He nodded. 'Can we cross?
She glanced at the stream, shook her head. 'If the rain stops tonight? Yes. Sharpe had seen the extraordinary speed with which rivers, in these dry hills, rose and fell. She nodded at the fort. 'You can spend the night there.
'And you?
She smiled again. 'Can I leave?
He felt a fool. 'Yes.
'I'll stay. What's your name?
'Richard.
She nodded. She looked again at the fortress.
'You will be safe. We use it. Ten men can stop the entrance.
'And El Catolico?
She shook her head. 'He's frightened of you. He'll wait till tomorrow, when his men come.
Rain lashed across the valley, ran' from rock and grass and swelled the stream as the wind tore at the landscape. Half in the water, half out, they waited for the convoy to pass, and for what the next day would bring. The war would have to wait.
CHAPTER 15
'Sir, sir! A hand was shaking his shoulder and Sharpe opened his eyes, to see grey daylight on grey walls. 'Sir?
'All right! The girl was waking as well, the eyes blinking in surprise before she remembered where she was. He smiled at her. 'Stay here.
He crawled out of the space beneath the stairs, past the soldier who had wakened him, and went over to the gaping hole in the south wall of the tower. Dawn was like a grey mist on the countryside, blurring the trees, the grassland across the river, but he could see white flecks on the water surface where there had been none the evening before. The water level was sinking fast and the rocks which marked the ford of San Anton were foaming the river surface. They could cross today, and he lifted his eyes to stare into the western hills as if hoping to see a friendly patrol. He remembered the guns going south the day before and he paused, motionless, in the broken gap to listen for the crumping sound of the giant, iron siege guns. Silence. The siege of Almeida had not yet started.
'Sir! Lieutenant Knowles stood in the tower doorway.
'Lieutenant?
'Visitors, sir. Coming down the valley.
Sharpe grunted, scrambled to his feet, and strapped on his huge sword as he followed Knowles into the courtyard. There was a fire blazing, surrounded by men, and Sharpe looked at them.
'Do you have tea?
One of them promised to bring him a cup and he joined Knowles on the raised rampart that formed the south-eastern corner of San Anton's courtyard. He looked into the valley, up past the stream where the girl had lain beneath his body and the French lancers had first been seen.
'We're bloody popular this morning.
A line of horsemen was riding on the track from Casatejada, El Catolico's men, in force, and among them Kearsey's blue coat. Sharpe spat over the rampart into the stream far below.
'Keep them out, Robert. Don't let anyone, even the Major, inside the walls.
His uniform was damp and uncomfortable and he unstrapped his sword and belts, and stripped naked.
'Get that fire bigger! Use the thorns!
Rifleman Jenkins draped Sharpe's clothes on stones near the blaze and Sharpe stood shivering, a mug of tea held in his hands, and stared at the two hundred horsemen who were aiming for the oak groves where El Catolico and his men had spent the night. Sharpe looked up at the sky, saw the ragged clouds and knew that the storm had passed. Soon it would be hot, under a shadowless blue, and he wondered how much water the Company had.
'Sergeant McGovern!
'Sir?
'Take six men down to the river with all the canteens. Fill them up.'
McGovern looked at Knowles, back to Sharpe. 'We've already done it, sir. The Lieutenant sent us down.'
'Oh. He looked at Knowles and growled an apology. 'No one interfered with you?
Knowles shook his head. 'It's as you said, sir. They're guarding the ford, not the castle.
'Any food?
Knowles sighed. He had half hoped, against all experience, that Sharpe's morning temper would have been moderated by Teresa. 'Just hard tack, sir. And not much of that.
Sharpe swore, flung the dregs of tea far out towards the oak trees that sheltered El Catolico's men.
'Right! All weapons cleaned! He ignored the grumbles, turned and leaned against the rampart. Everyone was better for some sleep, a few hours between sentry duty, but there had not been time or opportunity in the night for the Company to check their weapons. The night had gone quietly. Some time after midnight the rain had stopped, though the wind still blew cold, and Harper had got a small fire going in the shelter of the broken tower, burning the thorn bushes that grew like weeds in the old courtyard. Teresa had been right. The fortress was approached by a single precipitous track, easy to defend, and El Catolico had left them in peace.
Scraps of wispy cloud cleared away from the rising sun, shadows stretched over the courtyard, and a touch of warmth came which soon would bake the earth dry and sap the Company of its small energy. Sharpe leaned over the rampart. The spate was well over, the water sinking, and the rocks,that marked the ford had broken the surface and collected ragged bundles of twigs and debris that the sudden flood had scoured from the banks. He saw Kearsey leave the oak grove and head his borrowed horse towards the path which led to the castle.
Sharpe pulled on his clothes, still damp, and nodded towards the tower. 'Keep the girl inside, Robert. Knowles nodded. Sharpe was pulling on a damp boot that refused to go over his heel bone. 'Damn! It slipped on. 'I'll meet the Major outside. Inspect the weapons and get ready to move.
'Already? Knowles seemed surprised.
'Can't stay here forever. Sharpe buttoned his jacket, picked up his sword. I'll go and give Major Kearsey the good news.
Sharpe walked briskly down the slope and waved cheerfully at Kearsey. 'Morning, sir! A nice one!
Kearsey reined his horse, stared down at Sharpe with unfriendly eyes. 'What have you done, Sharpe?
Sharpe stared up at the small Major who was silhouetted by the sun. He had expected anger, but not at him: he had expected Kearsey to be disillusioned at the Partisans and instead the Major's opening words, spoken with a suppressed rage, were spat at Sharpe. He replied quietly.
'I've brought the gold, sir, nearly all of it, as I was ordered.
Kearsey nodded impatiently, as if it were the answer he expected. 'You kidnapped the girl, locked up our allies; you have disobeyed my orders; you have turned men who fought for us into men who simply want to kill you. He paused, taking breath, but Sharpe interrupted.
'And the men who killed Captain Hardy?
Kearsey seemed to slump on his pommel. He stared at Sharpe.
'What?
'El Catolico killed him. Stabbed him in the back. He's buried beneath a manure-heap in the village. Teresa had told him the story during the night. 'He found El Catolico moving the gold. It seems he made a protest. So they killed him. You were saying, sir?
Kearsey shook his head. 'How do you know?
For an instant Sharpe was about to tell him, and then remembered that no one, outside the Company, knew that Teresa was no longer a prisoner. 'I was told, sir.
