Janssen was not simply talking to Beatrix and to the messenger who stood at the open door. His loud cry had brought Dopff and the other servants running. They gathered around him with mounting excitement as he read out what Amalia had actually written. It was wonderful news. They were so overcome by a collective relief and elation that they hugged each other for several minutes. The long and agonising wait was finally over.
Lieutenant Ainley was delighted to be given the privilege of escorting the two ladies around the camp. Neither Amalia Janssen nor Sophie Prunier wanted to be cooped up in a tent all day and so they readily accepted the invitation to combine a tour of inspection with a walk in the fresh air. The only thing that dampened Amalia’s enjoyment was the fact that Daniel was not escorting her. To stroll through the camp on his arm in such fine weather would have been a treat for her.
She’d met Jonathan Ainley more than once and liked his courteous manner and the way that he cheerfully venerated Daniel Rawson. What she didn’t know was that he had a good command of French and so was able to converse freely with Sophie. As the three of them walked between the avenues of tents, the women gathered many approving stares and admiring comments. Sophie didn’t need an interpreter. The looks on the men’s faces were self-explanatory. Civil and attentive, the lieutenant pointed out various aspects of the camp and talked about battles in which the army had been involved. Out of deference to Sophie’s presence, he chose not to dwell on the casualties suffered by the French and their allies.
Amalia sensed that he was developing more than a passing interest in their companion. Even in borrowed attire, Sophie was a striking young woman. Most of what Ainley said was directed at her and she, in turn, asked most of the questions. It almost reached a point where Amalia began to feel that she was in the way.
‘When will you return to Mons?’ asked Ainley.
‘I have to wait until my parents come home from Paris,’ said Sophie, ‘so I may be here for a few days yet.’
‘I won’t complain about that, mademoiselle.’
‘Thank you, Lieutenant.’
Amalia watched as she acknowledged the compliment with an engaging smile. She’d never seen Sophie’s smile before and realised how it released the full beauty of her face. Ainley was captivated. For the first time since their escape, Sophie was relaxed and able to enjoy something. Amalia was glad that the horrid memories of the woman’s ordeal had been put briefly behind her and that she could be in an army camp without feeling endangered.
‘And what do you do, Lieutenant?’ wondered Sophie.
‘I simply obey orders,’ he replied.
‘You have to give them as well, don’t you?’
‘It’s more a question of passing them on. The structure of command in an army is crucial. I occupy a particular place in it with very particular duties.’
‘How long have you served under His Grace?’ asked Amalia, determined not to be left out altogether.
‘Ever since this war started,’ he said. ‘Captain Rawson and I have served side by side — though he hadn’t attained a captaincy when we first met.’
‘Yes, I’ve heard the story of his career.’
‘It bears retelling time and again, Miss Janssen.’ He switched from English back to French. ‘You must be an admirer of Captain Rawson as well, I daresay.’
‘He rescued me,’ said Sophie. ‘I can never thank him enough. I was beginning to fear that I’d never get away from that camp.’
He was amused. ‘When you did so, however,’ he noted, ‘you ended up in another army camp. It was a case of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.’
‘Oh, no, I think that I am very safe here.’
‘And why do you feel that?’
‘To begin with, it has gentleman like you in it, Lieutenant.’
Ainley was not sure how to cope with the flattering remark so he turned away. Amalia wasn’t watching him. Her eyes were on the smile that Sophie had given him. It was almost coquettish and it worried her. The Frenchwoman was behaving oddly and Amalia didn’t know why. Once again, she felt that she was intruding.
‘Well,’ said Ainley, facing them again, ‘you’ve seen almost everything there is to see.’
‘We haven’t seen the big guns yet,’ said Sophie.
‘I didn’t think that cannon would hold any appeal for you. Artillery is not something that usually interests ladies.’
‘I’m very interested,’ said Sophie. ‘What about you, Amalia?’
‘Yes, I’m happy to view the cannon,’ replied Amalia.
‘In that case,’ said Ainley, obligingly, ‘follow me.’
It took hours. Distraught at the loss of his sword, Daniel began the search by going from wagon to wagon and asking if anyone had the weapon. From the shifty looks he collected from certain people, he could see that they’d been involved in looting his supplies but none of them had even seen the missing sword. When he offered to pay handsomely for its return, he still had no response and had to accept that he’d not find the weapon among the camp followers. The one person he didn’t question was the blacksmith’s wife, Josette. Had she possessed the sword, he was certain that she’d have used it on him now that she realised that Daniel was responsible for her husband’s inability to enliven the marital couch at night.
The search took him on a meandering route that ended at the wagon owned by Alphonse and his father. The old man was there this time and he recognised Daniel instantly.
‘Why, it’s Gustave,’ he said, pointing. ‘My son told me that you’d come back. Where have you been?’
‘I had to leave camp for a while,’ said Daniel.
‘That was a mistake. You left your wagon unguarded.’
‘I know that. Almost everything in it has been looted.’
‘Well, don’t look at me,’ said the old man, truculently. ‘We never steal from friends. Josette drove your wagon away. Speak to her.’
‘I already have,’ said Daniel, ‘and she wasn’t pleased to see me.’
The old man cackled. ‘Did she try to hit you?’
‘I didn’t stay long enough.’
‘Josette has fire in her belly — and with a belly that size, that means a real inferno.’
Daniel waited until the old man stopped shaking with mirth.
‘I’m trying to find something that was in my wagon,’ he said.
‘Then you may as well give up now.’
‘This is too important to give up.’
‘Listen,’ said the old man, screwing up his one eye. ‘Most of what was stolen has already been sold or eaten. You’ll never find it.’
‘I’m not after the provisions.’
‘Your horse has vanished into thin air as well.’
‘That doesn’t worry me either.’
‘Really — then what are you after, Gustave?’
‘The only item that I want back is a sword. It was hidden under the seat and now it’s gone.’
‘Oh?’ The old man was curious. ‘And why would you be carrying a thing like that?’
‘It’s a family heirloom,’ lied Daniel. ‘It belonged to my father and I promised to keep it for his sake.’
‘Did he serve in the army?’
‘Yes, he did.’
‘Which army was that?’
‘It was the French army, of course. He was a true patriot.’
‘What about you, Gustave?’ asked the old man, regarding him shrewdly. ‘Would you call yourself a true patriot?’
‘Yes, I would,’ affirmed Daniel.
‘You’d be willing to die for France?’
‘If it was necessary, I would.’
‘Then you’d better volunteer for the army,’ said the old man, ‘because that’s the only way you might get your sword back.’
Daniel’s eye lit up. ‘You know where it is?’
‘I might do.’
‘Then please tell me — I must know.’
‘Earlier today, I went for a walk along the stream.’
‘That’s where my wagon was left,’ said Daniel.
‘I know. I saw it. I also saw the soldiers who were climbing all over it. I took care not to get too close,’ continued the old man, ‘because some of them are too free with their bayonets. I watched them search all over and underneath the wagon.’