The Iron Tiger - Jack Higgins [53]
Drummond examined the map carefully and frowned. 'Where does this track go to running over the mountain from the village? There's a place up on top on the plateau. Ladong Gompa.'
'Ladong Gompa?' Father Kerrigan put in. 'But that's a monastery, a Buddhist monastery. There's a shrine in the next valley, very famous in the old days. Pilgrims used to cross over the mountain and stay overnight at the monastery. I believe that's why it was built in the first place. The old Khan told me about it once.'
Hamid examined the map and shook his head. 'That's eight or nine thousand feet up, Jack, and the snow starting. Father Kerrigan and Janet could never get across.'
'But you could with the boy,' the priest said.
Drummond cut in quickly. 'We all could if we had horses.'
'Horses?' Hamid said with a frown. 'And where are we going to get horses?'
'As you said, the village is only five miles along the road. If we slipped in just before dawn, we shouldn't have too much trouble.'
'All of us?' Hamid said.
Drummond shook his head. 'Just you and I. The others can wait for us here. When we come back with the horses, we can cut up across the shoulder of the mountain and join the track above the village.'
'If we come back with the horses.'
'At least it gives us a chance.' Drummond shrugged. 'Can you think of anything better?'
Hamid shook his head slowly. 'That's the trouble, Jack, I can't. I don't suppose we have much choice.'
'Then I suggest we get some sleep. We're going to need it.'
Janet passed him a blanket and he wrapped himself in it and lay down next to Hamid and the old priest. Surprising how warm the stove had made the interior now. He looked across at Janet sitting against the boxes, head bowed, the young Khan sleeping in the hollow of her arm.
A wonderful girl. The shadows thrown by the stove on to the canvas hood moved in and out, now coming together, now separating. Just like people, he thought. Now they need each other, now they don't. Now they mingle with each other, now they go their own way.
He slept well in spite of the cold that crept into the truck during the night and found himself crushed between the old priest and Hamid. When he awakened he sat up and lit the stove. The bright flame reflected suddenly from Kerim's unbandaged eye and Drummond grinned at the little boy, huddled in the corner next to Janet.
He motioned him to silence and looked outside. It was that time just before dawn when things begin to take on shape again, to have definition. There wasn't anything like as much snow as he had expected. Quite obviously, it had stopped falling hours before.
He felt curiously refreshed and jumped down into the snow, enjoying the fresh air in his nostrils after the dose atmosphere of the truck. As he stood there, the trees started to stand out with a sort of hard luminosity and he knew that dawn was not far away.
'Enjoying the morning air?' Janet said quietly from the truck.
He turned and smiled. 'I don't know if you could say that exactly.' He spread his hands in a vaguely French gesture. 'I feel funny this morning. Close to home, wherever that is, and yet I know I'm not.'
She reached down for his hand in the darkness and gripped it tightly. 'We'll get there, Jack, I know we will.'
'Well just go on believing that.' He grinned. 'Better put some tea on the stove and wake Ali. We haven't got much time.'
'No need.' Hamid looked out of the canvas screen beside her and Janet moved back. 'What's the day like?'
'Could be worse. It can't have snowed for very long.'
'It'll be back, I can promise you that. We'd better get ready.'
Drummond climbed back into the truck and found Father Kerrigan crouched at the stove beside Janet, opening tins of beans.
'How do you feel?' Drummond asked.
Father Kerrigan smiled. 'The old bones are beginning to creak a little, but I'll manage.'
'One thing I didn't check last night. Can you both ride?'
Janet nodded. 'Since I was a child.'
The priest smiled. 'I should imagine you've been used to a rather more sedate mount than the local variety, my