned on his torch and waved it back and forth slowly until its beam rested on her bag lying just inside the entrance, thankfully out of the soldiers' line of vision.

‘There it is,' he said, keeping the light on it so Helen could pick it up.

‘I'm sorry,' she said. ‘I just panicked.'

‘It's fine,' he said, his voice gentle. ‘I think we're nearly there now. Only a bit longer.'

She caught sight of his face in the torchlight and saw him wince. Bobby wasn't heavy but carrying him under all those clothes for over half an hour now must be tiring. ‘Are you all right?'

‘I'm fine. Come along, there's no time to waste. We don't know if that vehicle will come back up this way and it's too cold out here to wait to find out.'

After another few exhausting minutes, Tony shone the torch on a sign on a gatepost. It was the first house they had come across since the driveway they had taken refuge in.

‘This is it.' He sounded as relieved as she felt.

Helen read the house name. ‘Sans Souci.' She wondered what it might mean.

‘"Without worries",' he said, reading her thoughts. ‘Very apt for a place of sanctuary, don't you think?'

‘I do.'

She followed him up to the front door, desperate to be safely inside. Tony gave a single knock. Seconds later the door opened and Helen followed him in, waiting for Mrs Edwards to lock the door after them and draw across a thick velvet curtain to block out the light.

‘You made it,' she said, pressing her hands together in front of her chest. ‘I was worried when I heard that vehicle go past a while ago.'

‘We hid in someone's drive. Thankfully we were right next to it.'

Her eyes moved to Tony's front. ‘Better come into the living room. I have a small fire in there and it's the warmest room in the house. There's a tray of something for the three of you.'

They thanked her and followed her into the prettiest living room Helen had ever seen. Even if it hadn't been lovely, she would have thought it her favourite place, she was so relieved to finally be out of the cold and somewhere safe.

Tony pulled off his hat and scarf and unbuttoned his coat. Helen stepped forward, ready to help free her little boy. He stirred and opened his eyes. He'd been in darkness ever since they left number 3, but now he could see in the firelight. He looked around him, his gaze settling on her.

‘Are we there, Mummy?'

‘We are, sweetheart. Hold on while I help undo these straps.'

‘I'll do that,' Mrs Edwards instructed. ‘You take hold of Bobby.'

Relieved to finally have her small son in her arms once again, Helen kissed the top of his head, forgetting it was pressed to Tony's chest and her action might not be entirely appropriate.

‘Sorry,' she mouthed, looking up at the man who had carried her child to safety.

His lips drew back in a weary smile. ‘Please don't worry.'

Helen sat on the sofa cuddling Bobby. He was warm and seemed unfazed by his ordeal.

‘Here you go,' Mrs Edwards said, placing bowls of steaming soup and a slice of bread each in front of Tony and Helen, and a piece of toast cut into strips, each covered with what looked like a thin coating of jam, for Bobby.

‘Look what Mrs Edwards has made for you.' She let him off her lap and he knelt in front of the coffee table and began eating.

‘Do you need a cushion to sit on?' their hostess asked.

He shook his head, too engrossed in the tasty treat to reply.

‘This is very kind of you, thank you.' Helen thought she would never get over the kindness of local people who had risked their freedom for her and her son. ‘And I don't think I can ever thank you enough for all you've done for us, Tony,' she said, unable to hold back tears.

‘I think Tony and I are simply relieved you're both here now.' She pointed to their bowls. ‘It's only vegetable soup but it should warm you up.'

Helen picked up the bowl and her spoon and began eating the hot soup. ‘It's delicious.'

‘Good. You've got Cook to thank for it,' she said smiling. ‘She wanted to do something for you both and she's promised to send whatever she can from the kitchen for you, because my rations won't stretch three ways too well.'

Helen swallowed the lump forming in her throat. ‘Everyone is so kind.'

