A Baby on the Doorstep: An absolutely gripping and heartbreaking historical fiction page-turner by Rachel Wesson

Author:Rachel Wesson [Wesson, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838889807
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2021-01-21T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Six

Once Hans and Rachel understood Edward was staying with them, they relaxed slowly. Becky made them plenty of sandwiches to go with the soup, as well as some hot milk. Edward put them to bed then came back down to sit in the kitchen. Nanny joined them; she had got up when she heard Edward’s voice. Lauren suspected the old woman had been more concerned about his absence than she had let on.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your hospitality,” Edward said. “Thank you, Terry, for giving up your room.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Edward.”

“Don’t you think you could call me Edward now, son? You’re almost seventeen—only slightly younger than Becky.”

“Yes sir.” Terry beamed with pleasure. He liked nothing more than being included as an adult.

Nanny spoke up. “Edward, you look years older than you did before you left. We can only imagine what you saw and experienced, but don’t feel the need to tell us. Not now, not tomorrow. Only if you want to share.”

Edward gave her a grateful, sad smile and replied, “Thanks, Kathryn, but it’s best I explain. My Aunt Rae lives in Berlin. She married a well-respected—well, he used to be—lawyer. When Hitler first came to the attention of the law, Rae’s husband Rudolf spoke some home truths. He’d read Mein Kampf and knew what Hitler planned. Not just the takeover of Germany but other things too, including Hitler’s wish for war. When the Nazis came to power, Rudolf was warned to leave. He had some friends and admirers who, while not in the Nazi party, were involved with them. One of them was a man called Diels. He came to see Rudolf at his home and warned him his name was near the top of Hitler’s most-hated list.”

“Why didn’t he leave?” Terry blurted, asking the question they all wanted to ask.

Edward shrugged. “Rae has asked that over and over. I guess he felt he was safe, he was in a position of power and had a formidable reputation. He believed in law and justice. He felt a duty to protect those less fortunate than he was. He knew the law and at the start the Nazis were too afraid to take action against him as he was so well connected.” Edward took a breath, his expression darkening. “He took too long to realize the Nazis don’t believe in anything but their own preachings. They will impose them on the world if their plans succeed. They remove every trace of resistance to their ideals. Not just from Jewish people, but those who have the intelligence to question everything for themselves.”

The silence lingered as they all contemplated what Edward had said. Lauren couldn’t believe this could happen in a country as advanced as Germany.

Edward continued speaking, almost to himself this time. “They came for Rudolf two months before I arrived in Berlin. Prior to that time, he had been harassed and threatened but never physically harmed. That changed the week before Rae wrote to me. They

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