The Pride and the Anguish by Douglas Reeman

Author:Douglas Reeman [Reeman, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Naval Fiction
ISBN: 9780425021101
Amazon: 0745166458
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 1972-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The girl turned and stared up at him. `He can’t be moved! I’m not leaving without him!’ Her voice quivered and there were tears cutting through the grime on her face.

Trewin lifted his head. The gunfire had stopped, and he was conscious of the small sounds outside the shattered room. The hiss of charred wood, the distant cry of a wounded animal, or man.

He said, `You must go now, Clare!’

She stared at him, her eyes wild, `No! I won’t go!’ To her father she said brokenly, `Please! Tell him!’

Petty Officer Kane shouted from the clearing, `Come on, sir! I can hear the bastards on the hill!’ As if to back the urgency of his words Trewin heard the Porcupine’s siren. It was eerie and somehow frightening.

`You will go with Lieutenant Mallory.’ He could not look at her. `I will stay with your father.’

She screamed, `No!’ But as Mallory seized her arm she shouted, `I hate you! I’ll never forgive you!’ Her other words were lost in an outburst of sobbing as Mallory picked her bodily from the floor and carried her into the sunlight.

Massey seemed to relax. `Thank you.’ He coughed, and two small threads of scarlet ran down his beard. `I know what that cost you. What she means to you.’

Trewin looked at the sodden bandage. The sudden silence outside the ruins was worse than gunfire, and his whole being

called out to him to run. To keep running, like those soldiers. But he could not move.

Massey muttered, `Can’t help me. Finished. Matter of minutes.’ He rolled his eyes. `All my work gone, Trewin. All finished.’ He tried to lift himself on his elbows.. `You’ll see her safe, won’t you?’ His eyes were desperate.. `She’s had nothing out of life!’

Trewin nodded, ded, not knowing what to say. `Try to rest, Doctor.’

‘I’ll rest. Later.’ He lay back, his eyes again on the sky. `Tell Greville to look after himself.’ One hand gripped Trewin’s wrist with surprising force. `He must be careful!’

Trewin looked away. Massey was obviously going fast. He was delirious.

But Massey continued in the same urgent tone, `You must help him, Trewin! I know he trusts you.’

Somewhere a rifle cracked and the agonising screams were cut short before the echo had faded.. Trewin tried to smile. `He doesn’t need my help, Doctor.’

His voice seemed to bring Massey a last reserve of life. He struggled up on one arm, his eyes blazing. `He does, Trewin! He does!’ His teeth were bared in what might have been a smile. `He’s a stubborn fool. But he’s going blind!’ His head lolled against Trewin’s shoulder. `Been treating him, but he can’t be helped now. Nearly blind!’

He coughed, and this time the blood did not stop.

Trewin felt his pulse and then stood up. Hardly daring to allow his mind to function he stepped out into the sunlight and then, with Massey’s last words ringing in his ears, began to run down the road towards the river.

The last mooring rope was flung clear as he was

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