Soldier No More

why not. He's a damn sight better-looking, haggard or not.

And he's younger.'

'Always back a good young 'un against a good old 'un? But he's not much younger. And maybe he won't bite?'

Jilly looked at Meriel, and shrugged. 'We can only try.'

“Well then—you try. You know him, after all, Jilly.'

'But it was your idea, Steffy.'

'No, it wasn't—it was yours!'

Looking from one to the other, Roche decided that it was time the horse had its say in the auction.

'Could someone please tell me what's going on?' He tried not to sound plaintive.

For a moment none of the three girls spoke. Then Lady Alexandra rallied, drawing her dress together as much as its inadequacy allowed.

'Yes. As my Mum always says, 'bitches are women, and vice-versa'. And these two particularly, David,' she said icily.

'Whatever they say, you say 'no' to them.'

'Nonsense!' snapped Jilly. 'And it's your interests we're thinking of. Are you on leave, David? Or are you just passing through?'

Jilly was running the show. Whatever the 'idea' was, it hadn't been Steffy's—it was Jilly who was making the running—

Getting him in!

'I'm on leave. I've three weeks due to me.' He smiled dummy5

innocently, playing back to her. 'As a matter of fact, I'm gathering material for my somewhat delayed doctorate.'

'Doctor—what?' Lexy shook her blonde head at him.

'Doctorate. Not the Royal Army Medical Corps, Lexy dear—

Ph.D—D.Phil, that sort of thing,' said Jilly dismissively.

'What's your thesis on, David?'

'The development of the bastides in the 12th and 13th centuries.' It sounded as stupid as it really was when he said it out loud. Damn Thompson!

Lexy's mouth contracted involuntarily, the generous lips puckering into an interrogative b for bastides—

Suddenly, Roche had her pinned down in his memory, from yesterday in the plane and from last night in the train, before sleep had claimed him— from Kipling's Stalky, which Wimpy had given him in that farewell parcel beside the Lodge at Immingham: not an overblown English rose, and not a prize chrysanthemum either, but Mary Yeo, the tall daughter of Devon, the county of easy kisses, fair haired, blue-eyed, apple-cheeked, with a bowl of cream in her hands—

Pretty lips— sweeter than— cherry or plum, Seem to say— Come away, Kissy!— come, come!

'No, Lexy.' Jilly shook her page-boy curls wearily. 'Not dummy5

'bastards'— ' bastides' . Remember when Mike and David took us to that place at Monpazier, under the arcades? That was a bastide—the whole village.'

Roche's heart went out to the big girl, so confident and aristocratic—Do you hunt? Are you a hussar?—and yet so vulnerable and amiable and utterly inoffensive at the same time. He wanted to get her down on her back and make love to her, but failing that just to cuddle her protectively and not take advantage of her.

'They're the fortified towns—or mostly villages now—built round here by the English and the French in the old days, Lady Alexandra,' he hastened to explain before Jilly could put her down again. 'Sort of custom-built places to mark the frontier, where the inhabitants could trade and farm by day, and sleep safely at night behind their walls, do you see?'

'She knows,' said Jilly. 'She's been told all about it by David Audley— she knows . . . She's not stupid, she only pretends to be, to get the edge on the rest of us. Don't be deceived by her

—she knows perfectly well. And her old Mum was talking about her, what's more— not us, David. You'd better remember that from now on.' She put out her tongue at Lady Alexandra. 'So just you watch it, Lexy—if you want us to help you.'

Lady Alexandra answered with an even longer tongue. 'And the same to you, Miss Clever-Baker—'

'Ladies! Ladies!' Meriel Stephanides interposed pacifically.

'David— where are you staying tonight? And afterwards?'

dummy5

Duty recalled Roche to the colours. 'Well. . . not anywhere exactly, at the moment. I've got a tent in the car, with my things—I was going to look around, sort of. . .'

Lexy perked up. 'Well—you can pitch your tent in our garden

—'

No he can't!' snapped Jilly. 'Don't be an idiot, Lexy—