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’Wladek’

’Good, now you sleep, Wladek, because you look exhausted, the journey is long and you are not safe yet!

Wladek slept

When he woke, several hours had passed, and it was now dark outside He stared at his protectress, and she srrffled Wladek returned her s that she could be trusted not to tell the officials who he was - or had she already done so? She produced so silently When they reached the next station, nearly all the passengers got out, some of them permanently, but most to seek what little refreshment was available or to stretch their stiff lied woman rose, looked at Wladek ’Follow me,’ she said

He stood up and followed her on to the platforiven up? She put out her hand, and he took it as any thirteen - year - old child acco his mother would do She walked towards a lavatory marked for women only Wladek hesitated She insisted, and once inside she told Wladek to take off his clothes He obeyed her unquestioningly as he hadn’t anyone since the death of the Baron While he undressed she turned on the solitary tap, which with reluctance yielded a trickle of cold brownish water She was disgusted But to Wladek, it was a vast improvement on the camp water

The wo and attempted hopelessly to wash hi Wladek didn’t entle as shee ttied to be

’When we get you home, I’ll make a better job of those wounds,’ she said, ’but that will have to do for now’

Then she saw the silver band, studied the inscription and looked carefully at Wladek ’Is that yours?’ she asked ’Who did you steal it from?’

Wladek looked offended ’I didn’t steal it My father gave it to ain, and a different look came into her eyes Was it fear or respect? She bowed her head ’Be careful, Wladek, men would kill for such a valuable prize’

He nodded his agreement and started to dress quickly They returned to their carriage A delay of an hour at a stafion was not unusual and when the train started lurching forward, Wladek was glad to feel the wheels clattering underneath hiain The train took twelve and a half days to reach Moscow Whenever a new ticket collector appeared, they went through the sa to look innocent and young The wo mother Ile ticket collectors always bowed respectfully to the an to think that station masters inust be very important in Russia

By the time they completed the one - thousand - mile journey - to Moscow, Wladek had put his trust co forward to seeing her house It was early afternoon when the train ca Wladek had been through, he had never visited a big city, let alone the capital of all the Russias He wai terrified, once again tasting the fear of the unknown So niany people all rushing around in different directions The ed lady sensed his apprehension

’Follow me, do not speak, and whatever you do don’t take your cap off Wladek took her bags down from the rack, pulled his cap over his head - now covered in a black stubble - down to his cars and followed her out on to the platforh a tiny exit, which caused a holdup as everyone had to show their identification papers to the guard As they approached the barrier, Wladek could hear his heart beating like a soldier’s drurn, but when their turn calanced at the woman’s documents