sending out the invitations.
Now, at last, four year later they were to have their first child.
Saul grinned happily as he thought about it. Tomorrow he would begin
his attempt to discourage the adoption of the name Storm. ' It would
be a difficult case to win, one worthy of his talents. In the
preceding four years Saul had learned that once Ruth set her small
white teeth into something she had a bulldog grip. A great deal of
finesse was needed to loosen that grip without invoking her wrath.
Saul had an awesome respect for his wife's wrath.
'It's four o'clock.' The little blonde nurse poked her head around the
waiting-room door and smiled at him. 'You may go in now.
You'll find him out on the veranda. ' Saul's eagerness returned in
full flood and he had to restrain himself from bouncing too
boisterously down the veranda.
He recognized Sean's bulk, clad in uniform khaki, reclining elegantly
in a cane-backed chair and chatting to the men in the row of beds in
front of him. He came up behind the chair.
'Don't stand up, Sergeant. Just toss me a salute from where YOU are. '
'Saul! ' Lugging himself out of the chair and pivoting easily on his
game leg, Sean gripped both Saul's shoulders in the old show of
affection. The pleasure that fired Sean's expression was genuine and
that was enough for Saul.
'Good to see you, you old bastard.' He returned Sean's grip, grinning
happily. He did not notice how swiftly Sean's pleasure faded, and was
replaced by a shifty, nervous smile.
'Have a drink.' They were the first words that came into Sean's mind.
He must have time to feel his way. Had Ruth said anything to Saul, had
he guessed?
'Water? ' Saul grimaced.
'Gin,' whispered Sean, guilt making him garrulous and he went on in a
clumsy attempt at humour. 'Water carafe is full Of gin. For God's
sake don't tell Matron. I smuggle it in. Argue with the nurse
whenever she tries to change it-she says
'Water stale, must change!' I say,
'Like stale water, raised on stale water, stale water stroongly
indicated in all cases of leg injury!
'Give me stale water too,' laughed Saul.
While he poured Sean introduced Saul to the gentleman in the next bed,
a Scotsman who agreed with them that stale water was a sovereign
therapeutic for shrapnel wound in the chest-a complaint from which he
was currently suffering. The three of them settled down to a course of
intensive treatment.
At Sean's prodding Saul embarked on a long account of the battle of
Spion Kop. He made it seem very funny. Then he went on to describe
the final break through at I-Dangwane, Buller's eventual relief of
Ladysmith, and his cautious pursuit of Leroux Is army which was now in
full retreat into the Transvaal.
They discussed Lord Roberts's offensive that had driven up from the
Cape, relieved Kimberley, swept on to take Bloemfontein and was now
