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clasped loosely in front of her. 'No, but now you have him to look
after you '
' I am to be denied the pleasure of your company? Mistress
Cathie, I cannot believe you would be so hard-hearted.'
Despite herself, a small chuckle escaped her. 'I do have other,
things to do, you know.'
'Yes, of course; of far more importance than tending a mere,
wounded soldier!' He cast a mournful glance at her. 'Adam deserted
me this afternoon to visit the stables, and here was I, all alone.'
'Now, sir!' Adam grinned broadly at him, glad to see him in this
CROMWELL'S CAPTAIN 33
light-hearted mood. 'You did ask me to make sure your horse was
comfortable and I was only gone for a short while.'
'Gossiping with the grooms, I have no doubt, and telling them
blood-curdling tales of battle. Mistress Cathie, allow me to warn
you. Don't believe all Adam tells you. He is an incorrigible liar!'
'Sir! How can you say that?'
'Because it's true, you rogue!'
Adam caught Cathie's eye. 'Not always, sir.' He gave her a
significant look. 'I do tell the truth sometimes!'
Denham laughed; and then caught his breath with a gasp. He
found them both watching him with some concern.
' 'Twas nothing. I shall have to remember to control my merri-
ment until this wound of mine has healed.'
'Yes, sir, you will,' Adam agreed gravely.
Cathie's troubled gaze travelled over Denham's face, noting the
lines that pain had carved on each side of his mouth. 'I should not
have come in and disturbed you,' she said contritely. 'I only wanted
to bid you goodnight.'
'I am glad you did,' he returned, his voice soft. His eyes held hers.
'Very glad.'
When she had left him, he lay frowning into space. Adam,
making his preparations for bed, glanced at him from time to time,
but did not speak. He knew when to keep silent. Finally, however,
he went across to the bed. The Captain's gaze turned to him.
'Well, Adam?'
'Shall I close the bed-curtains, sir? There's quite a draught
tonight.'
'There's always a draught.' The Captain's tone was gruff. He met
Adam's worried look and shifted awkwardly against the pillows.
'I'm sorry. It is not your fault. I was just wishing something foolish.'
'Indeed, sir?' Adam deftly rucked the sheet in.
'I was wishing I wasn't an enemy.'
Cathie had gone to the Great Chamber to say goodnight to Mary
before making her own preparations for bed. 'Try to sleep, Mary
dear,' she counselled. 'I'm sure we shall have good news in the
morning.'
Mary sighed. 'Indeed, I hope so. John has offered to ride into
Torrington, or at least in that direction, to try and find out what has
been happening today.'
'Good.' Cathie took a quick breath. 'I'm sorry, Mary, for what
34 CROMWELL'S CAPTAIN
happened at supper tonight. I should not have spoken to Rachel as I
did.'
'No, it would have been better had you kept your tongue between
your teeth.' Mary rose from her stool and went slowly, heavily, to
the window. Drawing aside the thick curtain, she looked out. Cathie
went to stand beside her. The night was dark and quiet. Only a few
miles separated them from Great Torrington, but it might have been
half a world away.
Mary let the curtain fall back into place. 'Go to bed, Cathie. It is
late.'
They kissed each other affectionately as Betsy came quietly in. At
her own insistence, she had recently taken to sleeping in a truckle-
bed in a corner of the Great Chamber, to be near Mary should she
require her urgently during the night.
Cathie went to her own bedchamber, but when she was ready for
bed, a warm bed-gown over her night-smock, her curls tucked away
beneath a dainty, frilled cap, felt strangely reluctant to blow out the
candles and climb into the four-poster. Instead, having dismissed
Susan, she chose to sit for a while before the small fire, chin cupped
in her hand.
Her roving thoughts went from John and Rachel to poor Mary,
trying so valiantly not to show her fear, and thence to James who
might at this very minute be fighting for his life.
She wrenched her thoughts away from him with a brief prayer for
his safety, and found herself thinking instead of Captain Denham,
and of the way he had looked at her. Her expression softened, and
she gave an involuntary little sigh.
Some time later she became aware that she was cold. The fire was
nearly out. She rose with a shiver: the candles were guttering.
Crossing to the toilet table she snuffed them, wrinkling her nose at
the acrid smell of the smoke.
She was drawn to the window. Through the gap in the curtains
she could see, far above, the pricking of stars in the darkness. She
was about to turn away when, without warning, the whole sky to the
west was suddenly and violently rent by a vivid flash that threw the
tree-crowned hills into stark relief against it. She started back with a
cry of alarm. What could it be?
She heard hurrying footsteps, raised voices.
' An explosion!'
Rushing to the door, she pulled it open. John was in Mary's room,
talking excitedly, sweeping aside the curtain, pointing to the bright
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