for me. I hope you will take care of it and whenever you look at it, you will think of me and always, always believe the best of me.
And John, darling, I know you are still young, but I know you love to read so much, so that was why I left you our favourite book, the one I have read to you so many times. You remember my favourite story in there, don’t you? The one that makes me cry and you always tease me about? ‘The Call of the Swallows.’ I want you to read that and think of me. Think of all the times that I would snuggle up in bed next to you and we would giggle and read together. Think about what the story means, the deeper meaning, and think of me when you read it.
I know that you are probably confused right now. But know deep down in my heart that I love you both and will never forget the most amazing brothers that anyone could have.
And darlings, I want you to know something. What I’m doing today, I believe, is for a higher good. I may be making the worst mistake of my life, but I feel compelled to do it. I have done many things I am not proud of, but not what I do today. What I do now is so the right side can win this war, and I know in my heart who that should be, even though many may perceive my actions as wrong. But I need to give you all a chance to grow up and get married and have children and grandchildren and nothing is as important than giving us a hope for tomorrow. And if I die doing it, at least you can be assured it will be in the pursuit of what I thought was right.
Much love now and for always. And be good for Dad.
And fingers crossed and God willing, we’ll all be together soon.
And I hope you always remember me as a person with a heart whose love is innocent!
Much love
Vivi xxx
As she stared at the letter Sophie noticed two words were underlined, ‘heart’ and ‘innocent’, and she recognised them straight away as being from ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by Lord Byron, the poem underlined in Vivi’s book. Maybe Vivi was sending them a message in case she needed them to know how she was planning to code future messages?
Sophie couldn’t help but draw in a gasp as she read the words. Her gran turned with concern. ‘Is everything all right, Sophie?’
Sophie nodded, quickly pulled out her phone with the coded message and started to use the two words that were underlined as the key to the cipher. It took her about an hour but finally she hit on the right combination and sat back and read her great-aunt’s message for the first time.
Back in the field hawk restored to his nest net is closing need immediate extraction for hawk and sparrow invasion deception successful coming home.
Sophie held her breath as she read her aunt’s words. This proved she was really working for the Resistance, because there was no other logical reason for her to message England for an emergency extraction unless she was back undercover. Hawk and Sparrow had to be Vivienne and Marcus and the date on the message right before the D-Day landings and mentioning the ‘invasion deception’ suggested she was talking about the invasion of Normandy.
Tears of relief rolled down Sophie’s cheeks, Vivienne had been a hero, she had died for her country. Sophie started to sob as she read the last two words of the message again. Because, after seventy-five years, Vivienne still wasn’t home.
Gran came over to check on her as Sophie explained what it all meant and she shook her head with disbelief. The two of them sat there in a reverent silence for the woman who had died so long ago but whose bravery had never been recognised.
Suddenly Sophie remembered something else.
‘“The Call of the Swallows”.’
‘Sorry, dear?’
‘The story in the book that was given to Grandpa was called “The Call of the Swallows”.’
‘Oh. Yes, I think it was. Odd kind of book, as I recall. Your grandfather had it for ages, knocking about, but oh, I got rid of it years ago, Sophie. Some sort of Arabian Nights-type tale.’
‘Can you remember what the story was about?’
‘I can’t, love. It’s not one story. It was lots of stories. Fables and short stories about princesses and