because we all wake up every morning and have to tell ourselves one more time that we can! If you want to preach to those who can’t, go to our cemetery, it’s filled with those who tried. Now. If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind showing us how, please?’
He stood red-faced and shaking but his expression was resolute.
‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’
‘You’re damned right I’m serious. We leave before midday. This is our fight and we’re here to fight it. Just tell us how to explode these bombs, then you can go and get on with that other struggle against evil you were talking about. Ours is here.’
Stratton looked at them all. They were no longer playing. He sighed heavily. This was going to be hugely problematic. Poole suddenly seemed a long way away. ‘Get me the maps and the satellite photos,’ he said, finishing his coffee and putting the mug down.
‘You don’t need those to show us how to explode the bombs,’ Victor said.
‘Let’s get one thing straight from the start,’ Stratton said, his expression toughening. ‘You never question me, or anything I tell you to do. And you do it immediately. Is that understood? Now get me what I just asked for.’
Victor was suddenly hopeful, his eyes lighting up. ‘You’re coming with us?’
‘No. You’re coming with me.’
The Frenchman’s face broke into a broad smile. ‘He’s coming with us,’ he said to the others. ‘I mean, we’re going with him. I’ll be back in two seconds. Don’t go anywhere,’ he said to Stratton, hurrying to the door and leaving the cabin.
Stratton lifted one of the cloth claymore bags out of the box and checked the contents. Apart from the mine itself it contained the hand dynamo, cabling and a complete booby-trap system including trip-wire, plus pressure and release switches.
He had hoped that agreeing to do the task might settle his mind but it had not.
Hurrying to Sebastian’s cabin, Victor saw Louisa walking nearby and went towards her.
She looked up as he approached.
‘You look lost,’ he said.
‘No. Not lost.’ She sat on the edge of the long table, picking at the wood.
‘You’re waiting to say goodbye to Stratton.’
Her smile was genuine if a little sad. ‘I know, the perceptive Frenchman in you.’
‘Do you think you could prepare a horse for him? We will be leaving in a little while.’
Louisa nodded and got to her feet lethargically.
‘He’s not leaving . . . well, not to go home, at least. He’s going to do the ambush.’
She stopped in her tracks to look at him.
‘We’re going to get Chemora,’ Victor said, looking pleased. ‘I don’t know what it is about that man, but when he says he’s going to do something, well, you know what I mean? No, you probably don’t. It’s an instinct thing.’
Louisa took a moment to absorb the information. ‘Who else?’
‘Me. David. Bernard. I must go,’Victor said, heading for Sebastian’s cabin. ‘We’ll be gone a few days, I expect. But we’re going to get Chemora. I know we are.’
Louisa’s mind whirled as she watched him walk away. She headed up the path that led to the stables.
In Sebastian’s cabin Steel sat at the table, wearing a pair of glasses and reading a document while sipping a cup of coffee.
‘Can I have those satellite photos and maps?’ Victor asked, confidently.
Steel looked at him over the rim of his glasses. ‘Why?’
‘Because we’re going to do the job, of course.’
‘Who’s “we”?’
‘What would you say if I told you that I and some of the men were going to give it a try?’
‘I’d say forget it,’ Steel said, getting back to his papers.
‘And what would you say if I told you that Stratton was coming along too?’
Steel looked back at him. ‘I’d ask if you were telling the truth.’
‘I am.’
Steel smiled thinly, put down his coffee, dug the maps and photographs from his bag and slid them across the table. ‘Have fun,’ he said casually as he went back to his reading.
Victor picked up the maps and photographs and left the cabin. When the door had closed behind him Steel put down his document, removed his glasses and began to think of his next move in earnest.
Stratton climbed onto his horse. David winced as he lowered himself into his saddle and adjusted it.
‘You okay?’ Stratton asked.
‘Yes. And you?’
‘I’m fine.’ The dull throb in Stratton’s back was constant but manageable. Otherwise, apart from a sore throat and feeling like he’d smoked a hundred cigarettes the night before, he felt okay.