Chapter 7

Just at that moment there was a slight noise in the closed room beside the kitchen. The door opened an inch, two inches, and a small face looked out. Danuta Bredel, agonized, hissed sharply, in Polish,

"Go back! Close the door!"

But Stanislaw Franczak shook his head, then turned, smiled at the girl, and held out his hand,

"Come here, 'Gosia', it's all right."

The girl came forward and stood by Franczak's chair. She was about fourteen, small and slim, but strong-looking. Her eyes were dark and intense, but her colouring was fair and blond. Franczak spoke,

"This is Danuta's daughter, Małgorzata."

Foyle noticed the girl did not go to her mother, but stayed close to this family friend.

He smiled at the young girl and said simply,

"Halo."

"Halo." She replied, and sat on the arm of Franczak's chair, leaning against him. She studied Foyle's face for a long moment, and whispered something in Franczak's ear.

He glanced at Foyle, and nodded to her, "Yes, ...I think so."

She looked down at the documents displayed on the table, whispered to him again, and he frowned.

Foyle heard him ask her in Polish, gently,

"Why... do you want to do this? I don't understand, 'Gosia.'"

She smiled at him, rose to walk back into the small room she had come from, and the sounds of scuffling under the bed could be heard. The family all looked at each other, perplexed.

In that moment, Sam, her face alight with an idea, took the opportunity to lean over Foyle's shoulder, and whispered a message to him.

He half-turned to her, and a look of astonishment - then a smile of understanding - dawned across his face.

Małgorzata emerged carrying a toy. It had once been a small stuffed bear, but now was so worn, torn and dirty, that it had no appeal at all.

Foyle asked her, kindly,

"Co tam masz, - 'Perła'? (What do you have, Pearl?)"

At the last word, Franczak looked up sharply at Foyle and Sam.

'Gosia' smiled at him, nodded to acknowledge her nom de guerre - then knelt at the low table and laid the toy bear down upon it. She had a small pocket knife, and began cutting the crude stitches that held its front together. From out of the bear's stuffing she pulled some folded papers, and laid them out carefully on the table for Foyle to see. Then she spoke.

"These are Uncle Miro's papers. He didn't need them any more. He made new ones. When Tata was out of the house, Uncle Miro sewed these into the bottom of an old valise he found. I took them, because on the day after Tata left me to fight the Red Army, I saw Uncle Miro go into the building where the Russian soldiers talk to the men in plain clothes. I had no proof that he had betrayed us, but I thought it seemed he had made his choice. So I kept these papers, and after Uncle Miro left with his valise, I waited. After a week, Uncle Stasio came back for me. Then we went on the boat."

Fr. Borynski translated to English, no one having noticed that Foyle's last remark had been in the other language. The priest, Foyle, Sam, and the whole family were watching the girl with solemn attention. The three women had tears in their eyes.

When she had finished speaking, Foyle moved forward on his chair to examine the papers, all identification documents for Miroslaw Mazur. Carefully he lifted a small photograph, inexpertly cut around the edges. He studied the portrait, the embossed stamp across the front, and then turned it over to see a name written on the back.

He handed the photograph across to Franczak,

"This... was... Izaak Światło."

Franczak frowned at the photograph,

"Then, the man who has asked you to find me is, in fact, Miroslaw Mazur, who has assumed this man's identity. He has joined the Communists."

"It would seem so. And he would expect, in finding you, to also find Małgorzata, and the papers she took from him."

"Has he only now discovered them missing, or guessed who took them?"

"I would... suppose that... he has only now had reason to need them. Someone or something from the past of the real Izaak Światło has threatened his new identity. He is, perhaps, in danger of being discovered as an impostor, and wishes to get out of the country, as himself."

"Ryszard and Miroslaw, they both told me there were many Communists in the labour camp with them, as well as ordinary Poles, Czechs, Ukrainians, Jews... And when the Nazis fled, they had not destroyed all the papers and belongings taken from the prisoners. Miro must have found the papers of this Communist, Izaak Światło, in the camp."

He nodded, then Foyle returned his attention to Małgorzata. He gestured to her pocket knife, she handed it to him to examine, and then he returned it to her with a smile.

Foyle straightened in his chair,

"Mr. Franczak, in light of what Małgorzata has revealed to us, I will ask you and your friends to make the decision as to how we will proceed, if at all. Do you wish to help Miroslav Mazur?"

Franczak asked,

"Is it possible, Mr. Foyle, to use these papers as a trade, for information on the fate of Ryszard?"

"Yes, I think they could be very helpful."

He nodded and looked to Danuta, and she turned to her daughter,

"Małgorzata, what do you say? I have not seen my brother for eight years; he was a prisoner of the Nazis; this perhaps has changed him from the man I used to know. Was Miro kind to you? Did he try to help you?"

The young woman considered for a few moments,

"He was kind at first. When Stasio brought me to the house where Tata and Miro were, he found food for us and helped to keep us safe. I did not like it when he left me alone; I was very angry... But he did leave some food and clean water, ...and I think he was more frightened than we were."

Danuta wiped the tears from her face,

"As frightened as I was, here, not knowing how you were, 'Gosia.' Not knowing if you and your grandparents in Lublin were safe, or starving, or..."

Małgorzata hesitated, then went to her mother and put her arms around her to comfort her.

The others looked relieved to see this sign of affection between them.

Mrs. Szelest spoke,

"Mr. Foyle, Mrs. Wainwright, will you share our table, will you stay to supper with us?"

"Dziękuję bardzo, Pani Szelest, but we've imposed upon your hospitality too long. And I think Małgorzata has much more to tell you about her work with Szare Szeregi (the Grey Ranks), and with Mr. Franczak in Armia Krajowa."

"Then, Mrs. Wainwright, will you allow me to offer you both something to bring home? Please wait a moment." And she went into the kitchen.

Foyle stood and shook hands with the other adults, then turned to Małgorzata, and said in Polish,

"When my son was your age he was also a Scout, but he never had to fight for his country at twelve and thirteen, as you have. Did you tell your father what you had done?"

She looked up at him with a small smile, but shook her head,

"I didn't want him to worry."

Foyle nodded and said,

"He'd be very proud. Will you recite the Oath for us, Perła?"

Małgorzata at once stood to attention, and as she began, Franczak stood with her, but he was too overcome with emotion to speak.

"Mam szczerą wolę całym życiem pełnić służbę Bogu i Polsce, nieść chętną pomoc bliźnim i być posłusznym Prawu Harcerskiemu.

(It is my sincere wish to serve God and Poland with the whole of my life, to carry my willing help to others, and to obey the Scout and Guide Law.)"

Foyle, very moved, grasped her small hand in his, nodded, and looked her in the eyes to show his respect.

TBC...