When he was finished, he sat down and one of the archivists got up. ‘The reason we have requested this gathering is that we have found material that may corroborate Miss Hamilton’s story that we would like to present. It appears that there was a spy working for the British government, known as Hawk. His real name is in the file as the initials MV. He rose to high up in the Nazi command and joined our spy network in 1943. But his only handler, the Rook, was killed, and then Hawk went missing, presumed to be dead. However, it appears even though he was radio silent with London because of his concerns about leaks, he’d continued his work, right up until the D-Day landings. Though records seem to suggest that he then disappeared, and never came back to Britain to claim the honours he was due.
‘But with Sophie Hamilton’s help, we were able to confirm Vivienne visited SOE and it was documented she had asked to see ‘the Rook’. This links these two stories and suggests the MV on the record is the same Marcus Vonstein who was shot down in Cornwall and made an escape with Vivienne. The fact that Vivienne didn’t tell SOE Marcus was still alive suggests she was already working with Marcus and that he had probably instructed her not to talk to anyone but the Rook. It was most unfortunate that the handler was killed, so it appears that Marcus had to take matters into his own hands. Vivienne Hamilton gave him the means of escape. With her formal training with SOE, it seems she was able to assist him to get back to Paris to finish the task he’d started. The only unknown is how Vivienne actually died. Though Miss Hamilton spoke to an eyewitness who believes she was executed, Miss Hamilton has offered a further suggestion, that unfortunately we cannot confirm, that somehow her aunt took her own life, maybe even by allowing Major Vonstein to kill her.’
Sophie felt the sting of that theory again. Maybe Marcus had no choice and somehow Vivienne had persuaded him for the good of the work they were doing. But still it felt so cowardly and cruel. And she once again wondered if he had ever really loved her.
Suddenly, a voice called from the back of the room and she recognised it instantly. Alex strode to the front.
Sophie’s heart started to pound as he came forward, and she realised even though they had been apart none of the feeling she had for him had diminished.
His eyes flicked towards Sophie as he smiled. ‘I wonder if I can speak to that and offer a possible alternative ending to this story. I am Alex Vonstein, a relation of Marcus’s. I have been thinking about the coded message and ‘The Call of the Swallows’ ever since Sophie told me about it because I really believe Marcus and Vivienne were in love. And I could never imagine taking the life of the woman I loved no matter what someone had commanded me to do.’
His eyes met Sophie’s again and the sincerity in them made her blush as he continued.
‘After Sophie contacted me, I went over and over all the information we had gathered and something struck me as I reread the death report about my uncle. I’d read other similar reports and unless the death had been documented as self-inflicted, there was usually a cyanide pill recovered from a tooth in a slain officer’s body. But in Marcus’s case, it was noted as missing. We also know he was shot in Morlaix. Not captured by the Allies. So if he had already been shot, why would he take the pill then? Would he really choose to add to an already agonising death for himself? After I read this, I called Frau Strauss once more, and asked if there had been any physical contact at Vivienne’s execution. And she said she remembered Vivienne grabbing him and kissing him. She hadn’t wanted to tell Sophie when we met with her and confirm that even at the end her great-aunt had been so needy for the Nazi officer’s love. She didn’t see how hurting Sophie would help anything.
‘But I don’t think that is what Vivienne was doing. I think there’s a chance that his capsule was in reach and she took it from him. That she may have actually killed herself. That is about the only reason I could see to shoot the woman he loved, if it was to in some way be kind to her. And because he loved her, he couldn’t see her in the absolute agony she must have been in, and so instead took her life with a bullet.’
Tears sprang to Sophie’s eyes – it all made sense now. That had to be why Vivi had shouted the name of the story at him, she knew he wouldn’t have the ability to do what he needed to do so she had done it for him.
Alex continued, ‘Without Vivienne, Marcus would have undoubtedly been revealed, and this would have uncovered a spy who was absolutely crucial to the war effort. And knowing the strength, determination and personal bravery of her great-niece in her own life it doesn’t surprise me that Vivienne would do this.’
There was a hushed reverence around the room as every person weighed what Vivienne might have done for her country. Then slowly the archivists moved together to confer with each other and then one came over to speak to her.
‘We’re all of the same mind. We’re going to take all the information you’ve gathered, plus the information we’ve collected, and we will put a presentation to the National Archives so that the war records can be altered to try to get your relatives the recognition they deserve. They may even receive medals, posthumously.’ He smiled. ‘For their services.’
Sophie nodded, her eyes still filled with tears. ‘That’s incredible, but to clear their names will be more important to our families than any medal could be. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.’
At the end of the presentation, when the lights went back on, Alex had returned to his seat at the back of the room.
Nervously, she approached him. She found herself feeling coy, her heart trying to beat itself out of her chest.
‘Thank you so much for coming.’
‘I had to. Besides, I had another reason,’ he said, a smile crossing his face. ‘I had a very special friend here that I missed and I wanted to check on.’
Sophie realised how much she’d missed him in just two weeks and, hugging him, she enjoyed how it felt to be close to him again.
‘Well, this should finally make my mother happy,’ he declared as she released him. ‘I have you to thank for this, Sophie.’
At the exit of the building, he turned to her.
‘I don’t have to leave right away…’ He left his declaration open-ended, she assumed not wanting to put any pressure on her.
She smiled. ‘Well, you treated me in Paris, I should at least take you for dinner.’
After they had a very pleasant meal and she walked him to his hotel, she realised how special this was, this feeling of being accepted for who she was. He wasn’t enamoured with Sophie the high-powered lawyer, and didn’t seem at all interested in how successful her career had been. He couldn’t share in her heartbreak over Emily, but he understood her and he had shown he cared and wanted to listen. And he seemed to simply enjoy being with her.
When he leaned forward and touched her lips with a gentle kiss, she didn’t pull back. It was okay. It was okay to move on from Matt, open up a space in her heart after the death of her daughter and mother, even if this turned out not to be something long-term, at least it felt good for now. For the first time, in a long time, Sophie felt safe.
On the way home, Sophie knew there was something she needed to do. And once she arrived, she went straight into the nursery and quietly closed the door behind her. Flicking on the light, she turned and drew in a long slow breath. She hadn’t been in here with the light on in so long.