"They’ll fascinate you with a knife right through your gullet, beggin’ your pardon, Father," Learoyd said. "Far be it from me to tell a missionary priest his Christan duty; I’ve met enough men of the cloth to know they’ll take the Lord’s word into the jaws of Hell if that’s where they see fit to go, but it’s no country for a woman, Father. If I were you, I’d send Miss Cross here back to Simia, where a lady can be treated like a lady. You’d be doin’ her a favor, and that’s God’s truth."
"In other words, Private Learoyd," Andre said, "‘you’re saying that you do not think me fit for such a challenge""
"No offence, miss," Learoyd said, "but the Pathan highlands are no place for one of the weaker sex."
She smiled. "Weaker, Private Learoyd""
"I do not impute your strength of spirit, miss," said Learoyd, "I speak of physical strength. It’s a hard land you plan on goin’ to."
"And you are strong enough to brave the dangers, whereas I am not"" said Andre.
Learoyd grinned. "Well, I’m a man, miss. And dealin’ with the Pathans is a man’s work."
"Prove it," she said, setting her elbow on the table in position for an arm wrestle. "Prove I’m weaker than you, and I may reconsider my position."
Mulvaney roared and slapped the table. "Now that’s what I call spunk!" he said. "Go on, Learoyd, me son, lave a go. It’s as good an excuse to ‘old a lady’s ‘and as any! "
— Surely you’re joking," said Learoyd.
Andre stared at him deadpan, her hand still held ready to grasp his.
"Come now, miss, I’d be loath to hurt you," said Learoyd. "This is foolishness. I’m right sorry if I hurt your pride. I’ll take it back now, right""
"You said you were stronger than I," said Andre. "I say you’re a liar. Prove you’re not.
"Now, miss," said Learoyd, clearly annoyed, — that’s no way to talk. Tell her I meant no offence, Father, and we’ll leave it at that."
Lucas shrugged. "Miss Cross, as I have learned, is a woman of an independent thought and unusual talents. Once she has made her mind up, she will not be dissuaded. You’ve made a statement you purport is true, Private. It appears you’ll have to prove it or have it known you were afraid to.
"What a load of rubbish, said Learoyd. He frowned. "Right, then." He put up his elbow and grasped Andre’s hand. "I’ll be as gentle as I can, miss. But mind now, you insisted on this. Say when, Mulvaney. "
"On three," said the burly private. "One … two … three! "
Learoyd’s hand smacked the table before he knew what happened. His eyes grew wide. Ortheris spat tea as he tried to keep from laughing.
"That wasn’t fair," said Andre. "You weren’t even trying. You were going to give in a little, just to humour me. One more time, and this time for real." She put up her arm again.
"Faith, and you’re a different sort of woman al-together," said Learoyd. ‘Very well, then. But this time I won’t hold back. I give you fair warning."
"I expect no less than for you to do your best," said Andre.
"Mulvaney," said Learoyd.
"Rigpt. One … two … three!"
Both exerted pressure on the signal. Learoyd’s mouth dropped open as Andre’s arm refused to budge. Ortheris and Mulvaney, thinking he was toying with her, started chuckling, but it became apparent to them in a moment that Learoyd wasn’t fooling, that he was exerting all his strength to try and put her down and he wasn’t getting anywhere. They stared at the contest in astonishment.
"Blimey!" said Mulvaney. "I must be dreamin’!"
"Corne on, Learoyd!" said Ortheris. "You can’t let a woman put you down, now can you""
Mulvaney frowned."Stop muckin’ about, me son."
"Who’s muckin’ about"" said Learoyd. "She’s as strong as I am!"
"Only as strong"" Andre said, smiling. Learoyd’s arm slowly began to give.
"Well, I’ll be buggered!" said Mulvaney, forgetting he was in the presence of a priest. Both he and Ortheris started to cheer Learoyd on, but it was to no avail. Learoyd gritted his teeth; Learoyd turned red with effort; Learoyd grunted; Learoyd strained, and his arm was still inexorably forced lower until at last the back of his hand touched the surface of the table.
Learoyd gasped as Andre let him go. Ortheris shook his head with amazement. "If I ‘adn’t seen it for my-self," he said, "I’d never ‘ave believed it!"
"Learoyd, that was a disgraceful exhibition, mate," Mulvaney said. Wait’ll the lads in B Comp’ny find out about this!"
" You have a go at her!" said Learoyd. "She’s got the strength of a bloody dockworker! "
Mulvaney, of course, had to rise to the occasion, and being at least twice as strong as Learoyd, he was able to put Andre down, but not without some effort. "Well, sod me!" said Mulvaney, then realised what he had said and flushed.
"It’s quite all right, Private Mulvaney," said Andre.
"Miss Cross is a most unusual and surprising woman, wouldn’t you agree"" said Lucas.
Andre was rubbing her arm.
"I ‘aven’t done you any ‘arm, ‘ave I, mum"" said Mulvaney, genuinely concerned. "Nothin’ against you, y’understand, but I’m quite strong, an’ you just ‘ad a good match with Learoyd, ‘ere."
"I’m all right," said Andre, though her arm was sore and her hand felt as if it had been squeezed in a vice.
"I take back everything I said," Learoyd said with admiration. "Tell me, miss, how did you come to be so strong" It’s truly remarkable. "
"I grew up on a farm," said Andre truthfully, for she did grow up on a farm in the Basque country of the Pyrenees in the 12th century. She did not mention that a large part of her strength was due to having been raised as a boy who was trained to be a squire to a knight. The not inconsiderable weight of an English broadsword did wonders for arm development.
"Well, I’ll grant you this, miss," said Learoyd, "if any white woman was fit enough to travel among the Pathans, that woman is yourself. Though why anyone would want to go there is beyond me."
"Why do you go, Private Learoyd" " Andre said.
"Because I’m a Tommy, miss, and I go where I’m ordered," Learoyd said.
"That isn’t the real reason," Andre said. "If the duty was unbearable to you, ways could be found to avoid it. You could request a transfer. If no other option were available, you could even take more drastic measures. As a nurse, I’ve seen many cases where men had avoided duty due to being accidentally wounded in some manner, and though I’m not a physician, it didn’t take one to see that the wounds were self-inflicted."
Learoyd looked scandalised. "Now what sort of a man would do a thing like that, miss" That’s a coward’s way!"
"I see," said Andre. "Then it becomes a question of priorities. If survival were your first priority, then you would pursue any course that would ensure it. Yet if shooting yourself in the foot is something you would regard as cowardly and dishonourable, then clearly you have other priorities that take precedence over survival. Honour, for example. Displaying bravery in battle. Perhaps hand in hand with those go the desire for adventure and the thrill of undertaking a challenge. Those are not exclusively masculine attributes, Private Learoyd. If I were to turn around and go back to the capital at Simla, after having come all this way, I would be avoiding a duty, in a manner of speaking. If I were a man, you’d call that cowardly, wouldn’t you" ‘,
"I suppose I would at that, miss," said Learoyd.
"When were you and Miss Cross plannin’ to depart upon your journey, Father"" said Mulvaney.
"We were hoping that we’d be able to travel with the regiment," said Lucas. "At least, most of the way, until it became necessary for us to strike out on our own."
"I can’t see as where that’d be a problem," said Mulvaney. "The regiment can always use another doctor on a long march."
"In that case we’d best be on our way to the cantonrnent." said Delaney. "I need to report in, and the Father here needs to speak with the commanding officer. "