Her Hidden Life: A captivating story of history, danger and risking it all for love

‘Offer your strength,’ he said, grasping my hands. ‘Don’t betray me. I’m not alone, but few can be trusted.’ His breath caught and he stroked my hair. ‘It’s too much to ask, but perhaps one day you’ll return the love I feel.’

I wanted to draw away because his words overwhelmed me. The only man who had ever professed love for me was my father. ‘Why should I love you when you may die? There’s no future in death.’

‘If Hitler continues to lead there will be no future for anyone.’ He rose from my bed and looked down upon me. ‘I must get back. Think about what I’ve said.’

He started to leave, but I gripped his arm. ‘Did you know Ursula was planning to poison the Führer?’

‘Only through her hints, but she talked about it as if it were a joke. That’s what we were whispering about at the Teahouse the day we went. I cautioned her not to be so brazen, but I had no idea she had taken it upon herself to poison him without anyone’s help. She was so bitter about her brothers’ deaths. I was trying to comfort her – in fact, squelch such talk about Hitler.

‘Poisoning the tea was a foolish thing to do. She would have killed everyone who drank at his table. It was a suicide mission. If she hadn’t been identified as the perpetrator, all of us might have been executed.’

I hesitated, but then admitted, ‘I saw the poison on her apron. I didn’t know what it was.’ Pangs of sorrow stabbed at me. ‘Maybe I could have stopped her if I had known, but would I want that knowledge? What would become of my parents if the SS thought I was involved? I don’t want them to die. They’re all I have in the world.’