Читать книгу Royal Regiment - Gilbert Frankau - Страница 31

Table of Contents

Rusty Rockingham’s week at Steepdown had been a routine one except for the complication of Godden; and another “slight brush with W.W.”, who had questioned the battery’s right to have its turban sign painted on the new dragons.

The latter point Lampson conceded—though not without “consulting the C.R.A”. For Godden, however—as a hint from Headworth, “I shouldn’t bring that up again if I were you, sir”, confirmed on the Tuesday morning—there was not likely to be any grace.

The man, already warned of this, had turned a little sulky. (“I shouldn’t have any difficulty in making my living as a civilian, sir.”) Discipline, nevertheless, still held.

Urged not to “rush his fences”, he had finally agreed, “It seems rather hard luck, sir. But I’ll do as you say, and not put in my form till we know what’s going to happen”.

Meanwhile Botley—reported sick from the depot—was still away.

“Good thing, too”, decided Rockingham, changing khaki for mufti after a couple of hours in his office that Saturday morning; and—having told Noakes to bring the car round—he strolled over to the mess, where he read the papers, and helped Lyttelton with the Times crossword puzzle until lunch.