‘What are you doing here?’ He gestured to the road.

‘I’m on my way home,’ I said, stepping back out of reach.

‘Where have you come from? Where is your home?’

I stared at him a moment, trembling.

‘It’s all right. I won’t harm you. Do you understand?’ His large brown eyes were filled with concern. Now that he was up close, I noticed he was clean shaven and younger than I thought, perhaps around the same age as me. I nodded again.

‘Where are you from?’ he asked again more gently.

‘I’ve been visiting my sick grandmother in the next village on this road,’ I said, pointing to where I had come from, ‘and home is the next village that way.’ I gestured behind the soldier with my chin. My heart was in my throat now.

He looked dubiously at me, scanning the countryside. I didn’t realise I had been holding my breath until he nodded, letting my explanation lie.

‘Have you seen anyone else on this road?’

‘No,’ I said, shaking my head for emphasis, ‘no one until now.’

‘You’d better come with me.’ Striding towards me quicker than I could react, he grasped my arm, preventing my escape. ‘It’s dangerous on the roads for a young girl like yourself. I hear there are gangs roaming the countryside. Who knows what they would do to you.’

‘I’ll be all right,’ I spluttered, trying to pull away from him.

‘I couldn’t allow that,’ he said. ‘It’s better if I escort you home. It’s not far back to the village, especially by jeep.’ He smiled kindly. I believed that he was genuine and meant me no harm. Besides, there was nothing I could do but agree. I would have to go with him to keep Erich safe. I didn’t know if Erich had seen what was going on and I prayed he had the sense to stay hidden.

‘Fine,’ I said calmly, like I had all the time in the world. I allowed him to lead me away from Erich. His grip loosened a little as we walked down the road to where a jeep waited. Another young American soldier was leaning casually against it. Exhaustion was plain in his haggard features, making him look much older than he was. He glanced at me with curiosity but smiled. Neither looked anything like my brothers but for a moment I felt disoriented, remembering Ludwig and Willi as I last saw them, proud in their military uniforms. Young lives cut down in their prime, all the youth forever scarred by the ravages of war. I wondered when these soldiers would next see their loved ones.

‘Now, I can’t take you to the village just yet,’ said the soldier. ‘We have to wait for the convoy to arrive. Why don’t you hop into the jeep and relax? They should be here in another few minutes.’

He helped me climb into the jeep and released me. I sat there, my mind going a million miles an hour. How was I going to get out of this? The longer they delayed me, the more worried I was about what Erich might do. The threat of his discovery and capture escalated with every minute I was in the Americans’ company.

‘How about a chocolate bar?’ The soldier offered me a wrapped bar with ‘Hershey’ written across it. I took it with a shaky hand and murmured my thanks but my mouth was dry and my forehead was beaded with sweat. I could feel a knot developing in my stomach.

‘Are you all right? You look a bit pale.’

‘I don’t feel so good,’ I whispered. ‘I think I’m going to be sick.’

The soldier looked at me in alarm and quickly helped me out of the jeep. I ran into the meadow, where I vomited my heart up.

‘Are you all right?’ he called from the side of the road.

‘I’ll be fine,’ I said, halfway between feeling embarrassed and absolutely miserable. ‘I think I might stay here. I don’t think I’m done yet.’ Sure enough another bout of retching began. In the background I could hear the sounds of rumbling as the American convoy approached.

When the retching subsided, I wiped my mouth with my hand, the foul taste lingering on my tongue. What I could do with now was water. I glanced up to the road. The soldiers were occupied with the arrival of the convoy. In a split-second decision, my legs trembling so violently I could hardly walk, I made my way across the meadow towards the stand of trees at the bottom of the slope. If they saw me, I could say I needed to relieve myself and wanted privacy. I didn’t dare look back until I reached the relative safety of the trees. No shout came, nor running footsteps. I knew I had to get away now. I ran through the trees, making as little sound as possible. Thank God in Heaven I had seen where the pockets of woods extended from the rise in the road. If I stayed among the trees and bushes, I might have a chance of remaining hidden until I reached the larger woodland.

My breath harsh in my ears, I ran as fast as I could, weaving in and out of the trees, crouching low to keep to the thickest cover. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst and a small part of me wondered how I had become so unfit.

