Alice looked at Alexander in shock. Alexander couldn't look back. He felt ashamed. He knew she was going to question him and berate him for hiding the truth from her. Sure enough, that's exactly what she did.

"So when were you planning to tell me this?" She asked quietly.

"When we got to Coventry."

"Oh so after I'd already helped you get what you want?"

"No. It wasn't like that. I was scared."

"Scared of being arrested or scared that I wouldn't help you."

"Both."

"I can't believe you. I lost my job because of you."

Alexander didn't know this. "You what?"

"I was caught stealing money which I was going to use to pay for tickets for us to get to Coventry. The Lord gave me 9 shillings but it wasn't enough."

"You used it to pay for my jacket and didn't think about the train first?"

"No I didn't because I was trying to protect you. If I'd known you were a deserter I would never have helped you."

"I'm sorry."

"You should be. I've done so much for you. Now what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know."

"You were never going to get away with this. I want to go out there and tell that guard you're here. There's probably a reward for anyone who turns you in."

Alexander was now very afraid. "Alice please, don't."

"I only said I WANT to go and do that. Not that I will do it. That depends."

"On what?"

"On how you're going to pay me back for all this. If I'm helping out a deserter I want it to be worth my while. So, how are you going to pay me back?"

"I don't know. What will make it up to you?"

"The truth about why you left the army? Or why you lied to me? I thought we were friends Alex."

"We are friends."

"Friends don't lie to each other."

"You lied to me. You didn't tell me you lost your job."

"Why did you leave the army anyway?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's still painful."

"Did you get injured?"

Alexander knew that lying again would come back to bite him later, but he really didn't want Alice to turn him in to the guard. He knew she would hate him even more if she knew he'd killed someone. "Yes," he lied "I injured my back from an explosion."

"Oh. I'm sorry. At least you're still here to tell the story. My parents weren't so lucky."

Alexander had forgotten that Alice's parents died during a bomb explosion. It made him feel even worse for lying. He felt so stupid. He even thought about telling her the truth for a second. Only for a second though. He quickly brushed away the thought by promising himself that he would tell her when they arrived at his parent's house.

Not long after their argument. The two of them fell asleep. Alexander had another nightmare about the shooting incident. They were a regular feature of his dreams by now but that didn't make it any easier.

It felt like days before they finally heard the muffled announcement from the guard outside that they were in Coventry. Alexander woke first. He shook Alice awake and they crept towards the door. Just as Alexander reached for the door handle they saw the door begin to open. Alexander pushed Alice behind the door and waited.

The guard stepped into the doorway. "Now then, what have we got here?" He paused for a moment before continuing "that looks like the same jacket from the paper. Let me see. Wait a moment..." He fumbled with the newspaper for a few moments before opening it and showing it to Alexander. The headline read:

GIRL WANTED FOR PAYING FOR JACKET WITH COUNTERFEIT COIN

Alexander was about to continue reading the article but the guard turned the paper away. "That's the same jacket," He was surprised the guard had failed to recognise him. "Apparently some girl bought it off the market in Portobello Road in London and paid with a fake coin. The market seller wants to have her done for it."

Alexander didn't know what to make of the situation. He didn't know whether Alice knew one of the coins was fake. If she did she was stupid to use it. If not then Lord Thornby was a very evil man and Alexander was glad Alice no longer worked for him.

"Uh, well she got the coins from me," he lied "but I didn't know any were fake."

"Well the market seller is none to pleased and I don't blame him. The seller wants the debt paid off in full or for whoever made that fake coin to be arrested. Have you got any proof that neither of you knew the coins were fake?"

"No."

"Then she's going to be given a fine. D'you know where she is now?"

"No. But considering that I gave her the coins I should be made to pay the fine not her."

"Well that's up to the police. Here's an officer now. He's just had to deal with this woman accusing another passenger of being a German spy."

The officer stepped into the carriage. "What's going on?"

The guard explained the situation and then turned back to Alexander "what were you doing in here anyway?"

"I was trying to find my girlfriend's coat but the train pulled away before we could return to our carriage" Alexander lied.

"I see," the guard replied "and where is your girlfriend now?"

Alexander pulled Alice out from behind the door. "She's mute," he said "she gets frightened around people she doesn't know."

"Right," the police officer said "and what are your names?"

Alexander lied again "Edward Monger and Emily Stuart."

"Very well," the police officer said before turning to the guard. "The girl doesn't match the name the market seller gave so we can allow these two to go."

The two men stepped aside and Alexander and Alice got off the train. "Who is Emily?" Alice asked.

"My sister" Alexander replied.

"And Edward Monger?"

"A soldier I fought alongside in the army."

"Why did you say I was your girlfriend?"

"Well we don't exactly look like siblings do we? Besides, it was only to get us out of there."

Alice wasn't so sure. She didn't know why but the idea of Alex being her boyfriend wasn't all that bad. She didn't think he would have said it if he didn't like her too.

"Are you alright?" Alexander asked.

"Yes," Alice replied, being pulled from her thoughts "I'm alright."

"Good" Alexander replied, stopping outside the station. He turned to face her and looked at her for a moment. Then without any hesitation. He kissed her. Alice found herself kissing him back. She wasn't sure how she knew that she liked him but it felt right. She was sure. She was in love.

Their kiss was interrupted however by a voice "Alexander!"

Alexander pulled away and turned to face the owner of the voice "Mrs Roberts," he said "how are you?"

"Very well dear, I'm sorry about your mother and Emily."

Alexander was confused. "What do you mean Mrs Roberts?"

Mrs Roberts looked surprised. "You mean you don't know," she paused for a second as Alexander shook his head. Mrs Roberts continued "oh Alexander my dear boy. Your house was bombed in an air raid last week. Your parents and your sister were never found but the police now believe they're dead. I'm so sorry."

Right there and then, Alexander's world came crashing down around him. He now had nothing, no one. Without his family he was sure he would never be happy again. He loved his family more than anything. The thought of never seeing his mother and father again pained him. And the thought of Emily's life being cut short was even worse than that. He felt as if nothing mattered anymore. He wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. He wanted his life to end there, he couldn't go on any longer.