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there is a good chance that my side will find out that I have been talking to you. And the wrong people on my side.’
    ‘I understand,’ said Conrad. ‘But I will pass on what you said about the offensive next week. You know that?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Theo. ‘I know.’ He mopped up the last of his soup with some bread. ‘How’s Anneliese?’
    ‘She’s well,’ said Conrad.
    ‘How’s she settling in to life in London? Do you still see her?’
    Conrad took a spoonful of soup. ‘I do, when I can,’ he said. ‘It’s difficult for the Jewish refugees in London. It’s hard to find a job, although she’s just got something working as a nurse.’
    ‘It’s got to be easier than Berlin,’ said Theo. ‘At least she left before Kristallnacht.’
    Theo was referring to the wholesale beating-up of Jews and smashing of their property twelve months before.
    ‘That’s certainly true.’
    ‘I’m glad you are still seeing her. I admire Anneliese. She’s a strong woman. I’ve come across people who have spent time in the concentration camps; they are not quite the same afterwards.’
    Conrad smiled quickly. ‘It was difficult for her,’ he said.
    Theo caught something in the tone of Conrad’s voice, and looked as if he was about to pursue it, before deciding not to.
    Theo signalled for the bill. ‘Oh, and please give your beautiful sister my regards when you can,’ he said. ‘Once this has all worked out as it should.’
    ‘I will,’ said Conrad. Theo and Millie had met briefly in Germany the previous year and Theo had clearly taken a shine to her. Although Theo had many strengths, the way he treated women wasn’t one of them, so Conrad was quite happy that Theo had only met his sister the once.
    ‘How will we meet next time?’ Conrad asked.
    ‘There’s a chemistry professor at Leiden University: W. F. Hogendoorn. He’s Dutch, but trustworthy. Leave a message with him, at the university, and he will tell you where and when.’
    ‘W. F. Hogendoorn,’ Conrad repeated. By ‘trustworthy’, Conrad wondered what Theo meant. Trustworthy for the Germans? The Abwehr? Theo? The cause of peace? ‘I hope you are right about the coup.’
    ‘So do I,’ Theo said. ‘So do I.’
    Theo paid the bill and left the café walking up towards the Breestraat. Conrad waited a moment and then turned the other way.
    He was still stunned by what Theo had told him. In a week’s time the Germans would launch an offensive and General Halder would arrest Hitler. Or perhaps kill him. There was hope after all that Europe wouldn’t tear itself apart again.
    Conrad was looking forward to seeing Schämmel. As he had told Theo, he was prepared to fight. But much better if Theo, Schämmel and their friends could topple Hitler and sue for peace at the same time, avoiding the deaths of millions in the process. And Conrad was glad he might get to play his part in it after all.
    His one regret was that he had brushed off Theo’s questioning about Anneliese, or at least not told him the whole truth. Anneliese was not ‘well’. Conrad was worried about her, very worried. He hadn’t spoken to anyone about her, but Theo was an old friend. At Oxford they had shared their feelings about everything. And Theo actually knew Anneliese, and how important she was to Conrad. Perhaps he could help; perhaps Conrad should have let him help.
    As he reached the end of the Diefsteeg, Conrad realized he was heading the wrong way for the station and turned on his heel. A man was walking alone down the lane towards Conrad, hands in his coat pockets, hat tilted down over his eyes. He looked Dutch, nondescript, forty perhaps, but there was something about his nose – a little long, an upward tilt at the end – that Conrad recognized. Conrad was pretty sure that he had passed the man leaving the lobby of the Hotel Levedag an hour before.
    Despite all Theo’s precautions, it looked as if someone had spotted Theo talking to Conrad after all.
    Who was it?