NOTHING TO DECLARE
A bell rings, the jingle making its way down the stairs to where Emma stands. She is forced to ignore it. Gathered in the hall with the servants – butler, chauffeur, cook and maid – she awaits her turn to receive a national identity card, stamped and her responsibility to keep safe for the duration of the war.
The mood is grave and laced with apprehension. The woman seated at the console table writes with much care. The bell rings again, a trifle more impatiently. Emma waits.
The housemaid is the first to receive her card and she returns to her duties. Emma watches the woman inscribe the chauffeur’s details. With every word, her heart beats a little faster. Her palms feel warm. When Mr Webster walks away, card in hand, she strives to maintain her composure. Mr Holt, t
