Free Fire Below by Dornford Yates Page B

whipped up to my side.
    ‘Look, sir,’ says he. ‘There’s Carol. He’s trying to catch your eye.’
    It was true.
    Clad in white linen, as a peasant, the butler was alternately watching and clapping his chin to his shoulder to see if he was observed. He had come, of course, to tell us the troops were gone.
    As I have said, the public was not allowed to approach the lines, but, the show being on, I suppose there had been no one to stop him and Bach and the stable-boys were busy at the mouth of the tent.
    I was by the man’s side in an instant.
    ‘Quick,’ said I. ‘We mustn’t be seen. Is the Countess safe?’
    Carol nodded and gave me a little note.
     
    Richard,
    Do everything Carol says, and do it at once.
    Marya.
     
    As George came hastening, I gave it into his hand.
    ‘What are we to do, Carol?’
    The butler pointed north.
    ‘On the road over there, sir,’ he said, ‘there is waiting a car. It has just brought me and is ready to take us all back.’
    A car…in waiting…
    I could hardly believe my ears.
    ‘Now?’ said George stupidly. ‘Now?’
    ‘At once, sir. It is very important that you should lose no time.’
    ‘Go on,’ said George. ‘We’ll be there as soon as you.’
    As he turned, came the burst of applause which always followed Ada’s endeavours to dance.
    In another instant Bach would be back in the lines. And a hundred yards distant, this side of the gateway which gave from the road to the pitch, sat a couple of mounted police.
    Only waiting to take up our coats, George and Bell and I slipped through a gap in the hedge against which the lines had been pitched. Under cover of this we ran the length of the field and then slid down a high bank and into a lane. This ran north and south… A moment later we padded into the road. There was but one car to be seen, for those that were waiting to take people back from the circus were parked to the east. As we hastened towards it, Carol emerged from the field and stood to its door.
    The bonnet was facing away, and we could not see who was driving or whether he sat alone, but, as we drew near, the car seemed faintly familiar, as though I had noticed its like a short time before.
    As we came up, I heard the engine running…
    Then we were all inside, and the door was shut.
    Instantly the car moved eastward.
    It was a cabriolet, and its hood was up. In front sat two men, wearing dustcoats and peaked blue caps.
    ‘And now,’ said George, ‘what has happened? How on earth has Madame contrived to get hold of this car?’
    ‘Sir,’ said Carol, ‘I am simply obeying orders. I know no more than do you what Madame has done.’
    Both of us stared at the man.
    ‘You know more than we do,’ said I. ‘Have you come straight from the forge?’
    ‘No, sir. I’ve come from Bariche, where Madame is now.’
    ‘Bariche?’ screeched George. ‘ Bariche ? Oh, give me strength. D’you mean she’s over the border?’
    ‘That’s right, sir. We’re going there now.’
    ‘But how on earth–’
    ‘Sir,’ said Carol, ‘I am as bewildered as you. Less than an hour ago Madame gave me that note to give you and told me to enter the car.’
    ‘At Bariche?’
    ‘At Bariche, sir. At the sign of The Broken Egg .’
    ‘When did she leave Gola?’
    ‘Yesterday, sir. A little before midday.’
    ‘But why? How came she to leave?’
    ‘I do not know, sir. I was at work in the fields, and when I came back she was gone. Last night this car came to fetch me, but I have not spoken with Madame except to receive her orders to come and fetch you.’
    Try as we would, we could wring no more out of the man.
    The car went wide of Vigil and joined the Austrian road four miles from the town. I think it was the sight of a corner which I shall never forget that flicked that page of my memory which I had not been able to turn.
    ‘ My God! ’ I cried all of a sudden. ‘ This is Grieg’s car .’
    For a moment there was dead silence.
    Then—
    ‘That’s right,’ said