Field Service (30 page)

Reid was about to say more when they finally heard the whistle of the delayed train, signifying that it had arrived at the canal halt. They both rose at the sound and went to the platform's edge. Benoît reappeared from his office, followed by his two employees. The three men all wore flowers in their lapels.

Drake came back to Reid and said everything was ready. Reid told him to form the men into lines and to await further instructions.

A group of local people, including Benoît's wife, gathered at the station gates to pay their respects.

After them came the journalists and the photographers, most of the men gathering at the waiting vehicles. Others, Reid guessed, would already be making their way to the cemetery to follow the proceedings there.

The train appeared a moment later, attracting everyone's attention and causing them all to fall silent.

Back in Morlancourt, the church bell started its slow and measured tolling, suggesting to Reid that someone there had also been waiting for the signal of the whistle.

The train came slowly forward and stopped at its usual place.

The driver and Ernaux climbed down from the cab and went to stand beside Benoît. They, too, wore flowers in their lapels.

Further along the train, several doors opened and other men climbed out. Among the first of these were Wheeler, Jessop and Guthrie. They stood together for a moment, and then Wheeler, seeing Reid and Caroline further along the platform, said something to Jessop, who came towards them.

Jonathan Guthrie started to come with him, but Jessop said something to the man and Guthrie turned back and made his way to the solitary goods carriage at the rear of the train.

Jessop took off his cap and held out his hand to Caroline.

‘Perhaps you might like to go to your nurses,' he said. He motioned to where Guthrie now stood. ‘Don't worry, nothing will commence until Colonel Wheeler gives the word.' He looked through the depot to Drake and the waiting men. ‘Perhaps I might have a word with Captain Reid?'

‘Of course.'

Caroline left them and walked slowly along the platform. The men and women who now filled it fell silent at her approach and then stood aside as she continued towards the waiting carriage.

‘The cemetery?' Jessop said, hardly looking at Reid.

‘Everything's fine and waiting.'

‘Good.' And then, without warning, Jessop clasped Reid's arm and turned him away from the train. ‘You'll be relieved to hear that Lieutenant Lucas has finally revealed himself. In Boulogne. He's being detained at the provost's office there.'

‘Detained?'

Jessop smiled at the word. ‘I'm afraid so. He was travelling without authority. As well you knew. I'm surprised you hadn't already heard. The deputy provost called Wheeler last night.'

‘How would I have heard?' Reid said.

‘Of course. How would you?' Jessop looked back along the platform to where Wheeler stood in conversation with men Reid had never seen before, several of whom wore dress coats and top hats. After a moment, Wheeler looked towards them and Jessop quickly raised his hand.

‘Your signal,' Reid said, pulling himself free of the man.

‘What are you talking about?' Jessop said.

‘He sent you to ascertain that everything was ready and that I, at least, was still here and doing his bidding.'

‘He's your superior officer, for God's sake, man. What bidding?'

‘What will happen to him? Lucas.'

Jessop shrugged. ‘Out of my hands, I'm afraid. Out of all our hands.'

‘Meaning Wheeler's already washed
his
hands of him.'

‘Meaning the best thing for all concerned would be to let others – the men responsible for these things – deal with the whole affair. The Commission itself certainly doesn't want any—' He stopped abruptly. ‘Besides, I imagine Lieutenant Lucas might consider himself to have somewhat more pressing concerns at present.'

‘Meaning?' Reid said, suspicious of what Jessop was suggesting. ‘His daughter, you mean?' He braced himself for Jessop's answer, but Jessop seemed confused by the remark.

‘Meaning,' Jessop said, ‘that upon being challenged by the port authorities, Lieutenant Lucas suffered some kind of seizure, a kind of fit. The provost's office sent for a doctor. Don't worry, Lucas is fine. The doctor said it was probably caused by nervous excitement, agitation. You know the thing.'

‘And now?'

‘Lucas? In the hospital there, being well taken care of.'

‘Sedated, you mean?'

Jessop held up his hands and smiled. ‘I'm not a medical man, God forbid. Besides,' – he looked back to Wheeler and the gathering crowd – ‘this is neither the time nor the place. Sharpen up and do your duty, Reid. Just do your damn duty.' Then Jessop took several paces away from Reid and looked all around him. ‘It looks a good show,' he said. ‘For the women, I mean, the nurses.'

‘People appreciate being able to do it,' Reid said.

‘I'm sure they do,' Jessop said, looking back to Wheeler and his invited dignitaries. ‘And all to great advantage, of course.' He looked at the journalists and photographers gathered beside the waiting soldiers, making his meaning clear. ‘Necessary evils, I suppose.'

Reid gave no answer because none was expected of him. In Jessop's eyes – as in Wheeler's – he too had already ceased to exist.

Wheeler finally detached himself from the growing crowd and came to them.

‘Right, good, well, shall we begin?' he said, holding out his hand to Reid. ‘Shall we get the proceedings underway?' He put on his cap, tugged at the knot in his tie, clapped his gloved hands together once and then walked quickly back along the platform towards Caroline, Guthrie and all the others.

Jessop walked even more quickly to catch up with him.

Reid remained where he stood for a moment and then followed them towards the waiting carriage, exchanging nods and words with the few people he knew.

Seeing that the first of the day's ceremonies was about to begin, all those on the platform again fell silent.

Wheeler called for everyone's attention and delivered a short speech outlining the day's running order. He then beckoned to Jonathan Guthrie, who came to stand beside him.

Guthrie paused for a few seconds and then bowed his head and said a prayer. Most on the platform copied him. Only the voices of the nearby newspapermen broke the quiet of the occasion.

When Guthrie had finished, he nodded to Wheeler, who indicated for the door of the waiting carriage to be unlocked.

Reid moved closer to the train and signalled for Drake and his own men to come forward.

Caroline Mortimer, Reid saw, kept her head down and her eyes closed as the carriage door was fully opened and its contents revealed to her.

The coffins had been set out in a single layer, and laid upon most of them was a simple bunch of tied white flowers. Other blooms lay scattered on the carriage floor, where they had fallen during the journey.

Reid continued walking until he stood beside Caroline, who finally raised her head and opened her eyes, letting out an involuntary gasp at finding herself suddenly so close to the coffins. She seemed to sag slightly before steadying and composing herself. Reid held a palm to her back and then briefly took her hand into his own.

Robert Edric
was born in 1956. His novels include
Winter Garden
(James Tait Black Prize winner 1986),
A New Ice Age
(runner-up for the
Guardian
Fiction Prize 1986),
The Book of the Heathen
(winner of the WH Smith Literary Award 2000),
Peacetime
(longlisted for the Booker Prize 2002),
Gathering the Water
(longlisted for the Booker Prize 2006) and
In Zodiac Light
(shortlisted for the Dublin Impac Prize 2010). His most recent novel is
Sanctuary
. He lives in Yorkshire.

WINTER GARDEN

A NEW ICE AGE

A LUNAR ECLIPSE

IN THE DAYS OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

THE BROKEN LANDS

HALLOWED GROUND

THE EARTH MADE OF GLASS

ELYSIUM

IN DESOLATE HEAVEN

THE SWORD CABINET

THE BOOK OF THE HEATHEN

PEACETIME

GATHERING THE WATER

THE KINGDOM OF ASHES

IN ZODIAC LIGHT

SALVAGE

THE LONDON SATYR

THE DEVIL'S BEAT

THE MONSTER'S LAMENT

SANCTUARY

CRADLE SONG

SIREN SONG

SWAN SONG

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First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Doubleday
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
Copyright © Robert Edric 2015

Robert Edric has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781473510357
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9780857522900 (tpb)

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