‘Charmery,’ said Petra in an odd, expressionless voice. ‘Yes, I see.’ She appeared to give herself a small shake, and came to sit down facing Theo. ‘So here’s the truth,’ she said, ‘and probably it should have been told a long time ago.’
Theo had the impression that she squared her shoulders, as if to take on an invisible weight. ‘When your father died,’ said Petra, ‘I was deeply saddened, but – this will sound heartless – I wasn’t as grief-stricken as everyone believed.’ She made a brief gesture. ‘He was charming and attractive, but he was also a womanizer.’ She sent Guff a quick smile. ‘You knew that,’ she said.
‘Yes. I always hoped you didn’t.’
‘Of course I knew,’ she said. ‘But I wanted to get away from London after his death. I found this house. It was very different then, smaller, shabbier, but there was a good feeling about it. You all thought it was Helen’s discovery, didn’t you? But I found it long before Helen persuaded Desmond to buy it. I lived here for a little while and liked it. I felt safe. I missed John very much, but at least I didn’t have to wonder whose bed he was in, or whether there would be enough money to pay next month’s bills.’ She leaned back, her eyes going over the warm, comfortable, rather shabby room. ‘And then,’ she said, ‘I met someone and he turned my entire world upside-down.’
Her eyes went back to the sketch, and very softly, Theo said, ‘Matthew.’
‘Yes, I met Matthew,’ said Petra, ‘but that’s not who I meant.’
‘Who?’
‘Matthew’s father,’ she said, and smiled. ‘I met Andrei.’
Into the silence that followed this, Theo said, ‘So Matthew did find him. He did get him out.’
‘I don’t know how much you know,’ said Petra studying Theo thoughtfully. ‘But you clearly know about Matthew and Andrei… Yes, Matthew got him out of Romania and they came to England.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Romania, early 1980s
Matthew stood just inside the terrible room, and stared numbly at the gaunt man who was his father.
And then Andrei said, ‘Matthew.’ It came out in a whisper, but with such trust and such love, that the emotion that had held Matthew motionless vanished. He reached for Andrei’s thin rough fingers and clung to them, and thought: if I live to be a hundred I will never forget how I feel at this moment. He was aware of tears stinging his eyes, and he blinked hard, because he would not – he absolutely would not – break down. Not yet. But, oh God, what had they done to him in here? He’s so fragile, so frail.
In as unemotional a tone as he could manage, he said, ‘Explanations later. I’m hoping to get you out, but it could be dangerous. We might be caught, and—’
‘If we’re caught, I’ll be shot,’ said Andrei. ‘That’s something I’ve faced for almost ten years. But I’m damned if I’ll let you be shot as well.’ Matthew heard, with delight, a flicker of the old fervour and knew that whatever else might have been done to his father, his mind was untouched. As he moved to open the door, Andrei turned back to take the hands of the other men.
‘It’s not goodbye,’ he said. ‘You know if I can come back for you, I will.’
They nodded and murmured good luck, and Matthew peered into the passageway.
‘There’s no one around,’ he said.
‘No, but there will be soon for the evening work shift,’ said Andrei. ‘You have keys?’
‘Yes, but I don’t know how many doors they unlock, and at any minute the guard I knocked out might be found.’
‘I think all we can do,’ he said, ‘is walk out openly as if you’re taking me somewhere.’
‘Where? Where would I be taking you?’
‘You’d better say to the solitary room. It’s on one of the lower levels.’
‘All right.’
‘If we make it to the main doors, pretend I’m being transferred and we’re waiting for transport.’
‘Where would they transfer you?’
‘Cluj or Aiud perhaps. I think they’re still operating as prisons. Either should be safe. Did that guard have any handcuffs on him?’
‘No,’ said Matthew.
‘Pity. If you could handcuff me it would look more authentic. What time did you come in? Don’t bother to tell me the cover story, not now.’
‘After five. It’s nearly seven now.’
‘That means the guard should have changed, so they won’t recognize you from when you came in.’
‘You’re very sharp about details,’ said Matthew.
‘I’ve had a long time to think about such things,’ said Andrei. ‘The main thing to remember about an escape is to behave with panache. Bluff.’
‘I’m not sure I’m very good at that.’
‘You got in here, didn’t you? I think you’re very good.’
It seemed to Matthew that as they went along, the stone walls of the old fortress closed round them, as if Jilava itself was trying to stop them escaping. With every step he expected to hear shouts and running feet, but nothing happened to disturb the brooding silence. They came in sight of the guardroom and the open courtyard.
‘This is the test,’ said Andrei. ‘This is the dangerous part. You’d better hit me, as if I’m resisting.’
‘I can’t!’
‘Matthew, just do it,’ said Andrei sharply. ‘Wait until they can see us properly. I’ll give you the signal.’
They were within ten yards of the guardhouse when Andrei gave a cry, and appeared to flinch from Matthew. Matthew saw a movement within the guardhouse, and feeling slightly sick, raised his hand and dealt his father a blow, managing to land it on Andrei’s shoulder, praying it would look authentic from a distance.
‘Trouble?’ called out the guard. Matthew saw with relief that his father had been right and it was a different man.
He said, ‘Bit of a rebellious one. I’ve got him in hand, though.’
‘It’s Valk, isn’t it?’ said the guard. ‘Trouble-maker, that one. Where’s he going?’
‘Cluj,’ said Matthew, adding, ‘Orders from higher up.’
‘Oh, not far then. Where’s the transport?’ For the first time a questioning note sounded in the guard’s voice.
‘It should be here – isn’t it?’
‘No.’ The guard had stepped nearer and was looking at Matthew more intently.
‘I don’t know you,’ he said, suddenly sounding suspicious, and Matthew saw him reach for his pocket. He did not wait to find out what for. He sprang forward, and drove his clenched fist against the man’s jaw. The guard staggered back, and Matthew dived on top of him, this time managing to knock the man’s head hard against the concrete floor.
As he straightened up, Andrei said, tersely, ‘Drag him into the guardroom. Pray no one comes along, and get the uniform off him.’
‘We go out as two guards?’ said Matthew.
‘Yes.’
As they stripped the uniform from the guard, and his father scrambled into it, Matthew saw light and energy shining in Andrei’s eyes.
‘Keep talking to me,’ said Andrei, as they crossed the courtyard. ‘We need to appear casual.’
‘Yes.’
‘Where do we go?’ he said. ‘They’ll realize I’ve gone before much longer and they’ll have the Securitate out scouring the countryside for miles.’
Matthew had already worked this out. ‘Sister Teresa – you remember her? – is going to get Mara and Mikhail to England, to the sisters’ convent there.’
‘England?’
‘I know it’s a long way from here,’ began Matthew.
‘Yes. Yes, it’s an awfully long way. There’ll be so much to leave behind.’ Then Andrei squared his shoulders, and said, ‘But the further away the better. What about papers and passports?’