Sharpes Gold   ::   Корнуэлл Бернард

Somewhere a door scraped on old hinges, bootscrossed a yard, and Sharpe knew it was time to be up.

'And you?

Her hand felt his scars. 'We will fight. Ramon, me, Father. Joaquim only thinks of what happens afterwards.

'Afterwards?

'When there is peace.

'And you? Her hair had the smell of a woman and his hand rested on the long, muscled waist.

'I want to kill Frenchmen.

'You will.

'I know.

Now, looking at the sudden smile, he wished that she was not going. He could, he decided, be happy with this woman, but he laughed inside as he remembered he had thought the same of Josefina.

'What are you smiling for?

'Nothing.

He swung his legs out of bed, pulled up his crumpled clothes and put them on the bed. She pulled the jacket towards her, opened the pocket.

'What's this? A silver locket lay in her hand.

'A locket.

She hit him. 'I know. She opened it and, inside, saw the gold-haired girl with the generous mouth. 'Who's that?"

'Jealous?

She seemed to understand and laughed. 'Who is she?

'Jane Gibbons.

She imitated him. 'Jane Gibbons. Who is she? Is she waiting for you?

'No. I've never met her.

She looked at the face in the miniature painting. 'She's pretty. Never?

'Never.

'Why do you have it?

'I knew her brother.

'Ah. Friendship made sense to her. 'Is he dead?

'Yes.

'The French? She said the word with her customary spite.

'No.

She looked exasperated at his answers. 'Was he a soldier?

'Yes.

'Then how did he die?

Sharpe pulled on the French overalls. 'I killed him.

'You?

Sharpe paused. 'No. The Sergeant killed him. I killed the other one.

'What other one? She sat up, flinched as he pulled back the curtain.

Across the street was a church with ornate stonework and a laddered bell-tower. The soldier in Sharpe automatically understood that the church roof must have a platform for the ladder, a possible firing position.

'They were enemies. They hurt a friend.

She understood the half truth. 'A woman?

He nodded. 'Not mine. Another half truth, but by the time the two Lieutenants had died, Josefina had already found Hardy.

She laughed. 'You're a good man, Richard.

'I know.

He grinned at her, picked up the locket and pushed it back into his pocket.