The Hill by Ray Rigby Read Free Book Online Page A

I’ll expect you to behave like a man.”
    The R.S.M. moved on and stopped and faced Roberts. “You’re the mystery man, Roberts. The marvel of the age.”
    Roberts looked past Wilson and concentrated on the hill.
    “We’ll have a little chat,” said the R.S.M. “Just the two of us.” He walked away and Roberts followed him.
    McGrath watched them walk away and narrowed his eyes. What the hell is all that in aid of? he wondered.
     

 
    CHAPTER THREE
     
    The Commandant Strolled down the main street He felt much better since he had had a shave. The hot towels and friction had worked wonders on him. The wogs were certainly damn good barbers. Tried to charge you the earth, of course. You had to watch them. Hair was going thin at the crown though. He would have to watch out for that. Massage perhaps? But nothing really worked. Only thirty-five and I’m losing my hair, he thought. It’s a damned nuisance.
    Two soldiers passed him and turned, eyes right, and saluted and the Commandant casually returned the salute. Bloody lot of rubbish, he thought. Kid’s stuff. But he would check a man if he didn’t salute him. He walked on slowly and then paused to look into a shop window. Regimental cap badges, cheap cigarette cases, brass ashtrays, perfume fly whisks. Junk.
    He walked on and then saw a nurse walking towards him. Nice legs, good figure, very neat in her walking-out uniform. Then he remembered that he had met her once at the Officers’ Club. Wilkins had been her escort. The old ram. What the hell was she doing with old Wilkins? He grinned to himself. She danced rather well and he had held her close to him. What had he said to her? He had been pretty tight that evening, come to think about it.
    He stepped out briskly, then a few paces from her he stopped and touched his cap with his swagger cane, standing relaxed and smiling down at her. The nurse stopped and looked puzzled for a moment until the Commandant reminded her that they had met at the Officers’ Club dance and then she remembered and smiled warmly back at him. Yes. It had been fun. A lovely evening.
    The Commandant leaned nearer, smiling into her eyes. He knew that he was making headway. He had her full attention now. Perhaps they could meet this evening? The nurse hesitated.
    “I’m on duty. I’m sorry.”
    “What a pity. Tomorrow, perhaps?”
    The nurse hesitated again and glanced at her watch.
    “Tomorrow afternoon?” enquired the Commandant. “If you aren’t on duty we could go for a swim.”
    He was anxious to see her in a swim suit. The nurse nodded her head and smiled, and he shook hands and held her hand longer than necessary then stepped back and gallantly and casually touched his cap with his swagger cane and watched her walking away, concentrating on the easy rhythm of her buttocks. He knew that she would turn and look back and she did. Again he saluted gallantly and she smiled and waved and walked on. Walks well, damn good figure, thought the Commandant. Her voice grated though. A touch of disguised cockney in it somewhere, but a damn pretty girl. Should be rather nice in bed. The Commandant walked on looking well pleased with life.
    *
    The R.S.M. nodded to the line of prisoners and Roberts doubled away and joined them and stamped to attention then stared blankly into space, but after a few moments he realised that he was staring at the damned hill again. It must be fifty or sixty feet high, he thought. No more than that. A few trips over it wouldn’t be too bad but if they keep me on it.
    He watched R.S.M. Wilson slowly pacing up and down in front of him. Up and down, up and down, deep in thought. What’s he dreaming up for us now? Roberts wondered. These bloody flies, they’re living on my sweat. Don’t twitch. Keep still. A pity the R.S.M. specially picked me out for a heart to heart. Pity about that. The other lads must be wondering. To hell with them. The R.S.M. didn’t get any change out of me and neither will anybody else.