mutilated barely two days before, and yet there was a ferocious gaiety about her. It was unnatural.
I wish for a bath and a hot meal Oh, Anna, you always ask for the impossible. Centaine smiled at her over her shoulder, transferring the heavy carpet bag from one hand to the other.
What is your wish, then? Anna challenged.
I wish that the star leads us to the general, like it led the three wise men- Don't blaspheme, girl. But Anna was too tired and uncertain for the rebuke to have real force behind it.
Centaine knew the town well, for it contained the convent where she had spent her schooldays. It was dark by the time they made their way through the town centre.
The fighting of the early years of the war had left terrible scars on the lovely seventeenth-century Flemish architecture. The picturesque old town hall was pocked with shrapnel splinters and part of the roof destroyed. Many of the gabled brick houses surrounding the Grande Place were also roofless and deserted, although the windows of others were candlelit. The more stubborn of the popu lotion had moved back again immediately the tides of war had rolled by.
Centaine had not made a special note of the way to the monastery that General Courtney was using as his headquarters when she had last visited it with Michael, so she could not hope to find it in the dark. She and Anna camped in a deserted cottage, eating the last scraps of stale bread and dried-out cheese from Anna's sack, using the carpet bag for a pillow and each other for warmth as they lay on the bare floor.
The next morning Centaine dreaded finding the monastery deserted when she finally rediscovered the lane leading to it, but there was a guard on the main gate.
Sorry, miss, Army property. Nobody goes in. She was still pleading with him when the black Rolls came racing down the lane behind her and braked as it reached the gates. It was coated with dried mud and dust, and there was a long ugly scratch down both the doors on the nearest side.
The guard recognized the pennant on the bonnet and waved the Zulu driver on, and the Rolls accelerated through the tall gates, but Centaine ran forward and shouted desperately after the car. In the back seat was the young officer she had met on her last visit.
Lieutenant Pearce! She remembered his name, and he glanced back, then looked startled as he recognized her.
Quickly he leaned across to speak to the driver, and the Rolls pulled up sharply and then reversed.
,Mademoiselle de Thiry! John Pearce jumped out and hurried to her. The last person I expected, what on earth are you doing here? I must see Michael's uncle, General Courtney.
It's important. He is not here at the moment, the young officer told her, but you can come with me. He should be back fairly soon, and in the meantime we'll find you a place to rest, and something to eat. It seems to me that you could use both He took Centaine's carpet bag from her. Come along - is this woman with you? Anna, my servant. She can sit in front with Sangane. He helped Centaine into the Rolls. The Germans have made it a pretty busy few days, he settled beside her on the soft leather, and it looks as though you have been through it as well. Centaine looked down at herself: her clothes were dusty and bedraggled, her hands were dirty and her fingernails had black half-moons under them. She could guess what her hair looked like.
I have just come back from the front. General Courtney went up to take a look for himself. John Pearce politely looked away as she tried to put her hair into place again. He likes to be right up there, still thinks he's fighting the Buer War, the old devil. We got as far as Mort Homme-'That is my village. Not any more, he told her grimly. It's German now, or almost so. The new front line runs just north of it, and the village is under fire. Most of it shot away already you wouldn't recognize it, I'm sure.
Centaine nodded again. My home was shelled and burned down.
I'm sorry. John Pearce went on quickly. Anyway, it looks as though we have stopped them. General Courtney is sure we can hold them at Mort Homme-'Where is the general? Staff meeting at Divisional HQ. He should be back later this evening. Ah, here we are. John Pearce found a monk's cell for them, and had a servant bring them a meal and two buckets of hot water.
once they had eaten, Anna stripped off Centaine's clothes, and then stood her over one of the buckets and sponged her down with hot water.
oh, that feels marvelous. For once there are no squeals, Anna muttered. She used her petticoat to dry Centaine, then slipped a clean shift from the carpet bag over her head and brushed out her hair. The thick dark curls were tangled.
Oh Id, Anna, that hurts! It was too good to last, Anna sighed.
When she had finished, she insisted that Centaine lie on the cot to rest while she bathed herself and washed out their soiled clothes. However, Centaine could not lie still and she sat up and hugged her knees.
Oh darling Anna, I have the most wonderful surprise for you- Anna twisted the thick grey horse-tail of her damp hair up on to her head and looked at Centaine quizzically.
Darling Anna, is it? It must be good news indeed. oh it is, it is! I'm going to have Michel's baby. Anna froze. The blood drained from her ruddy features, leaving them grey with shock, and she stared at Centaine, unable to speak.
It's going to be a boy, I'm sure of it. I can just feel it.
He will be just like Michel! How can you be sure? Anna blurted.
Oh, I am sure. Centaine knelt quickly and pulled up the shift. Look at my tummy, can't you just see, Anna? Her pale smooth stomach was flat as ever, with the neat dimple of the navel its only blemish. Centaine pushed it out strenuously.
Can't you see, Anna, It might even be twins, Michel's father and the general were twins. It may run in the family, think of it, Anna, two like Michel!
No, Anna shook her head, aghast. This is one of your fairy stories. I won't believe that you and that soldier-'Michel isn't a soldier, he's a- Centaine began, but Anna went on, I won't believe that a daughter of the house of de Thiry allowed a common soldier to use her like a kitchen maid. Allowed, Anna! Centaine pulled down her shift angrily. I didn't allow it, I helped him do it. He didn't seem to know what to do, at first, so I helped him, and we worked it out beautifully. Anna clapped both hands over her ears. I don't believe it, I'm not going to listen.
