Nikola blew his nose loudly. ‘You want me to tell you that we fought a famous battle, retreating from house to house; that we caught them in the rear and captured the lot? We didn’t. We ran away. What could we do? Who wants to die the day before peace breaks out?’

Theo, who had offered no word of professional criticism, had no difficulty in understanding that the Russian’s military pride was bitterly offended by this episode, from its opening braggadocio to its ignominious end.

‘But the question!’ Nikola was shouting now, leaning forward, forearms on his knees, his face flushed with vodka and flames. ‘The real question you’re asking yourself is …’

He poured some more vodka. They were well into the second bottle by now.

‘The difficult question is, how did the Germans know? How did the Germans know so damn quick?’

‘Perhaps they didn’t know. Perhaps it was just bad luck that they turned up there and then.’

‘Yes, perhaps.’ His voice dropped. ‘Yes, perhaps. The whole unit, turned out to visit Lepech Perdrissou one Thursday afternoon. Perhaps they just happened to have a field gun, flame throwers, mortars with them? Perhaps it was just bad luck. The other question is, where did the FTP get to? I didn’t see them fighting alongside me, hiding behind garden walls, lobbing grenades at the bastards. Was anyone from the FTP captured? Perhaps we were just unlucky, like you say.’ He brooded over ill luck and the vagaries of chance.

In the forest they had regrouped. He found Henri in a clearing with some more of their men. The boys flung themselves on the ground panting, some laughing aloud with relief at their escape and the exhilaration of the chase. Henri was breathing hard, wiping sweat from his neck.

‘Jeannot was shot outside the boulangerie,’ he said. ‘I’m afraid he may have copped it.’

There were no recriminations. Henri wasn’t one to start asking why did we do it; he just got on with what he had to do, but he must have thought, what a bloody waste.

Nikola grunted and said, ‘What next?’

‘We’d better move ourselves as fast as we can over towards La Peyre,’ Henri said. ‘The Germans will be around here like a disturbed wasps’ nest for the next day or so. We want to be as far from them as possible.’ He began to count how many men they’d managed to assemble. ‘I’m going back to Bonnemort, but I’ll join you tonight or tomorrow morning.’

‘Henri, don’t go home. It’s asking for trouble. Leave Madame Ariane to deal with them. She’s got them wrapped round her finger.’

‘No, I must go back. After this, they might do anything.’

Just then they heard the sound of a truck bumping up the track. They all picked up their weapons and scattered, but only half-heartedly. They could tell from the sound that it was a wood burner, so it must be French and, sure enough, the two lorries that drew up were full of men from Group Noix, Vernhes sitting up front with the driver of the first vehicle.