Finally, I made the woodland. I ran in a little way, looking for a spot to hide, pushing through the undergrowth, twigs catching at my skirt and scratching my arms and legs. When I couldn’t run any longer, I collapsed at the base of a huge oak tree, my back against its rough but solid trunk. With still no sounds of pursuit, my fear slowly ebbed away. My shivering subsided, my breath came back under control and my wild heartbeat regulated itself.

I had to find Erich but had no idea where he was. Was he still safe? A sharp stab of anxiety made me nauseous once again but I refused to allow it to get the better of me. I tried to think straight. All I could do was walk back to where we had parted, either through the meadows or back up on the road once the convoy had moved on. I felt desperately tired. I frowned at the odd sensation. Closing my eyes for a moment, I tried to collect my thoughts and work out what was the best thing to do.

My eyes flew open as I heard a crunch and rustle in the undergrowth. I had fallen asleep. Judging by the light, it had only been minutes, not hours. I tried not to breathe as I concentrated on the noise. It was big, not a woodland animal. Maybe the American soldier had found me. Heart racing once again, I carefully rose from the ground, ready to flee.

‘Lotte!’ I heard a cautious but familiar whisper but wasn’t sure if I had imagined it. I stayed perfectly still.

‘Lotte!’ called the voice a little more loudly and urgently, the rustling coming closer.

I thought for a second. No, I hadn’t told the soldier my name.

‘Erich?’

‘Yes, it’s me. Lotte, where are you?’

I stepped out from behind the tree. I could see Erich just ahead of me, walking in my direction.

‘Erich, are you all right?’ I whispered.

Within seconds, he had me in his arms, holding me tightly.

‘I’m fine,’ he murmured. ‘Are you hurt?’ He pulled back to appraise my condition. A breeze whispered through the woods and the dappled light fell on his face, illuminating his eyes, which were large and round with worry and pale green just like the new shoots on the trees around us. They were beautiful.

I reached for him, pulling him close. ‘I’m fine. Just a little shaken.’ The world around us disappeared, the warmth and strength of his embrace all that mattered. I felt a tremor pass through him as he held me as if I was the most important thing in the world.

‘I could have lost you.’ His voice was thick with emotion. ‘I wish you had listened to me.’

‘I’m sorry. I only wanted to show you that I could do something useful on the road.’ I dropped my head, remorseful.

‘I already know how resourceful you are – and courageous,’ Erich said softly, ‘but our journey is full of unexpected dangers. Please don’t be foolhardy. I promised your father I would keep you safe… I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you. You are too dear to me.’ All traces of anger were wiped from his face, replaced with a look of such tenderness that I felt tears prick my eyes.

My face reddened. Erich was right. With him by my side, I felt safe and protected. I hadn’t taken the dangers on the road seriously enough. ‘I promise to be more careful,’ I murmured.

‘It’s over now.’

‘How did you find me?’

‘I followed you to the rise and saw you being led away by the American soldier.’

‘I told him I was a local.’

‘Yes, I heard you talking to him. It was quick thinking, but I don’t know how you didn’t see him.’

‘I was looking for tree cover, not at the road,’ I replied sheepishly.

‘Well, it gave me a chance to follow the rise across the field without being seen. I could watch you to see what they would do. I thought that if they took you to the next village, I could catch up with you there but I couldn’t be sure, so I started to walk across to the road. It was only because they were occupied with you that they didn’t see me.’

‘I didn’t hear you.’

‘Remember, I spent many years hunting through the forests of Silesia. I can move quietly when I need.’

‘They would have captured you.’

‘Yes, but I wasn’t going to leave you on your own with them.’ He cupped my face, tracing the line of my cheekbones with his thumbs.

Tears filled my eyes, threatening to overflow. He was going to risk his freedom to keep me safe and protect me however he could. His actions showed his commitment to me, his love for me, and I had never felt so wanted and aroused.

‘Shh, it’s all right now.’ Erich wiped the tears gently from my face and pulled me into another embrace. ‘You saved me anyway by running into the field and just in time too, with the convoy so close. What were you doing? Were you sick?’

I nodded. ‘It must have been the shock. Then I took the opportunity to get away.’