Page 42 of The Watchmaker of Dachau

Anna shuddered at the thought as she walked back to the house. She had never believed in ghosts before – they were made up in tales told by friends or to siblings on a dark winter’s night, when the wind howled and trees tapped their spindly fingers against the windows, all designed to scare the listeners to squeals and laughter.

She looked back at the shed before she opened the kitchen door, leaving the crouching watchmaker to his work, yet watching everything he did.

‘Do you believe in ghosts?’ Anna asked Greta, as soon as she was inside the warmth of the kitchen.

‘I do.’

‘Are they evil, do you think, like the tales you tell as children?’

‘No, not evil. They are restless, trying to find their way home again. Why, have you seen something?’ Greta looked up at Anna, ignoring the bubbling pot on the stove which was threatening to boil over.

‘No. I don’t think so, no.’

‘If you do, say a prayer and wish it on its way, it’ll leave you be then.’ Greta nodded at her.

Anna smiled and left Greta to her cooking, making her way to clear the dining table after the family’s breakfast.

Yet when she reached the dining room, the table was not empty of the family. Liesl Becher sat at her end of the table, the fireplace an open mouth behind her.

‘I’m sorry,’ Anna said, unsure of whether to leave or to stay.

Liesl looked up, her eyes red and puffy as if she had been crying all night. She waved a hand at the table. ‘Clear it.’

Anna nodded and began to stack the plates, one on top of the other, watching her every movement so as not to spill any crumbs from the bread plate, or allow a smear of egg yolk to drop onto the table and stain it.

‘Do you know what I miss?’

Anna looked at Liesl, shocked. Liesl’s red eyes were trained on her, her pink dressing gown wrapped around her, her enormous bosom escaping through a gap. Anna shook her head.

‘I miss dancing. And restaurants. That is what I miss. Not that you would know what I’m talking about.’ Liesl sighed, then stirred her coffee so that the spoon tinkled at the side of the china.

Anna made to leave, but Liesl continued to talk so she stood, dumbly holding the dirty plates in her hands, her eyes focusing on the fireplace behind Liesl.

‘I don’t like the heat. Well, I do, when we holiday, and I can cool off in the sea or a swimming pool. But the heat, all day every day…’

Anna’s hands were cold, her feet frozen. What was she talking about?

‘You wouldn’t know anything about it.’ Liesl stood and walked towards her. ‘But in a strange way, it’s all your fault, isn’t it? That I should perish in the heat. That I should miss dancing. It is, isn’t it, your fault?’

‘I don’t know,’ Anna muttered, the plates knocking against each other as her hands shook.

Liesl, standing directly in front of Anna now, laughed, and then Anna felt the sting of her palm across her face, and dropped the plates in shock.

As Anna bent down to pick up the crockery, Liesl laughed once more as she walked out of the room. ‘Clean it up,’ she said, her cackle continuing as she climbed the stairs.

‘What happened?’ Greta was by Anna’s side, trying to help her with the dishes.

‘I don’t know. I really don’t. She was talking about the heat. But it’s cold. And then she said it was my fault.’

‘Go and put some cool water on your cheek, I can see her handprint.’

Anna gingerly touched her face, then returned to the kitchen and splashed cool water on her skin, soothing the sting of the second slap of the day.

Chapter 14

Isaac

That evening, Isaac was glad to see that Anna would be walking back to the camp with him. As soon as he saw her, he smiled, then wished that Levi were there to see him doing as he wished – trying to find some happiness.