Read Online Day Will Come by Beryl Matthews - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beryl Matthews
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breath, when the team of soldiers gathered round, moaning with exhaustion.
‘Well done, sir,’ one of them gasped. ‘We couldn’t stay with you.’
Dan grinned, straightening up, elated with the way it had gone. ‘I wasn’t sure I could beat you. Thanks for giving me the chance to try.’
Steve wandered up. ‘That was impressive, Dan. How does the leg feel?’
‘Good. It held up well.’
The soldiers were now looking at the tall officer in amazement. ‘You did that with a gammy leg?’ one of them asked.
‘It’s healed now.’ Dan turned to Steve. ‘What do you think, Doc, will they let me return to active duty?’
‘No doubt about it. I’ll send in a report as well, to make sure of it. You’ll be back with your regiment by the end of the month. Your men will be relieved to see you.’
A cloud crossed Dan’s face. ‘I’ll know some that survived, but there will be a lot of replacements I don’t know.’
‘They will have all heard about the exploits of Major Chester, and they will be just as relieved to see you back. No one thought it would be possible, Dan. But you always were a stubborn bastard.’
One of the soldiers whispered to the others, ‘What did he do?’
‘Dunno,’ another replied, ‘but I think the sergeant has been hiding things from us. He damned well knew we were going to be beaten!’
All comments stopped as Grace walked into view, accompanied by the corporal and the examiner.
‘Ah.’ Dan strolled over. ‘How did she get on, Andy?’
‘I gave her the same test as a military driver, and she passed easily. I’ve been trying to persuade her to join the ATS, but I haven’t been successful.’
Dan didn’t comment on that, but smiled at Grace. ‘Well done!’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Her eyes shone with amusement as she looked at him. ‘I see you’ve managed to find some mud.’
‘Are you jealous?’ he asked, and they both laughed at the private joke. ‘As it’s our last visit here, and as a celebrationof you passing your test, I thought you might like to have a go at the assault course with me.’
‘Dan!’ Steve exclaimed. ‘You can’t ask a girl to tackle that!’
‘Why not? I’m sure she’d like to have as go. Wouldn’t you?’
She eyed the monstrosity, and thought for a moment. The glint in his eyes told her he really wanted to do this. Things had obviously gone well for him today, and she could see his relief. He knew he was on his way back to active duty, so perhaps this would be a fitting way to bring their short time together to a close – with laughter. She smiled at him. ‘You’re on!’
He took hold of her arm and placed her in front of the first obstacle. ‘I’ll tell you how to deal with each stage of the course. Trust me and go for it. I won’t let you hurt yourself.’
She nodded, wondering why on earth she had agreed to this.
‘Run as fast as you can!’
It was bedlam. Everyone there was running beside them, shouting encouragement. The first obstacle wasn’t too bad, and her balance was good when she reached the pole across the water, but there was a high wall in front of her now.
‘Keep your speed up,’ Dan instructed, ‘and be ready to grab the top of the wall.’
When they reached it she was lifted off her feet, and thrown to the top. She made a desperate grab and held on with all her might. Suddenly, Dan was also up there with her.
‘Right. Now, get your legs up.’
The yelling from the onlookers was deafening as Grace struggled to sit astride the wall. She looked down and saw the sergeant waiting on the other side, urging her to swing down.
The rest of the course was negotiated in the same way, with willing hands helping her along, and enthusiastic encouragement from all sides.
By the end, she was dirty, exhausted, and probably bruised, she thought. But it had been fun, and she had never seen Dan laughing so much.
‘Well done, Grace! That was a valiant effort. I’m proud of you.’
Everyone was clustered
‘Well done, sir,’ one of them gasped. ‘We couldn’t stay with you.’
Dan grinned, straightening up, elated with the way it had gone. ‘I wasn’t sure I could beat you. Thanks for giving me the chance to try.’
Steve wandered up. ‘That was impressive, Dan. How does the leg feel?’
‘Good. It held up well.’
The soldiers were now looking at the tall officer in amazement. ‘You did that with a gammy leg?’ one of them asked.
‘It’s healed now.’ Dan turned to Steve. ‘What do you think, Doc, will they let me return to active duty?’
‘No doubt about it. I’ll send in a report as well, to make sure of it. You’ll be back with your regiment by the end of the month. Your men will be relieved to see you.’
A cloud crossed Dan’s face. ‘I’ll know some that survived, but there will be a lot of replacements I don’t know.’
‘They will have all heard about the exploits of Major Chester, and they will be just as relieved to see you back. No one thought it would be possible, Dan. But you always were a stubborn bastard.’
One of the soldiers whispered to the others, ‘What did he do?’
‘Dunno,’ another replied, ‘but I think the sergeant has been hiding things from us. He damned well knew we were going to be beaten!’
All comments stopped as Grace walked into view, accompanied by the corporal and the examiner.
‘Ah.’ Dan strolled over. ‘How did she get on, Andy?’
‘I gave her the same test as a military driver, and she passed easily. I’ve been trying to persuade her to join the ATS, but I haven’t been successful.’
Dan didn’t comment on that, but smiled at Grace. ‘Well done!’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Her eyes shone with amusement as she looked at him. ‘I see you’ve managed to find some mud.’
‘Are you jealous?’ he asked, and they both laughed at the private joke. ‘As it’s our last visit here, and as a celebrationof you passing your test, I thought you might like to have a go at the assault course with me.’
‘Dan!’ Steve exclaimed. ‘You can’t ask a girl to tackle that!’
‘Why not? I’m sure she’d like to have as go. Wouldn’t you?’
She eyed the monstrosity, and thought for a moment. The glint in his eyes told her he really wanted to do this. Things had obviously gone well for him today, and she could see his relief. He knew he was on his way back to active duty, so perhaps this would be a fitting way to bring their short time together to a close – with laughter. She smiled at him. ‘You’re on!’
He took hold of her arm and placed her in front of the first obstacle. ‘I’ll tell you how to deal with each stage of the course. Trust me and go for it. I won’t let you hurt yourself.’
She nodded, wondering why on earth she had agreed to this.
‘Run as fast as you can!’
It was bedlam. Everyone there was running beside them, shouting encouragement. The first obstacle wasn’t too bad, and her balance was good when she reached the pole across the water, but there was a high wall in front of her now.
‘Keep your speed up,’ Dan instructed, ‘and be ready to grab the top of the wall.’
When they reached it she was lifted off her feet, and thrown to the top. She made a desperate grab and held on with all her might. Suddenly, Dan was also up there with her.
‘Right. Now, get your legs up.’
The yelling from the onlookers was deafening as Grace struggled to sit astride the wall. She looked down and saw the sergeant waiting on the other side, urging her to swing down.
The rest of the course was negotiated in the same way, with willing hands helping her along, and enthusiastic encouragement from all sides.
By the end, she was dirty, exhausted, and probably bruised, she thought. But it had been fun, and she had never seen Dan laughing so much.
‘Well done, Grace! That was a valiant effort. I’m proud of you.’
Everyone was clustered
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