Part 21 (1/2)
”Oh roaned Gareth, and snatched the binoculars ”The bastard is up to so, I'm sure of it This is the seventh time the column has halted and for no apparent reason at all The scouts can't work it out and nor can I I've got a nasty hollow feeling that we are up against so me nervous as hell” Jake smiled and advised philosophically, ”What you really need is a soothing ga for you” As if on cue, the Ras looked up brightly and expectantly from the ammunition box set in the small strip of shade under the hull He had laid out a pattern of playing cards on the lid which he had been studying His bodyguard were grouped behind hiot roaned Gareth ”I'erous that old bastard down there, or that one out there” He raised the binoculars again and swept the long horizon below the n of dust
”What the hell is he up to?” In fact this seventh halt called by Count Aldo Belli was to be the briefest of the day, and yet one of the most unavoidable
It was in fact an occasion of the utency, and while the Count's portable co his personal gear, he twisted and wriggled impatiently on the back seat of the Rolls while Gino, the batman, tried to comfort him
”It is the water froely
Once the coood view of the distant mountains before it, a small canvas tent was raised around it to hide the seat froaze of five hundred infantry men
The job was completed, only just in time, and a respectful and expectant hush fell over the entire column as the Count climbed carefully down from the Rolls and then dashed like an Olympic athlete for the small lonely canvas structure and disappeared The silence and expectation lasted for almost fifteen minutes and was shattered at last by the Count's shouts fro the doctor!” Five hundred enuine suspense of awildly down the column until it reached Major Castelani Even he, convinced as he was that he had seen it all, could not believe the cause of this fresh delay, and he went forward to investigate
He arrived at the tent to find the Count and his medical advisers crowded around the co its contents The Count was pale, but proud, like a new mother whose infant is the centre of attention He looked up as Castelani appeared in the doorway, and the Major recoiled slightly as, for a ht invite hi another step backwards
”Has your Excellency orders for me?”
”I am an illvisibly, his head lolling weakly Then slowly he drew back his shoulders, and his chin cahtened his lips ”But that is of no account
We advance, Castelani Onwards! Tell the men I am well
Hide the truth from them If they know of my illness, they will despair They will panic” Castelani saluted again ”As you wish, my Colonel”
”Help me to the car, Castelani,” he ordered, and reluctantly the Major took his arm The Count leaned heavily upon hiallantly at his men and waved to the nearest of them
”My poor brave boys,” he muttered ”They must never knoill not fail the out there?” fretted Gareth Swales, glancing up anxiously at Jake on the turret of the car above hin of movement” don't like it,” reiterated Gareth morosely, and his expression hardly altered as the Ras let out one of his triu out his cards
”I don't like that either,” he said again, and reached for his wallet before the Ras reminded him While the Ras shuffled and dealt the next hand, he continued his conversation with Jake
”What about Vicky? Nothing from that quarter either?”
”Not a peep, ”Jake assured hi I don't like She took it too calo despite ,” Jake assured hi the empty horizon
”I wish I was that confident,”to see her car driving up at any minute
It isn't like her to siton out here She's a front-ranker, that one
She likes to be right there when anything is happening”
”I know,”
Jake -agreed ”She had that e So I justto use Miss Wobbly I took the carbon rod out of the distributor” Gareth began to grin ”That's the only good news I've had today I had visions of Vicky Caht”
”Poor bloody Italians,” observed Jake, and they both laughed
”Sometimes you surprise me Do you know that?” said Gareth, and he drew a cheroot from his breast pocket and tossed it up to where Jake stood ”Thanks for” looking after what is mine, ”he said ”I appreciate that” Jake bit the tip off the cigar, and gave hih steel of the turret and held the flame in his cupped hands to burn off the sulphur
”They are all mavericks until soe, old buddy,” he answered, and lit the cigar
Vicky Carown men from the Ras's camp attendants, rewarded each one with a silver Maria Theresa dollar, and worn each of thee of exhaustion One after the other, they had taken hold of Miss Wobbly's crank handle and turned it like a squad of deement and threats at the and cheeks fiery with frustration
After an hour of this she was convinced that sabotage had been ean to check out Miss Wobbly's internal organs She was one of those unusual wohout her life had plagued a long series Of mechanics, boyfriends and instructors with her questions It was not enough for her to switch on a machine and steer it She had made herself an excellent driver and pilot, and in the process she had acquired a fair idea of the workings of the internal coht, Mr Barton let's find out what you've done,” she rimly ”Let's start on the fuel system” She rolled up her sleeves and tied a scarf firmly around her hair Her five hefty helpers watched with awe as she approached the engine co, and then they crowded forward to get a good view and offer their advice She had to beat thein work, but then she was completely absorbed in her task, and in half an hour had checked an tested the fuel syste freely fro the lines to carburettor and cylinders, and that the puht, now let's check out the electrics, she muttered to herself, and turned irritably as an insistent hand tugged at her belt, breaking her concentration
”Yes, what is it?” Her expression changed, lighting up happily as she saho it was
”Sara!” She eet here?”
”I escaped, Miss Ca in the hospital I hada horse for e”
”What about your friend the young doctor?”
Vicky deth of her affection for her
”Oh, him!” Sara's voice held a world of scorn and conte in the hospital
Doctor! Ha! He knows nothing about how a body works I had to try and teach hi?” she asked
”How is your leg?”
”It is nothing almost well” Sara tried to disard The long, rough ride down the gorge must have taxed her, and as Vicky led her tenderly to a seat in the shade of the acacias, she favoured the injured leg heavily
”I heard there is going to be a battle That's really why I ca-” She looked round her brightly, see to thrust her pain and weariness aside ”Where are Jake and Gareth? Where is Gregorius? We must noton” Vicky's smile faded ”They have left us behind”
”What!” Sara's bright look becaed as Vicky explained how they had been edged out
”Men! You cannot trust the to tip you on your back, then it's so to let thereed
”We are most certainly not” With Sara beside her, it was iirl norance of the mechanism by an unbounded curiosity and when Vicky should have been inspecting theclosely at the back of Sara's head which had been interposed