“If you’re staying, I’m staying.” In the armchair, Laila hefted up her chin. “I’d rather help the resistance than flee anyway.”
“We must leave tonight.” Janne stood in the doorway. “If they find out Hemming’s an Ahlefeldt, they’ll come to Lyd-af-Lys. We must not be here.”
“He won’t talk.” Else fought to keep her face from collapsing. Her whole self.
Janne’s gaze slid down and away. “Even the strongest cave under...”
Torture. Else hunched her shoulders at the thought of what they were doing to him.
“Thorvald!” Janne called down the hall. “Come talk sense into the girls. They don’t want to leave.”
Groans and footsteps approached, and Thorvald joined his wife. “They know why we have to leave.”
Janne pulled on her gloves. “But they don’t know why we can’t leave until they do.”
Else’s heart settled even lower in the cavern of her chest. “Hemming made you promise, didn’t he?”
“He’ll never know.” Then Laila clapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“Yes, he will know,” Thorvald said.
“How?” Else’s fingers dug into her bright blue wool sleeves.
Thorvald leaned against the doorjamb. “Yesterday after I heard of the arrest, I arranged to send a message to Hemming that we’ve all escaped. But that message won’t be sent as long as I keep answering the phone here. And I won’t leave if any of you remain.”
“How?” Else said. “How can you send a message?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
Janne rested a soft gaze on Else. “The best gift we can give Hemming is the knowledge that we’re all safe.”
To give him that tiny measure of peace, she’d sacrifice her last feeble connection to him. She shifted her gaze to Laila. “For Hemming.”
Laila sighed. “For Hemming.”
“Come,” Janne said. “The boat will be here soon.”
Else picked up her briefcase and followed Laila and the Thorups downstairs, where the four guests waited.
Else gazed around the house, full of the essence of Henrik and Hemming, all he was and all he’d become. A fine and noble man, who deserved a long life.
Her chin trembled, but she firmed it. Surely he was being strong for her right now, so she’d be strong for him.
Thorvald picked up two suitcases. “I’ll leave last and lock up.”
Else went outside and crossed the lawn. A full moon brightened the hazy night, and a chill wind sliced at her cheeks.
The dark silhouette of a fishing boat bobbed on the water, and Else quickened her step.
The captain stood on the pier, and he glanced down the line of passengers to Thorvald. “I don’t like the looks of the weather.”
Thorvald pounded down the pier. “We’re leaving.”
“It’s my boat.”
Thorvald shoved his chin at the man. “How many more kroner do you want to save our lives?”
The captain groaned and stepped back. “Get on board. The same fare we agreed to.”