Tony lowered his spoon and turned slightly in his seat. ‘Stop thanking us, Helen. We've all done this because we care about you and Bobby. It makes us feel better to know we've helped someone. Most of the time, I, for one, feel frustrated that there's so little I can do.'

Mrs Edwards sat down in an armchair near to the fire. ‘I couldn't have put it better myself. You're not to thank us again. Just be safe here. Together we'll look after this little mite. Hopefully he'll benefit from my garden, and you can relax knowing you don't have soldiers living next door.'

‘I'm sure I will. But I want to be helpful. I hope you'll give me jobs to do.'

Mrs Edwards thought for a moment. ‘You can help me look after the vegetable patch. I have a feeling we're going to need whatever veg we can grow even more over the coming months.'

They ate in silence and Helen felt her hands and feet slowly warm up. She yawned and covered her mouth. It must be the effort of walking in the snow and her heightened fear during their journey, never mind her build-up of anxiety over the months, living with the constant fear of being discovered.

They were still at risk, she knew that much, but maybe not in such danger up here. She swallowed a mouthful of soup. ‘We'll be fine here by ourselves. You could leave a list of anything you'd like me to do while you're out, that sort of thing.'

‘I'll be out most of the day during the week and some Saturday mornings. I hope you won't be lonely up here.'

‘We'll be fine. Please don't worry about us.'

Mrs Edwards nodded. ‘I've put you up in my mother's room. I thought that if you and Bobby share a bed then at least if they come and inspect this place I'd be able to say I hadn't the heart to strip my mother's bed.'

Tony nodded, clearly approving of that idea. ‘Clever.'

‘Bobby and I slept on the same mattress at the Hamels' home so it's what we're both used to. I'll also make sure to put all his clothes and toys away in a box or trunk, if you have one. You could explain about them by saying they belonged to a nephew who visited before the war.'

‘Yes,' Mrs Edwards nodded. ‘I'll find something for you to store your belongings in.'

Helen continued eating. She noticed Mrs Edwards had become thoughtful. She was about to ask if anything was worrying her when Mrs Edwards spoke again.

‘I usually leave before eight when I'm working, and I'll always be home by six-thirty. If there is a reason I'm not home by then I should know beforehand and will leave you a note so you don't wait to eat supper with me.' She folded her hands neatly on her lap. ‘We can iron out any other things when we think of them. There is one thing, though. I'd rather you call me Daphne. It'll feel strange to act formally now we live together.'

Just hearing her suggestion helped Helen relax further. ‘Then that's what I'll do, Daphne. Although maybe Bobby should refer to you as Aunty Daphne.'

She smiled. ‘I'd like that.' They all turned their attention to the little boy, who had fallen asleep on the floor. ‘Bless him.'

Tony placed his bowl and spoon on the table and stood up. ‘Do you need me to carry him through to his bed?'

Helen shook her head. ‘No, I can manage.'

‘Then I'd better make a move.'

‘Already?' Daphne asked. She looked at her mantel clock. ‘It's later than I thought.'

‘It is. I have an hour and a half to be at home and I'd like to return Peggy's things to her on my way so she has them for the morning. The Hamels will also want to know you're both safely ensconced and I'd like to do that for them.'

‘Thanks again, Tony.'

He smiled. ‘I thought you weren't going to do that anymore,' he teased.

Helen grinned. ‘I forgot. Please give them our love.'

‘I will.'

She picked up Peggy's coat, took out her things and folded it neatly so it would fit into the cloth bag she'd brought with her for that reason. Then, putting the hat and scarf neatly inside, she took out her friend's identity card and slipped it into Peggy's coat pocket. ‘There you are.'

Daphne indicated Helen's half-finished supper. ‘You finish eating your food, then I'll show you through to your room after I've shown Tony out.'

Helen lifted Bobby onto the sofa and sat down next to him. She carried on eating her soup, her eyelids becoming heavy in the cosy room. They were here, finally. She could hardly dare believe it.