Yes, tonight, said her mind, because at any moment we might hear the marching feet outside, because if Leo Dreyer can order them to take someone as innocent as Conrad, he can order them to take Conrad’s family as well.
‘You can get a cab downstairs to the railway station,’ she said. ‘It’s barely ten o’clock, and there’ll be plenty still around – oh, wait, though, you’ll need money—’ She snatched folded rolls of bills from her dressing-case and thrust them into the woman’s hands. ‘And you had better have something to sell if the money runs out, or you can’t change it for English currency. Here – and here—’ Shining tumbles of gold and silver went haphazardly into a velvet bag, to be thrust into the side pocket of a suitcase. Most of the baroness’s jewellery had been gifts from Conrad and a lot of it had been bought to mark special occasions – their first meeting, the premiere of Alraune, Deborah’s birth. Each one held a memory, but Alice would sell every stone and every carat of the jewellery and her entire wardrobe of clothes as well, if it would ensure Deborah’s safety.
‘Sell everything if you have to,’ she said, ‘but go to small, anonymous jewellers, and only sell one piece at a time because that will be less noticeable.’
‘Yes. I understand. But where am I to go—?’
‘I would like to tell you to get on the first train that comes in and get as far away from Vienna as you can,’ said Alice. ‘But that might be a train that would take you nearer to Germany, and because of what is happening here Germany had better be avoided. So if you can, go down to Salzburg – if anyone questions you, say Deborah is your daughter and you’re taking her to your family there. Can you do that? Can you lie convincingly?’
‘I dislike lies, madame, but in this case I will lie very convincingly indeed.’
‘Good. In Salzburg station get on a train for Switzerland. Or if there are no suitable trains, hire a car and a driver if need be. The expense does not matter, you understand that?’
‘Yes.’
‘Your papers are all in order, and you should have no problem in crossing the borders,’ said Alice. ‘From Switzerland you go into France. Again, by train if you can, but by car if not. Have your passport always ready and do not seem to be trying to hide anything. Most big railway stations have hotels attached; book into them overnight when you have to – it’s probably better not to seem in a hurry with the journey. Keep Deborah with you at all times, of course. Once you are in France it should be easy enough to take the ferry to England.’
‘Yes. I’ll do my very best.’
‘Once in England, go to Mr and Mrs John Wilson,’ said Alice. ‘I’ll write the address down for you. You’ll have to ask people for help for that part of the journey, but there will be police stations, railway officials—And your English is very good.’
‘Who are Mr and Mrs Wilson?’
‘It does not matter. But you can trust them absolutely, and so can I.’ Her parents would disapprove of Deborah’s existence – a child born out of wedlock, they would say, shocked – but they would look after her, Alice knew this. She said, ‘I’ll write a letter for you to give them, explaining what has happened.’
‘But aren’t you coming as well? Madame, if there’s danger, you must come with us.’
‘I’m not coming,’ said Alice. ‘I can’t. I must stay here until I find out where Conrad is. One of the labour camps, the SS man said. If that’s true, I must find a way of getting him out.’