Clutching her suitcase tightly to hide her trembling hands, Charlotte takes a steadying breath. This is the most dangerous thing she has ever done, but the lives of five innocent children are depending on her. I can do this…
Paris, 1943: As Charlotte rushes into the station, she can feel the unmistakeable chill of being watched. Turning her head, she catches the eye of a Nazi guard, and forces herself to slow down. Not today, please not today…
Reaching the platform, she sees her sisters Isabelle, Madeline, Antoinette and Gigi waiting with five children, fear etched onto their young faces. As she gets closer, Charlotte can see each child has a faded patch on their coat where a yellow star has been carefully unpicked.
Once she and the children are onboard, Charlotte turns and stares down at her sisters on the platform. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tries to imprint their beloved faces in her mind. And as the whistle blows, she presses her hand to the cold glass, murmuring a silent prayer that her sisters will be safe, and that they will all meet again…
As she turns her attention back to the children in her care, her heart breaks to see tears glistening in their eyes. Taking a deep breath, she promises that they will be safe, that she won't let anything happen to them. But has Charlotte just made a promise she can't possibly keep?
The prequel to the Paris Sisters series, this short story tells a tale of bravery and determination in the face of the darkness of the Second World War. Perfect for fans of Roberta Kagan, Kristin Hannah, and Fiona Valpy.
Praise for Suzanne Kelman's novels:
'Wow! I was completely blown away… Such powerful emotions and heartbreaking experiences ripping through this story like a tornado, it leaves your heart in shreds and your eyes sopping up the tears with a giant box of tissues!… A novel you won't want to miss… Be prepared, though, to lose sleep and expect tears… Will grip and shake your heart!… Oh my goodness, I loved this… Such a powerful story.' Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿
'I was truly swept away… Spellbinding!… Powerful and captivating from the first page to the last, and it deserves more stars than can be rated. I could not put it down and missed a lot of sleep!… Even after finishing the story, I have not stopped thinking about it… Totally awe-inspiring story… Loved, loved, loved.' Musician's Poet ¿¿¿¿¿
'Absolutely phenomenal… I was completely captivated… Emotionally heartbreaking… Amazing on so many levels. The twists and turns in this story sent my emotions on a rollercoaster, and I ran through a box of Kleenex like it was nothing… I loved it…
