He stared down at her.
'You do?'
And then, remembering Pierre, he said, 'What do you think he's called?'
She said: 'Willem.
Not William, just Willem.'
Howard said: 'Has he got another name?'
'I don't think so.
Just Willem.'
Ronnie looked up from the floor.
'You are a story,' he said without heat.
'He has got another name, Mr Howard.
He's called Eybe.'
He explained. 'Just like I'm called Ronnie Cavanagh, so he's called Willem Eybe.'
'Oh...' said Sheila.
Madame said:
'But if he can't speak any French or English, how did you find that out?'
The children stared at her, uncomprehending, a little impatient of adult density.
'He told us,' they explained.
Howard said: 'Did he tell you anything more about himself?'
There was a silence.
'Did he say who his daddy or his mummy were, or where he came from?'
The children stared at him, awkward and embarrassed.
The old man said: 'Suppose you ask him where his daddy is?'
Sheila said: 'But we can't understand what he says.'
The others stayed silent.
Howard said: 'Never mind, then.' He turned to the two women.
'They'll probably know all about him in a day or two,' he said.
'It takes a little time.'
The girl nodded.
'Perhaps we can find somebody who speaks Dutch.'
Her mother said: 'That might be dangerous.
It is not a thing to be decided lightly, that.
One must think of the Germans.'
She turned to Howard: 'So, monsieur,' she said, 'it is clear that you are in a difficulty.
What is it that you want to do?'
He smiled slowly. 'I want to get to England with these children, madame,' he said. 'Only that.' He thought for a minute. 'Also,' he said gently, 'I do not wish to get my friends into trouble.'
He rose from his chair.
'It has been most kind of you to give us dejeuner,' he said.
'I am indeed sorry to have missed seeing monsieur le colonel.
I hope very much that when we meet again you will be reunited.'
The girl sprang up.
'You must not go,' she said.
'It is not possible at all, that.'
She swung round on her mother.
'We must devise something, Mother.'
The older woman shrugged her shoulders.
'It is impossible.
The Germans are everywhere.'
The girl said: 'If father were here, he would devise something.'
There was a silence in the room, broken only by Ronnie and Rose chanting in a low tone their little song about the numerals.