Page 26 of The Berlin Sisters
‘I agree wholeheartedly,’ Goebbels replied with a smile. ‘Ivan is a vicious enemy, ape-like in intelligence but brutal in his fight, but the English are cunning. They don’t see our vision as clearly as our friends in Poland or Italy, so they are presenting more of a challenge.’
The room was silent when he spoke. Goebbels was second only to Hitler, and a man to be both revered and feared, so no one would dare speak over him.
‘What do you think,FräuleinMüller?’
Hanna dipped her head slightly, taking a slow breath before meeting his gaze.It’s as if he knows what he took from me, but he can’t possibly. There is no way he could know, there is no way he could understand my loss.But questioning her surname before had made her feel as if he were taunting her.
‘I think it was the right thing for many families to move from the city, because you are right about how cunning they are,’ she said. ‘We’ve lost too many good Germans to their bombs, and it’s imperative we protect the children.’ Her voice caught on the last word as Goebbels held her gaze. ‘They are our future, after all, which means nothing is more important than them.’
‘Well said.’ Goebbels nodded and gave her a brief smile, before turning away.
Hanna looked to her father then, expecting him to say something, but when she saw the sweat that had broken out on his brow, the way his hand had moved to his chest, she knew she had to act before one of the men standing near him noticed that something was wrong.
‘Papa,’ she said, rushing to his side and taking his arm. ‘I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I forgot that I—’
‘Leave your father, girl,’ one of the men said, chuckling to himself as he gestured for her to move out of the way. ‘Unless Hitler himself needs your—’
‘Sir, I do apologise, but it’s regarding the brandy and cigars for the men after dinner,’ she whispered demurely, giving him a quick smile. ‘I wouldn’t want you gentlemen to be disappointed.’
That brought about another round of laughter, but this time not at her expense, thankfully, and she clutched her father’s arm tightly as she walked him down the hall and to his office.
When they reached it, she shut the door behind them and helped him to the leather sofa. His face was pale and clammy now,and she loosened his top button and tie. ‘You need to see a doctor,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t have enough experience in—’
‘No doctor,’ he said as he shut his eyes, one hand over his chest. ‘You know I can’t.’
Hanna felt his pulse, staring down at him with concern, but she froze when she heard the door click behind them, her breath catching in her throat.
‘Ava!’ she gasped, letting go of her father’s wrist. ‘You gave me a fright.’
‘He’s sick, isn’t he?’ Ava said, blinking away tears. ‘I knew something was wrong, I knew that it wasn’t just a cold when he was unwell at work last week, and I can see that he is not a well man now.’
Hanna caught her bottom lip in her teeth, meeting Ava’s gaze before slowly nodding.
‘Am I the last in our family to hear this news, too?’
She was spared from having to answer when their father spoke, but she did put on some music, knowing how paranoid her father was about their conversations.
‘It’s important that no one knows, that we keep this between these four walls, between the members of our family,’ he said, in a voice so low and raspy that it forced Ava to come closer to hear him. ‘Any sign of serious illness or incapacity will be seen as weakness, and that’s not something I’m prepared to give them, not yet.’
‘We’ve been trying to hide it,’ Hanna whispered, ‘but he won’t see a doctor and I think it’s his heart.’
Hanna saw the way Ava’s grip on her wine glass tightened, the tears that slipped down her cheeks. ‘We shall give him a moment to catch his breath, give the morphine time to work. I was able to take some from the hospital, and a small amount seems to help without impeding his ability to function.’
‘He’s going back out there?’ Ava asked.
‘He doesn’t exactly have a choice.’
Ava wiped her cheeks and lifted her chin. ‘Tell me what I can do to help, then. Should I go back out there or stay here?’
‘Go and charm them all, make them forget that Papa is missing,’ Hanna said, reaching for her hand. ‘We’ll join you shortly, I promise. Just give me time to treat the pain and get some colour back into his face.’
‘I can do that. I see these men every day in the office. I know exactly how to behave around them.’
Ava bent down and kissed their father’s cheek as Hanna retrieved the morphine she had hidden in his desk drawer, and within minutes she’d straightened her father’s tie and helped him to his feet, walking arm in arm with him as he rejoined the gathered men.
‘I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do in the kitchen,’ Hanna said, letting go of her father’s arm and giving the men what she hoped was her most captivating smile. ‘Please excuse me.’
‘Karl, what took you so long?’ one of the men asked, as he clapped her father on the back.
