The time that followed was blurred, but even across the years, Leo could still see and feel the jolting of the carts that had taken them across land, and then the boats that had crossed a river, until finally they came to the sea. He would have found this exciting because he had never seen the sea before, but everything was confusing and frightening, and some of the others were crying and some were sick from the swell of the waves. Leo did not cry and he did not feel sick, and he did not let anyone know how frightened he was, because he thought his father would not have wanted that. And Sophie and Susannah were with him, which made things almost bearable. He thought Sch?nbrunn watched Sophie and Susannah a lot of the time.
Somewhere during that dark, confusing journey, Leo found out that the twins had been given the second silver golem from the synagogue. As Sophie said, it was like having a tiny piece of home with them.
‘And we’ve got one each.’
Both golems had been marked on the underside with the children’s initials. There was the Jewish S symbol on the twins’ – the horizontal line with three branches, and on Leo’s was the Lamed, the thick horizontal stroke with the upjutting line on the left and the downward tail on the right, for L.
It was Sophie who said, very softly, ‘Let’s swap.’
‘Should we?’ The golems were immensely special, and had to be treated with huge respect.
‘Yes, then it’ll link us forever,’ said Sophie.
‘We’d like that,’ said Susannah.
Leo said, ‘But you’ll always be linked to each other anyway.’
‘Yes, but we like to be linked to you, as well.’
‘Um, all right.’
Solemnly they unwrapped the two figures, and switched them over. As Leo carefully stowed the twins’ figure in his pocket, Susannah said, ‘It doesn’t need the golems to link us at all, really. We’ll always know if you’re not all right, or if you’re in trouble.’
‘And you’ll always know if we are, as well,’ said Sophie.
FIVE
Prague,
April 1943
Dear J.W.
I am deeply relieved that I can tell you the children have all reached England safely and are presently being cared for by various trustworthy organizations. Homes will be found for them with English people, and perhaps one day they can be reunited with their families.
We have lost too many of our people to the gas chambers and I’m afraid we shall continue to do so, but at least we are saving some of our children.
M.B.
The School House,
April 1943
Dear M.B.
Your message brought more joy and relief to everyone here than I can convey. We can never be sufficiently grateful to Sch?nbrunn.
If you are able to let us know where the children are, it would give all the parents so much comfort.
J.W.
When the children reached England, they had to separate and go to different places. Several of them cried, but Leo and the twins managed not to. They clung to one another though, and Sophie said they would not say goodbye, because it was a forever kind of word. Susannah said they would all soon be going home anyway. Sch?nbrunn had promised that.
‘And we’ll always know if there’s anything wrong,’ said Sophie.
‘I’ll know, as well,’ said Leo, and hoped this was true.
Leo was taken to a place called Willow Bank Farm in England, which was owned by a brother and sister called Hurst. Simeon Hurst and Miss Mildred Hurst.
‘They’re good people,’ Sch?nbrunn said. ‘They’re one of a number of families who are prepared to give a home to children like you. I think you’ll be all right here, Leo.’ He knelt down and took Leo’s hands in his. ‘And you’ll be safe,’ he said. ‘That’s why your parents wanted you to come here. To be safe.’
‘From the Ovens.’
Sch?nbrunn’s eyes flickered, but he said, ‘Yes, you’re quite safe from those, Leo.’ He stood up. ‘I think your friends, the twins, will be living quite near, so you’ll most likely see them. Will that help?’
‘Oh yes.’ Leo would put up with a good deal if Sophie and Susannah were nearby.