We'll meet again

Who would pay ransom for her? It was different with little Tristan Tregarland and his rich family. People didn't kidnap people who couldn't bring in a handsome reward for their trouble. She had been murdered, it was said, and for a while suspicion fell on poor Daniel Killick-the most inoffensive of men-simply because he had been friendly with her.

There were no attests-and no evidence of what had become of her.

It was Gordon who found the solution. One of the soldiers had been seen talking to her. This soldier had been slightly shell-shocked, which had resulted in a temporary loss of memory. He remembered suddenly that Simone had spoken to him.

She told him she had news that her brother was dangerously ill and she had to go to him at once. She had written notes to Mr. Yeo and Mrs. Penwear explaining that she was leaving without delay, and had asked the soldier to deliver them, but he had forgotten to do so.

When he eventually found them in his pocket, his memory of the incident began to return and he took the notes to Mr. Yeo.

The mystery was solved.

She had left her things behind, but they would be collected later, for she had gone to her brother who was with the Free French contingent.

She would come back when her brother was better.

Nanny Crabtree said: "At times like these, people will dream up all sorts of horrors. I am glad that poor girl is all right ... and poor Dan Killick... well, the things people were saying about him!

They'll know better next time to wait a bit before they start taking away people's characters, won't they?”

But that was not the true story.

Gordon had been out all day and came back after dinner one evening. He did not want any food, but he came up to my room and asked me to bring Violetta along as he had something to say to us both which he thought we should know.

He looked grave.

"Let's sit down," he said.

Violetta sat on the bed. I was in the armchair and Gordon on the window seat.

"I have spoken to Captain Brent," he said.

I felt my heart beat faster. I was missing James, now that the anxiety concerning Tristan no longer filled my mind.

"He thinks you should know, as you are to some extent involved. The Dubois have been arrested.”

"Arrested!" I cried.

"I think they will not bother us anymore. They came here with the purpose of spying for the enemy.”

We stared at him in horror, and Gordon went on: "I know everything that is happening seems to have taken a wild turn at the moment, but this is war. We are fighting for our lives, and so is the other side.

Anything, however seemingly implausible, however incongruous, has to be investigated. These people made a mistake when they came here. Simone is, of course, not Jacques's sister. They came here because of his connection with you, which he thought would make him more acceptable.

It meant he had to keep the name of Dubois.

Our people knew that name. He had used it in Paris, and he had come under suspicion when one of our men was found murdered in a Paris street, not far from the house where Dubois was living.”

"Georges Mansard !" I whispered.

Gordon nodded. "They discovered who he was and killed him.”

"It happened just before I left," I cried.

"I know, and Germany was about to invade Western Europe. It was an opportune time. Jacques had been over here before the war... with a German artist.”

"I remember them," said Violetta.

"They were sketching the coast. All very useful to an enemy who has plans for the invasion of the country, of course. And Dorabella, you became caught up in this intrigue.”

I felt limp with shame and horror.

"Briefly," went on Gordon, "they came over, landing on the coast where you found them, which was what they intended. The woman who calls herself Simone Dubois is very clever and adaptable. This part of the country is very interesting to the enemy because of certain activities which you now know something about. They were hoping to get their hands on what was in that box about which you have heard so much. We not only foiled them on that, but caught them.

Simone, of course, was involved in it. We have suspected her for some time, but wanted to get our hands on Jacques and others as well.”

"So Simone was actually involved in the kidnapping," I said.

"Decidedly so. She made a habit of coming in to take tea with Nanny Crabtree. It was comparatively easy to slip a light sleeping draught into her cup. Nanny obviously did not think it unusual that she had come in that day since she had made a habit of calling; then, when Nanny was drowsy, Simone let in the woman who took Tristan down to the garden to see those fictitious dinosaurs. At least that seems a logical assumption.”

"It was diabolical!" cried Violetta.

"These people will stop at nothing. They are clever ...Ingenious. They make it all work out as simply as possible.”

"Nanny did not say that Simone was there on that day.”