Page 38 of Neighbors at War

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She hadn’t seen Tony all day but presumed he was being kept busy in meetings. It wasn’t until after three that afternoon that her boss summoned her to his office. She had felt tension in the building for most of the day and dreaded what might have caused it.

‘Good afternoon, Miss Hamel,’ Advocate Le Gresley said when she walked in holding her notepad and pencil. He didn’t seem his usual cheerful self and a feeling of dread swept through her.

‘Is everything all right, Advocate Le Gresley?’

‘Please sit down, Peggy.’ He sighed deeply. ‘I’m afraid something terrible has happened and I know I can trust you to keep the matter confidential until it’s somehow resolved.’

She sensed by the gravity in his expression that it was about Tony.

He placed his elbows on his desk, his hands clasped together, and exhaled sharply. ‘I’m afraid my son has been arrested.’

Remembering her boss’s insistence that employees do not forge personal relationships, Peggy struggled not to show her horror. She swallowed and focused on remaining calm. ‘What’s he supposed to have done?’ she asked, her mind racing about the risks they never discussed but she suspected he took on some nights when they weren’t together.

‘I gather he was caught out after curfew.’

‘I see.’ Peggy knew some soldiers, intent on showing their superiority to locals, liked to arrest people for minor infractions. ‘Surely they’ll let him go with a warning for that, though?’

He pulled a framed photo towards him and studied it. Peggy knew it was a picture of Anthony and his mother. ‘If only that was all he had been doing.’

Her dread increased. ‘May I ask what?’ She recalled their conversation on Christmas Eve and knew she had been right to sense he was planning something then. Why hadn’t he been more careful? Why hadn’t she pushed him to tell her more? But even if he had, she doubted she could have dissuaded him from doing what he felt was right.

‘He was caught with a couple of others near to where one of the workers had gone missing. I’ve discovered he’s been questioned, but as he had the sense not to have anything incriminating on him, I’m hoping they don’t take things further.’

‘Do you think they’ll let him go soon?’ she asked. She knew that if he was found guilty and sentenced to longer than three months, he would probably be transported to a camp in Germany. He shook his head slowly. ‘I doubt it. He’s in Newgate Street jail now.’

She pictured the ominous Napoleonic prison just off Gloucester Street and suppressed a shudder.

He lowered his face into his hands for a second then looked up at her again. ‘I’ve requested permission to visit him as his lawyer.’

‘They don’t know you’re his father? Won’t they become suspicious when they see you have the same last name?’

‘I had thought of that, but what else can I do? I need to do something.’

Peggy wondered why he didn’t ask one of the other partners in the firm, but reasoned that to question him might be seen as overstepping her place. She needed to help in some way, though. She pushed aside thoughts of her mother and how angry she would be to discover Peggy had come to the attention of German authorities. She knew she would never forgive herself if she didn’t do something to help the man she loved. ‘I could go to the prison for you.’

He stared at her in disbelief. ‘I’m not certain they would agree to let you see him.’

‘I’m your secretary, aren’t I? And if they look up my name they might realise that I translate documents for them.’ She saw his expression brighten slightly. It felt good to give him some hope. ‘We won’t know if we don’t try. It might work, then I could speak to him on your behalf.’

‘I’m not sure.’ He stared at her as he mulled over her suggestion and Peggy willed him to agree.

She struggled to hide her desperation. ‘Please, let me do this. I want to help.’

‘It’s Friday and I’m not sure we’ll be able to do much for him until Monday anyway, but if we can secure his release sooner rather than later, I suppose it’s worth a try.’ He seemed to perk up slightly. ‘I’ll draft a note for the Prison Governor. I need to speak to one of my colleagues first about how best to word the letter, so if you can come in tomorrow morning for a short while, I will have something ready for you then.’

Peggy left his office, nervous but relieved. Had she done the right thing volunteering to go? She had never been to the jail before, but this was for Tony. As the reality of what she was about to do sank in, though, Peggy’s bravado began to weaken slightly. She only hoped she wasn’t too late to help him.

Chapter Twenty-Two

HELEN

Helen hated the cold weather. The shorter, miserable days seemed to make everything gloomier. It was bitterly cold and had been snowing on and off for a few days. Each time she ventured outside she needed to cover her mouth with her scarf and by the time she got into the building she could barely feel her toes, fingers or cheeks.

It didn’t help that Aunt Sylvia had been unwell since Boxing Day and had needed to spend a few unhappy days in her bed. Today was the first day she felt well enough to look after Bobby while Helen went to work.

Helen was lost in thought, rubbing her frozen hands together to try and warm them, when Leutnant Müller greeted her in the corridor as she neared the kitchen door. She repressed a groan. She had thankfully seen little of him since the meat incident and wished she had been a minute earlier and missed him.