Nikola had no thought then to ask them what the hell they had been doing back there in Lepech; he simply wanted news of his own guys. From what Vernhes told them it was bad, worse than he had imagined. At least five of Group Rainbow had been killed and two had been taken prisoner, Pierre Rouget from Cavialle and Philippe Boysse, both of them local boys. The Germans had put them into one of their trucks and it was moving out; back to Bonnemort, they supposed.

‘We ought to try to get them back,’ Henri said. Vernhes nodded. He strolled away from his truck, signalling with a movement of his head for Henri to follow him where they could not be overheard. Nikola went too.

‘Look, we could get them before they even reach Bonnemort and have a chance to work our guys over,’ Vernhes urged.

Henri said, ‘I’d rather wait till dark and gather a few more men.’

‘No, no. You’ll have fewer rather than more. They’ll be patrolling the roads, picking up anyone they see, not to mention putting the screws on Pierre and Philippe. We must act at once. This is what I suggest: you hold up the lorry and we’ll come up behind.’

Henri was looking thoughtful. He wasn’t sold on it. Vernhes grew impatient. ‘It’s only one truck. What are you afraid of? You must have twenty guys here, and we’ve got the same.’

When Henri still did not reply, Vernhes said, ‘I don’t want to keep my men hanging around here. If you don’t like the plan, say so and we’ll move out at once and no more time wasted. But don’t count on us tonight. We’ll be a long way from here by then.’

Nikola could see that Henri didn’t like it, but he wanted the back-up that Vernhes could give, so he agreed. Vernhes had it all worked out.

‘This is what we’ll do,’ he explained. ‘You lot’ll take our Renault truck and drive as fast as you can through the woods to the Bonnemort track. You’ll make it in time because they’ll come the long way round by the main road. They haven’t dared take the short cut for weeks. We’ll drive the other truck to the junction and wait till we see the Germans turn up the Bonnemort track and then we’ll come up behind them.’

It was all planned and agreed so fast that within minutes Vernhes was walking back to the men, shouting for his lads. Henri climbed into the cab, and Vernhes slapped him on the back.

‘Don’t worry, Henri. We’ll get them back for you.’

The top of Nikola’s bald head gleamed in the firelight. He put down his vodka glass on the floor between his feet and heaved himself upright, almost tipping into the fire. He opened the front door, fumbling with the shutters.

‘Got to pee,’ he mumbled.

Theo, whose bladder had been begging for relief for at least half an hour, followed him gratefully. The solace of sending the jet of urine steaming into the earth just beyond the rectangle of light thrown from the house was so great that he felt he had reached the understanding that he sought. He had it, he understood what had been going on. But, by the time he had rebuttoned his flies and stepped indoors once more, it had disappeared.