Johann knew enough about his friend’s new role to understand that to be Schutzhaftlagerführer was to be part of the SS—Totenkopfverb?nde—the Death’s Head Units who took their orders direct from Berlin.
He did not envy his friend the position, so far from the fight. It was certainly no duty for a soldier to his mind. He wanted to change the subject, or risk spoiling the evening before it had begun.
‘I see you’ve had your hair cut very short, Volker,’ he said, for want of something better to say.
Volker began to smile. ‘After all these years, I thought a fresh look was in order.’ Unexpectedly, he reached across to Johann and ruffled his hair. He laughed. ‘And I decided it was time I had a different haircut to you, Bl?dmann!’ He reached for the wine bottle and emptied it into Johann’s glass. ‘Drink with me, Johann! Who knows when the chance will come again?’
Everyone raised their glasses and drank, and Johann watched Volker drain his wine. It was becoming clear to him that his friend had already consumed most of the bottle, but it seemed he had not yet had enough. With his arm outstretched, Volker lowered his glass to the table and set it down with a thump. He picked up the empty bottle and spun around on his chair.
‘Herr Deutelmoser! More wine, if you please!’ To the gathering, he added, ‘We might as well have a few drinks before dinner. I’m sure we all have much to catch up on.’
A moment later another bottle of wine was brought to the table by a man in shirt sleeves and a black waistcoat, who looked to be in his late forties.
‘And how is your father, Herr Strobel?’ the man said as he proceeded to uncork the wine. ‘I trust he is well?’
‘I expect he is tired, Joseph. He was a busy man before the war began. Now he is a very busy man.’
Deutelmoser poured the wine, and with a bow he left them to it.
‘Herr Deutelmoser is the proprietor,’ Volker said. ‘I insisted he serve us tonight, just as he always serves Herr Hitler whenever he and his entourage visits.’ In a lower voice, he added, ‘Although I should think he would at least wear a jacket when he serves our Führer.’
‘It’s very warm in here,’ Ava said. ‘I’m glad I chose to wear one of my summer dresses tonight.’
‘You look very pretty in it,’ Johann said.
‘Yes, the pattern suits you,’ added Volker. ‘It’s a little plain, but I like the flowers.’
Johann doubted that his friend ever spared a thought for such things.
‘Do you like my dress, Volker?’ Trudi asked.
Volker just smiled at her, at little dismissively, Johann thought. He turned to her. ‘Your dress is also very pretty,’ he said with a warmer smile. ‘It puts me in mind of the ocean.’
Trudi giggled and sat forward on her chair. ‘It’s pure silk,’ she said, turning her shoulders from side to side to show it off better.
Volker topped up Ava’s wine glass, even though it was still quite full. ‘Do you own a silk dress?’ he asked her.
‘No, I—’
‘Then you must allow me to buy you one,’ Volker interrupted. ‘Cotton is all very well in a place like this, but—’
‘You’re very kind, Volker, but I couldn’t, really.’
‘Why ever not? It’s just a dress.’
Johann knew the gesture meant more to Volker than that, and he thought Ava knew it, too. He saw that his friend’s brow had set into an unpleasant furrow at the thought of Ava refusing him, and not for the first time that evening he thought that his friend was not his usual self. He had seen this expression on Volker’s face many times before, and nothing good had ever followed. Now it was Johann who topped up Volker’s glass, which was already in need of it.
‘Tell me, Ava,’ he said, determined to change the subject. ‘How are your parents?’
Volker sat back, and Johann saw that he was staring at him with that same furrowed expression, making it clear to Johann that his interruption had annoyed his friend.
Johann thought he heard Ava sigh, perhaps out of relief, as she turned to him. The smile had returned to her lips.
‘They’re both well,’ she said. ‘Although business is not as good as it used to be. You remember I said my papa was a music teacher?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Well, perhaps there’s little call for learning music when there’s a war on, although the business has been in decline for some years now.’