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.Neither do I ask, as I once did, to see their ‘backyard’ when what I meant was Mrs Hamilton’s garden.’The young men laughed and Emily observed how easily Chris had made them all feel at home.No wonder top brass, whoever they were, had decided to keep him here at Castlewellan Road Camp and move new parties of engineers through, rather than sending him off with the young men he had already prepared for the front.Behind them, the dining table was laid for eight, a beautiful candelabra at its centre, but before they made any move towards it, a waiter appeared with a tray of drinks.Chris beamed as they were handed round.‘Lady and gentlemen,’ he began, with a little bow to Emily, ‘I have some good news for you.It is no longer classified.A certain gentleman by the name of Eisenhower has landed in North Africa and has taken the surrender of French troops in Casablanca, Oran and Algiers.Operation Torch has got off to a very good start.’Emily and Alex exchanged glances as they touched their glasses and they drank to the continuing success of the campaign in North Africa.It was then that Chris made the introductions, beginning with Emily herself.‘This good lady is Mrs Emily Hamilton,’ he said easily.‘She is one lady I will take orders from and you will all do the same,’ he added softly.‘She may not wear stripes, but I assure you she always knows exactly what she is doing.’Before Emily even had time to blush, he had moved on.‘My good friend, Alex Hamilton, appears to know everyone in this area, not just the hundreds of people who work in the Bann Valley Mills where he is Technical Director.Thanks to Alex, you may well be given work for your team in one of the mills, but whatever chance you get, in any project outside the camp, ask for his advice.He came here as a stranger, just like you have, but as a result he knows people here better than they know themselves.’Watching Alex’s face, as he registered what Chris had said, it was all Emily could do to concentrate on the names of the young men who had listened with such close attention.She wasn’t sure she’d be able to remember all five first time, but what she would not forget was where they came from.Could she ever have imagined that one day she might stand in the same room with dinner guests from Vermont, California, Kansas, Michigan, New York State and Boston.The meal was superb, the conversation both interesting and relaxed.Emily was intrigued to see that, although Chris was the senior officer and was addressed by them all as Sir, there was no deference.They were completely at ease with him and with each other as they each declared for the benefit of the others what they thought of their own state, or city, or town, or village.Their stories were a delight, both shrewd and humorous.They answered her questions with a directness that surprised her.She was amused to be called ma’am and eventually asked if that wasn’t what one had called Queen Victoria.‘Slightly before my time,’ said Chris.‘Though in the eyes of these youngsters, I probably predate Christopher Columbus.’‘Perhaps Lewis and Clarke, sir,’ suggested the one from Boston, who struck Emily as having a Canadian accent.‘Thaaaa-nk you, Hank,’ said Chris, turning to Emily.‘He’s just paid me a compliment,’ he explained.‘Lewis and Clarke are a couple of centuries later than Columbus, but still a helluva long time ago,’ he said amid the general laughter.‘I should also explain, Emily, that this character sitting opposite you may have been named Alexander Lachlan Ross, as I’ve told you, but it appears he answers to Hank the Tank.No doubt there are other such names here present, yet to be declared, but that one got as far as the official record on my desk.Has to be a compliment, Hank,’ said Chris, nodding to him.‘Pity you have stenters and not tank tracks, Alex,’ Chris added.Hank blushed slightly and looked pleased.Emily smiled across at him and caught an answering smile in his bright blue eyes.A lightly built man, his blonde hair cropped in a regulation cut, he was the one from Boston, the one who seemed somehow familiar though she couldn’t think why.Maybe it was just the Canadian accent.At least, she thought it was Canadian.It might well be.One thing she had found out this evening about North Americans was that no one ever stayed where they didn’t want to be [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]