Chieftains

''Course I do. That's why we're gettin' married.'

'Tell me then…you never tell me in your letters. And you didn't even write for the last three weeks…only the telegram.'

'We had manoeuvres…I was out in the field. There's no time for writing letters, then. Being in the army's just like work you know, but it isn't nine-until-five every day.'

'You still haven't told me.'

'I'll tell you tomorrow.'

'Don't be daft.' Her eyes were soft, filling slightly with hurt.

'All right, I love you.'

'You could say it a bit nicer; kiss me, then tell me.'

Her first kisses were always gentle, testing. He could taste her lipstick. 'I love you, Cathy.'

'Mmmm. That's better…ooh, don't bite. Don't they feed you in Germany?'

'Let's go upstairs.'

'That's all you think of.'

'I can't kiss you properly standing up.' He had his hands under the back of her sweater, his fingertips beneath the taut strap of her bra. Her skin was warm and smooth. He could feel an erection beneath his trousers, pressing hard against her stomach.

'What are you thinking about, DeeJay?' Inkester's voice echoing inside the Chieftain.

'Fuck all!' Why the hell did Inkester have to drag him back? Christ, they were the best thoughts he'd had in days…he was home…he had been home for just a while…not long enough.

'I was thinking about Davis. Y'know, if we weren't Davis's crew we'd be bloody dead, DeeJay. I reckon we owe him. Straight up.'

'Cobblers!'

'It's not cobblers. I've been thinking about it; noticed yesterday and today. He's bloody careful is our WO.'

'Like how?' Play Inkester's game; if he wants to chat for a while, why not? Maybe Inkester never daydreams.

'Well, like when we went down the hill to the road after Lieutenant Sidworth bought his; remember, us an' Sealey. Davis put us in exactly the right place…best protection, good position. It bloody looked dangerous but we were safer there than up on the hill in the open. And later, in fact every time we moved position he was careful, every time bloody careful; not just drive up and think we'd got hull-down, but exact…just right…and good cam…natural cam…cover…everything. I tell you, it wasn't all luck DeeJay, it was sort of genius. Maybe he's got an instinct. You know. I've read about things like this, tankies who got themselves right through the last big war, and Korea and places, without a bleedin' scratch…there's always got to be someone who gets all the way through. Well, this time, it's going to be us.'

You stupid bastard!' This time DeeJay was angry. If he could have reached Inkester through the narrow gap between the back of his driving seat and the gun, he would have grabbed him and smashed his stupid face.

'What's wrong with you?' Inkester knew the driver's anger was genuine, and was startled.

'You'll fucking jinx it, you daft bugger! I don't want you, nor any other nig-nog talking about luck, skill or anything to do with why we're dive and the others aren't. I don't give a fart about surviving yesterday, or today…even tomorrow. I'm alive now, and that's all that matters.'

Spink interrupted in an attempt to distract the two men; there was nowhere to go inside a tank if someone started throwing punches. 'I think our WO is a bloody lunatic.'

Spink's remark was a mistake. Inkester grabbed him by the collars of his coveralls and dragged him forward until their faces were only a few inches apart. 'You think what, Stink?'

'I don't mean he's mad or anything, honest…just I thought that he was going to murder me.' To his relief Inkester pushed him away.

'I'd have bloody murdered you, too,' DeeJay said fiercely.

'Davis is a fuckin' good commander, Stink.' Inkester reached down beside his seat and brought out a bar of chocolate. He broke it into three equal parts and to Spink's surprise gave a piece to each of them. 'We're all mates in this tank, we fight together. But remember, Davis is ace, Stink, genuine essence!'

TWENTY

Another new troop. New men. They weren't even from his own regiment…unless you counted some of the reserves who had reached the division in the past few hours. Strangers, all of them. Maybe it was better like that. If he thought about them too much Davis knew he would go crazy as they got themselves killed off. They were really only replacement equipment, not men with faces and names; limited-life equipment, lacking durability, intended to be used and discarded. When they had reported to him, he had tried not to look at them too closely. Their names were on his list, but he had not even attempted to remember them.

'If you ask me what's going on once more, Inkester, I'll crown you. You've heard the orders, and you've got eyes like the rest of us.' He was getting snappy…testy. No damn wonder. 'Spink, what are you up to?'

'Reading, sir.'