When Skarbek told her husband that she loved Kowerski, Giżycki left for London, eventually emigrating to Canada. Before 1914, he lived in America, where he earned a living as a prospector, logger and cowboy, as well as working as a chauffeur for John Rockefeller, the millionaire.

We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Both she and Kowerski continued to be under suspicion by the British and resented by the Polish government-in-exile because they worked for Britain. It is a distinction between Hayden White’s ‘truth’, that historical veracity that historians seek, and the ‘authenticity’ of the reality of history that gives an impression of accuracy, or how readers believe in such a representation of the past. By this point she was keen to become a British citizen, however the application process was slow and she would have to wait until 1949.As the Red Army advanced across Poland, the British government and Polish government-in-exile worked together to leave a network in place that would report on events in the People's Republic of Poland. She reinforced the threat with a mercenary appeal – an offer of two million francs for the men's release. Christine was to be part of a team assessing the situation under Russian occupation and making contact with Polish politicians and the Polish Resistance, the Home Army. Whilst their passionate affair would last, they would never marry and her dedication to her undercover work never faltered.

When the Germans carried out a huge offensive on the Vercors plateau, Granville and Cammaerts escaped the massacre that followed by hiking 70 miles in 24 hours. Digne was liberated by the American army two days after Skarbek rescued Cammaerts, Fielding, and Sorensen. It has been alleged that her father's branch of the Skarbek family had not obtained confirmation of the title of count in the 19th century from the Russian Imperial court. Such an elaborate plan was met with some degree of scepticism as well as intrigue, however Taylor of MI6 was impressed by her patriotism and adventurous spirit and thus recruited her as the first female spy.

Christine remained a useful cog in the British intelligence network as her prediction of a German invasion of the Soviet Union came true, leading Winston Churchill to remark that she was “his favourite spy”. Kowerski, who was under less suspicion than Skarbek, eventually cleared up any misunderstandings with General Kopański and was able to resume intelligence work. Today Krystyna Skarbek is a symbol of a modern woman who we feel attached to thanks to the time closed in the Christine Granville watches.