Page 144 of The German Mother

‘God, what a mess.’

‘Once all the graves have been examined, I suppose we might find the evidence you’re looking for, but it’s been, what, four years since she died. It will be nigh on impossible to identify her.’

Leila took a handkerchief from her pocket, and wiped her eyes. She looked out across the valley, admiring the vineyards in the distance, the neat fields, the animals dotted across the landscape. She turned back to Peter. ‘You just can’t imagine something so dreadful happening in a place that is so beautiful.’

Back in the hospital, Leila took Peter’s arm. ‘Would you object if I spoke to some of the civilian staff here? It would be helpful for my research about women and children – and I might find someone who remembers Clara, or knows something about her death.’

‘All right. I’ll set you up with an office.’

‘Thanks…an office would be useful, but first, I might just walk around a little. Is that allowed?’

‘You’re in uniform, so…yes. If anyone objects, refer them to me.’

Leila spent an hour or two wandering around. All the wards were empty. From time to time she came upon a few domestic staff – washing windows, or mopping floors. Most seemed too frightened or nervous to talk, and she realised it was going to be hard to get them to open up. On her way back to Peter’s office, she stopped at the entrance to a small anteroom where a young woman, dressed in an apron and a cap, was scrubbing skirting boards on her hands and knees. As soon as the girl noticed her, she leapt to her feet and backed away.

‘It’s all right,’ said Leila, sensing the woman’s fear. ‘I won’t hurt you. I just wanted to talk.’

The woman didn’t reply. Instead she knelt back down, and continued her cleaning.

‘You’re doing a great job,’ said Leila. ‘Do you like your work?’

The woman shrugged.

‘I’d love to talk to you, if you have time.’

The woman glanced up, and studied Leila for a moment. Eventually she stood up, stretching her back as if it ached, and dropped her rag in her bucket of water.

‘Come and sit down next to me,’ Leila suggested, patting the chair beside her.

But the woman still hung back, so Leila took a bar of army-issue chocolate from her jacket pocket and held it out. ‘Do you want some chocolate?’

The woman approached timidly. As she drew closer, it was obvious she was not a woman at all, but a mere girl – maybe no more than fourteen or fifteen. Thin and pale-faced, her brown eyes gleamed for a moment, and she grabbed the chocolate. Putting a piece into her mouth, she closed her eyes as if in ecstasy.

‘Is it good?’ asked Leila. ‘I have more. Please come and sit down.’

The girl sat gingerly on the edge of the seat, and ate another square of chocolate.

‘Have you worked here long?’

The girl shrugged.

‘How old are you?’

Another shrug. ‘I don’t know.’

‘What’s your name?’

The girl frowned, as if struggling to remember. Leila wondered if she’d been drugged – she seemed so silent and repressed.

‘Margarethe,’ she said, finally.

‘Good…Margarethe – that’s a pretty name. Were you a patient here?’

The girl nodded.

‘Do you have family?’

The girl’s eyes filled with tears and she nodded again.