Page 68 of Neighbors at War

‘You’re right,’ Helen conceded. She heard Peggy gasp. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘Did you hear that?’

They looked at each other. Ida, Helen and Babs shook their heads.

‘What did you think you heard?’ Ida asked anxiously, her voice low.

Helen noticed the pallor of Peggy’s face. ‘What?’

‘Shush.’ Peggy held up her hand. ‘There it is again.’

Helen heard it that time.

‘There’s someone at the door,’ Babs hissed looking as terrified as her sister. ‘And by the sound of that banging, it isn’t friendly.’

Helen’s breath caught in her throat. Panic coursed through her and she grabbed Bobby as Ida hurried out of the room.

‘You’d better hide,’ Peggy insisted before following her mother. ‘Stay up here, Babs, until they’re hidden, then go to your room and pretend to be reading.’

‘Will do,’ Babs replied before hurrying over to pull back the pile of boxes and old chairs blocking the hidden door in the eaves. ‘Quickly, get in.’

‘Mummy?’ Bobby’s eyes filled with tears, their recent excitement gone. He was frightened and seeing fear in his sweet face devastated Helen.

She ushered him into the small space. ‘Come and sit on Mummy’s lap,’ she said, wishing they had practised hiding in here before now to help it seem less traumatic. He sat facing her, his arms wrapped around her neck and legs around her waist. She pulled the door closed with the neat little handle Tony had fixed inside when he had come to check on Peggy’s handiwork.

‘Scared, Mummy.’

‘Don’t be,’ she whispered. ‘Cuddle Mummy and don’t be frightened. Close your eyes and pretend we’re in a fort.’

‘A fort?’

‘Shush, you must be very quiet.’ She held him closer to her chest. ‘Yes, this is our fort. It’ll keep us safe.’

‘From Nasties?’

‘Nasties?’ What did he mean?

‘The men?’

Two and a half and he knew far more about their circumstances than she would have liked. ‘Do you mean Nazis?’ she whispered, keeping her voice as low as possible.

‘Yes, Mummy. Nasties.’

Helen flinched. He must have overheard her speaking to the other women despite the four of them taking care not to let him hear anything that might worry him. She sighed miserably. ‘Yes, we’re hiding but it’s not scary, it’s fun.’

She wasn’t sure he believed her, but if he was safe that was all that mattered.

Her bottom was becoming numb, and Helen decided that if they weren’t discovered today she would be sure to make their hidey-hole far more comfortable. There wasn’t space to lie down, only to sit cross-legged. Bobby would be able to lie across her if he fell asleep, which Helen now realised would be preferable if they had to be here for any length of time.

Hearing heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, she concentrated on not tensing and frightening Bobby.

‘Will you at least tell us what you’re looking for?’ she heard Peggy ask. ‘This isn’t right, coming in here unannounced.’

The man laughed, a mocking noise that she sensed would infuriate her friend. Not that she would let herself show her disdain for him. Peggy was far too professional for that.

‘We have every right, Miss Hamel.’

It was the Hauptmann’s voice. Damn him, Helen thought. Of all people to come searching for her and Bobby. Even Leutnant Müller would be better. He, at least, had some compassion.