It was not Lieutenant Peploe coming down from the top landing, but Slater.
'Sergeant Tanner,' he said, his voice more animated than Tanner had ever known it. 'I never thought I'd say this, but thank God you're here.'
'What the bloody hell's going on?' He noticed the sergeant was holding a Webley revolver.
'It's the farmer,' he almost gabbled. 'He tried to have his way with the nurse. Too much grog. He's whacked his wife, struck the lieutenant with his shotgun, then Blackie and me got there and we had a bit of a tussle. I'm looking for the girl.'
'What? Where did she go?'
'I don't know - I think she may have jumped out of a window. I heard a splash.'
Tanner glanced up to the landing, then into the room nearest him. He went in and ran to the window, forced it wide and leaned out. Then there was a crack on his head and his mind went blank.
In the top room, Blackstone could hear men shouting and talking outside as they hurried across the yard. The pain had eased, and so he moved Peploe from the bed and swung the door into the lieutenant's head. Looking up, he saw Slater at the top of the stairs.
'We've got be quick, Will,' said Slater, urgently, as he ushered him back into the room. 'You need to go out into the yard and tell the men what's happened. The sky's cleared and the stars are out. Explain to them that the best course for them is to start heading for the coast. We can use the Pole Star, but my guess is we've been heading north anyway. Make it convincing, all right?'
Blackstone nodded. 'What about Tanner?'
'I don't think we need to worry too much about him. I coshed him over the head and pushed him out of a window into the pond. He's probably drowned. You can tell them he jumped after the nurse. I'll go and search for them now. If either of them's found, they won't be making any trouble, that's for sure.'
'And the farmer's missus?'
'I've dealt with her.'
Blackstone swallowed. 'All right, Ted.'
'Good - you do the talking, and I'll hunt for Tanner and the nurse.'
He hurried off, leaving Blackstone in the top bedroom. The CSM glanced back at Monsieur Michaud's lifeless body and tried to think clearly. He could hear the men in the yard and in the house downstairs. Slater spoke to some of them as he passed. Hurrying to the window, he leaned out and said, 'All right, boys, everything's under control.' Then, as he dashed for the stairs, he saw Sykes, McAllister and Greenstreet, the medical orderly.
'What's going on?' said Sykes.
'A bit of a to-do with the farmer, lads,' said Blackstone. 'Can you come up here and give me a hand with the lieutenant? I'm afraid he must have been coshed.'
Sykes pushed past and hurried to Peploe. 'Sir?' he said, and then, as he checked the lieutenant's breathing, he noticed Monsieur Michaud's bloodied body. 'Christ alive!' he said, jolting backwards.
'Slater got him,' said Blackstone, then turned to Greenstreet. 'I'm sorry, mate, but the bastard was trying to have his way with your nurse friend.'
Panic spread over Greenstreet's face. 'Where is she?'
'She got away from him - kneed him where it hurt most, I think. We got here just after he'd fired a shot at her on the landing. Then Ted pounced on him and eventually managed to shoot him. We never saw her, but I think she jumped out of the window in the adjoining bedroom.'
'Oh, my God,' said Greenstreet, leaving Peploe to run down the corridor and into the next room. 'Lucie!' he shouted, from the window. 'Lucie!'
Following him, and deliberately blocking the top of the stairs, Blackstone said, 'Slater's taken some men to look for her.'
'Then I must go and help,' said Greenstreet.
'No. You stay here and make sure the lieutenant's all right. There's enough people already searching for her.' Blackstone ran down the stairs.
'Sergeant,' Sykes called to Greenstreet.
'Sorry-yes, I'm coming,' Greenstreet replied. 'This is bloody unbelievable.'
Sykes saw him glance at Monsieur Michaud as he came back in. Then Greenstreet cleared his throat and said, 'We should take the lieutenant back to his room. Can't leave him to come round in here with - with all that blood.'
Sykes and McAllister lifted Peploe, carried him down the stairs and laid him on his bed. Greenstreet felt his pulse, then put his ear to Peploe's mouth.
'He's still breathing, all right.'
'What about his head?' asked McAllister.
'A bad bump, that's all. He's out cold, though.' He stood up. 'Look, I'm sorry, but I've got to find Lucie.' Muttering under his breath, he hurried from the room.
When he had gone, Sykes said, 'There's something going on here, Mac.' Now he remembered Tanner. 'And where's the sarge - where the bloody hell is he?'
'I don't know,' said McAllister. 'I haven't seen him.'
'Jesus Christ,' muttered Sykes. 'Right. You stay here, Mac, and keep an eye on the lieutenant. I'm going to look for the sarge.'
