Vidal's Honor Read Online Free PDF

to face her future without complaint. She didn’t want to see the two flat-topped hills flanking the village of Arapiles or the open land spread out beyond the village. Swallowing the bile rising in her throat, Honor stared at the changing colours of the peaks. Still rose-tipped, their bases hidden beneath a deep cover of darkness.
    Just thinking about returning to those expansive plains— it would be gruesome. Perhaps if they crossed the land under the cover of night she’d manage to cope.
    After a brief stop to eat one strip of dried meat and drink water from their containers, the men set off again, one riding ahead, the other bringing up the rear. The narrow tracks made conversation impossible, so she focussed on the back of the man in front and kept her fears at bay, and wondered how much further they would travel before stopping for the night. Or did the men intend to use the cover of darkness to ride as far as possible and then rest up during the day?
    The view across the plains where rice and esparto used to grow, before Napoleon marched against Portugal and Spain, was now charred from fires set by the French. She wondered where the enemy soldiers acquired their ropes from now, since they’d destroyed the main ingredient for making rope.
    And the shack Phillipe mentioned. What kind of place would it be? Big enough to accommodate three people, two of them as huge as her two guides and protectors?
    She gave herself up to the rhythm of her mule, letting the hours slip by, and nearly bumped into her leader when he stopped.
    â€œWe must leave the path,” he spoke in a low tone.
    â€œIs something wrong?”
    â€œMen approach, and at this time in the evening it is not likely to be anyone local. So we must take shelter.”
    Honor peered round the man and stared up the path ahead. “I can’t see anything.”
    â€œI hear them,” the man named Tom said. “Move quickly.” And without another word he took hold of her mule’s reins and led her away from the track to an outcrop of tumbled rocks, on each side of which stone-pine trees struggled to survive, adding a little more security to the sparse haven. When she looked back the second man was nowhere in sight.
    Fear, sharp and visceral, shot through her. Were Phillipe’s men about to betray his trust?
    â€œDo not be alarmed. We separate so if one is discovered the other of us can still guide you to safety.”
    Shame nudged her fear aside. Had the man read her mind, or intuitively understood her feelings? Whichever, she nodded, and dismounted without a word, led her mount off the track, and persuaded it to lie down.
    It wasn’t long before she made out the sound of voices in the distance. She slid to the ground and leaned her back against the rocks as instructed and watched Tom scale the outcrop to observe the band of travellers.
    Raucous shouts carried on the breeze. Surely, Honor thought, it meant the newcomers were locals. Then she heard a cry of pain followed by silence, and shivered. The male laughter grew closer and a babble of French, too fast for Honor to understand completely, but she picked up enough to recognise one man ordered the others to leave the woman where she fell.
    The ribald replies were too rapid and full of oaths for her to comprehend. She pressed further against the rocks, too fearful to even breathe. It seemed an age before the band of men drew level, then passed on by without stopping.
    Tom waited several minutes before he slid down from the rock and urged his weary mule to its feet.
    â€œIt’s not safe to remain here. They may yet come back for the woman.”
    â€œWhy would they do that, they said she was no use to them anymore. I thought you said Napoleon had banned women from travelling with the army?”
    â€œThose men are probably renegades.”
    His words brought to mind one of Dev’s warnings . " There’s little about army life that can be described as