Page 113 of The Ringmaster’s Daughter

‘If you agree, I will pay to bring in more performers, singers and stagehands. I will pay for it. If we do this, it is a chance for you to leave the country safely.’

The room was quiet. Then Frieda spoke. ‘Werner is still too ill – we will need a ringmaster.’ She looked at Michel.

Michel was not sure what to say. He looked at his friends, all of them tired, all of them fearful, all of them looking at him.

‘What do you say, Michel?’ Henri asked.

Michel thought of Giordano, of the risks he had taken. He thought of Werner who had taken risks his whole life. He looked to Frieda.

‘Where will we go?’

‘America,’ Henri said.

Michel stood and walked to the door.

‘Where are you going?’ Frieda called out.

‘To ask Werner’s permission.’

Werner slept wrapped in a sheet, his blankets thrown on the floor. Henri’s servant dozed in a chair next to the bed but woke when Michel creaked open the door.

‘Henri is back,’ Michel said.

The servant jumped as if scalded, and left to see what he could do for his master.

‘Werner,’ Michel whispered, and sat down in the vacated chair. ‘Werner?’

Werner groaned. ‘Michel…’ he said, his voice splintered like dry wood.

Michel held the glass of water from his bedside table next to Werner’s lips and gently poured in a few drops. Werner swallowed, then licked his cracked lips.

‘How do you feel?’

‘What day is it?’

‘Saturday.’

‘How long have we been here?’

‘Almost a week.’

Werner groaned once more as he tried to roll onto his side. Once he had accomplished this, he opened his eyes, red and swollen, and looked to Michel. ‘I have failed you all,’ he whispered.

Michel shook his head and smiled. ‘You have brought us somewhere safe. What more could you have done?’

‘I shouldn’t have thought I could hide everyone.’

‘Henri has a plan.’

‘Tell me.’

‘He says if we do a show for a general, the man will give us all papers to leave.’

‘All of you?’

‘All of us.’

‘We will do the show.’ Werner’s voice was firm. ‘When is it?’