“I know,” Jones said. “But you both look like you’re about to collapse. Let’s get him inside. Then we’ll think, without drama, what to do.”
The last time she’d asked for his trust, it ended with a gunshot. He ought to be disgusted with her. He shouldn’t be risking his neck. Again. But here he was. “All right, Doctor.”
“Call me Stephen,” he said. He sounded irritable. But his fingers were gentle when he took Freddie’s weight from her. “We’ve a ways to go yet. I’ll look after you both.”
· · ·
Laura’s hope—and she imagined Jones’s as well—was to slip Freddie into the château unseen. Get him settled, get some food intohim, some tea. Let him sleep, for God’s sake. And then—well, he was officially dead, so perhaps with some bureaucratic chicanery they could slip him out. She didn’t have the money for passage back to Canada, but first things first. She could take a job, she spoke French…
So ran her thoughts, as Jones, with Freddie leaning on his shoulder, slipped in through the servants’ entrance and made for the back stairs, with Laura behind.
They met Pim coming down.
She was fully dressed and neat, despite the hour, and she didn’t see them at first. She was calling behind her as she walked. “No, I telephoned already, you can’t stop me, Mary. I’m going.”
Mary was in the stairwell a few steps behind her. “Have you even considered, for a moment, that it’s better not to draw attention—” She caught sight of the trio at the foot of the stairs.
Everyone stopped.
Mary recovered first. “Where have you been, Iven? We were—” She’d seen Freddie. “Who’s that? Get him in the ward, for pity’s sake, is he—?” She stopped again, seeing the looks on all their faces. “What?”
Pim had understood. With a swift step, she got to the bottom of the stairs and flung her arms around Laura. “You found him,” she said. Her eyes were starry with tears. “You found him.”
“What in God’s name?” said Mary.
Laura, suddenly full of a sinking fear, tried to marshal her thoughts. She hadn’t actually planned for anafter,when the miracle had happened. She shouldn’t have come here at all. Mary was not sentimental. She wouldn’t risk her hospital to help one tattered deserter.
“It’s Freddie, of course, Mary,” Pim threw over her shoulder. “It’s Laura’s brother.”
At Pim’s voice, Freddie lifted his head. A strange look came into his bewildered eyes. “I remember you,” he said. “Whatever he told you, he lied.”
“I beg your pardon?” said Pim.
“I saw you.” Freddie struggled for words. “I saw him—” His eyes swept the room. “Where is Winter?”
“Where did you find him?” demanded Mary.
“Trapped,” said Laura.
Mary looked scornful. “Deserted, you mean. And you brought him here, Iven, Christ. You know I’m going to have to—”
No, she wasn’t.Laura opened her mouth, furious, but Pim spoke first. “Mary Borden, howdareyou?” Not for the first time it occurred to Laura that Pim’s slightly foolish manner was a construct, a shield maintained so perfectly for so long that she herself forgot sometimes what lay beneath.
“You are going to help them,” said Pim. “Because if you don’t, I’m not going to smooth over the—incident with Gage today. I’ll tell Young when he comes thatyouknew who Winter was when you took him in, that you pitied him. I’ll tell Young all kinds of things.”
No one said anything. It was as though a mouse had roared.
Mary set her jaw. “Shaw—”
“I mean it,” said Pim. “I’ll do it. They’ll be so angry. Make you close up your hospital. Or you could do the kind thing for once in your life, Mary.”
“Very well,” said Mary, bitterly. “All right, Pim, you wretch. You’ll go to Poperinghe, you’ll smooth things over with the general. And take Iven with you. I don’t trust you not to do something rash.”
Laura had missed something. “Tonight?”
Pim said, “I telephoned Young. I want to see the general. There were a few things I remembered, that—that Winter told me. I thought they would interest him.” She glanced at Mary. “And I thought—I can make sure that they’re not angry at us over it. Young’s coming to fetch me. Soon, actually. But lord, Mary, there’s no call for Laura to—”
Laura wasn’t listening. It didn’t make any sense. If Pim could telephone Young to tell him that she had information, why not just pass it along, then and there? A glance at Mary’s face showed Mary didn’t entirely buy it either. What, then?
