Free The Farmer's Daughter by Mary Nichols

us,’ he told Karl. ‘Someone heard us talking and informed the commandant and he’s been onto the Lagerführer .’
    â€˜Who informed?’
    â€˜You don’t suppose the commandant would tell the major that, do you? He has spies everywhere.’
    â€˜So what happened? Has he forbidden us to make the attempt?’
    â€˜Not exactly. I have been told we must apply to the escape committee and take our turn along with a lot of other hare-brained schemes. We can go when we’ve been given permission. I was a given a reprimand and told our actions could have ruined everyone else’s chances. He said he had had a hard job convincing the commandant that he knew nothing of it and would have condemned it if he had. He’s in the colonel’s pocket, no doubt of that.’
    â€˜Perhaps that’s for the best, if it means the colonel trusts him to maintain discipline and leaves us alone.’
    â€˜That’s all very well, but what about our plan?’
    â€˜Postponed, Otto, not scrapped. You must learn a little patience.’ He smiled suddenly. ‘Along with a little more English.’
    Karl wanted to improve his English, to be completely fluent and had asked Jean to borrow books from the library for him. She brought him contemporary English novels. He also wanted to know more about farming in England. He could move aboutthe farm doing whatever work needed doing without constant supervision. He knew Jean trusted him. Even her father was coming round to sharing a glass of cider with him and talking about the relative merits of farming practices in England and Germany. How could he put all that behind him for the sake of a plan to escape that was doomed to fail?

Chapter Four
    â€˜I have to go to a meeting in Wisbech,’ Jean told Karl one morning. Dressed in a skirt and jumper and not her usual dungarees, she was harnessing Misty to the trap. ‘There’s a man coming down from the Ministry of Ag. and Fish to give us a lecture. While I’m gone, do you mind giving the new window in my grandmother’s cottage a coat of paint? I know it’s not strictly farm business …’
    â€˜I will be happy to do it for her.’ She had brushed out her hair and was looking very feminine and attractive.
    â€˜I’ll drop you off and pick you up on my way back. If it doesn’t rain it might be touch dry by this evening.’ She handed him a tin of paint and a brush and climbed into the trap. He joined her as she took up the reins.
    â€˜Do you expect it to rain?’ he asked.
    â€˜Pa said it might. He is usually fairly accurate.’
    Mrs Sanderson saw them arrive from her kitchen window and opened the door before they reached it. ‘Come you in,’ she said, ushering them into the kitchen.
    â€˜Karl is going to paint your new window frame.’
    â€˜Good, but he can have a hot drink before he starts. Cocoa do?’
    â€˜I do not want to trouble you, madam,’ he said.
    â€˜It’s no trouble. Sit down. It won’t take a jiffy.’
    Karl and Jean sat while she busied herself making the drink and fetching out a biscuit tin. ‘Home-made oatmeal,’ she said. ‘I like to keep some in a tin for the children.’
    â€˜So that’s why they are always so keen to visit you,’ Jean said, laughing.
    â€˜It might have something to do with it,’ the old lady admitted. ‘Go on, Sergeant, help yourself.’
    He took one from the tin and thanked her. ‘Was the window put in to your satisfaction?’ he asked her.
    â€˜Yes, but it took a lot longer than I expected. Your compatriot was very slow and the more Mr Gould chivvied him, the slower he got. He seemed to be dreaming and looking about him all the time.’
    â€˜I expect he was glad to get away from the camp and wanted it to last as long as possible.’
    â€˜Very likely.’ She pushed a steaming mug of cocoa towards him. ‘I