The Iron Tiger - Jack Higgins [42]
Sher Dil cursed and Hamid shook his head. 'We're better off without them. There's no problem. We've enough drivers between us. I can take a truck myself.'
Sher Dil nodded. 'Very well. I'll go first with Corporal Nadin. You follow in the supplies truck, Major. Father Kerrigan, Miss Tate and the young Khan can travel with you.'
'What about me?' Drummond said.
'You can bring up the rear with Ahmed. Mr. Brackenhurst can travel with Amal in the third truck with the refugees. As soon as everyone's in, we'll move out.'
As they broke away, Drummond heard his name and saw Janet leaning over the tailboard of the second truck.
He climbed up beside her quickly. 'Anything wrong?'
'No, what's been happening?'
'A couple of drivers have deserted, but there's nothing to worry about. How's Kerim?'
'Asleep at the moment. We've made him as comfortable as possible.'
Boxes had been moved away from the far end creating an alcove in which the young Khan lay covered with blankets, his face very pale against the white bandage. Janet leaned down to straighten a blanket and when she stood up again, Drummond took her hands.
'Are you worried?'
She shook her head. 'Nothing's really sunk in yet. I can't quite believe it's happening.'
His hands tightened, pulling her close and he kissed her. 'Not even this?'
She looked up at him, her eyes dark and serious, and then she smiled and touched his face gently. She didn't speak, there was no need and they kissed again.
'I'll see you later,' he said and left her there.
When he vaulted over the tailboard, Father Kerrigan was standing in the rain, a long cheroot jutting from his teeth beneath the shovel hat.
'And would it be all right if I got in now?' he demanded.
Drummond grinned and gave him a push up over the tailboard. 'Where did you get the smokes?'
'See Ahmed. He's been foraging amongst the supplies again.'
Drummond trudged through the mud to the rear truck. When he climbed up into the cab, he found Ahmed sitting behind the wheel wreathed in tobacco smoke.
The Afridi grinned and took a carton from the dashboard. 'Cheroots, sahib, very strong. Specially made for Indian Army.'
'The way I feel, I could smoke any damned thing,' Drummond said.
He lit one, coughing as the smoke caught at the back of his throat, the door was pulled open and Sher Dil appeared.
'The next village is Hasa which is a good ninety miles further on.'
'We haven't a hope of getting that far before darkness in weather like this,' Drummond said.
Sher Dil nodded. 'If we can make forty miles I'll be satisfied. We'll camp at the side of the road and push on at dawn.'
He slammed the door, and Ahmed pressed the starter. After several moments and a liberal use of the choke, the engine rumbled into life. The truck in front of them lurched forward and he eased off the handbrake and followed.
There was a warm smell of petrol and oil in the cab and rain splashed against the windscreen. Suddenly, Drummond had that same feeling of temporary security and safety he'd known in the herdsman's hut after they'd got across the river. He leaned back in his seat, laid the sub-machine gun across his knees and started to clean the grease from it with a piece of rag.
As the sound of the truck engines faded into the mist and rain, Piroo and Yussuf scrambled up from the stream bed and stood in the rain listening.
As the last echo died away, Piroo nodded in satisfaction. 'Good, they have gone. Sher Dil was very angry.'
'No matter,' Yussuf replied. 'His day is done.' He looked up at the smoke rising from the headman's house. 'There is still a fire on the hearth. We will stay here for the night. We can move on in the morning.'
They went up the steps to the verandah, opened the heavy door and went inside leaving the street empty again; Rain hammered into the mud, mist enfolded the silent houses and the village waited as night fell.
The truck rocked violently as it ground its way along