‘I was at the funeral for Goliath at your father’s farm.’

I tried not to show my astonishment. ‘I didn’t see you.’

‘You weren’t looking.’

‘True.’

‘I saw you at your father’s side, then running into the flames, and I was concerned. When I noticed you walk past my office window this evening, I decided to check that you’re all right.’ He gave me another easy smile. ‘You certainly look more than all right.’

I was wearing a long-sleeved blouse. My blisters didn’t show.

‘Thank you for your concern, Major.’ I let a silence linger for a moment in the sultry air, while I tried to work out what was going on, and my eyes strayed to the massive barrel of the heavy anti-aircraft gun on its raised platform at the edge of the nearest runway. Others were dotted about in the semidarkness like giant fingers pointing the way to hell. It was hard not to stare at them. On the far side was a large floodlit area with men in white playing a game of some sort.

‘Baseball?’ I queried.

He nodded with a grin. ‘An American camp would not be an American camp without a baseball diamond.’

‘Is that a fact?’

‘It may seem bizarre to a French person, but never underestimate the power of baseball, Miss Caussade.’

‘Tell me, please, why did you attend Goliath’s funeral?’

It struck me as odd.

We were strolling slowly along a concrete pathway at the edge of the road that ran in front of the row of recreation buildings, with Major Dirke making no effort to get to the point. A guard with a German shepherd dog on a leash saluted as he patrolled past us.

‘It seemed courteous,’ the major commented at last. ‘Given that your father has surrendered a large parcel of his land for the expansion of our air base. I wanted to inspect the well of feeling on the ground for myself.’

In the semi-darkness I could just make out the concrete apron with at least twenty aircraft of varying shapes and sizes lined up on it. Like strange animals in a zoo. I wanted to go over for a closer look but a second chain-link fence had other ideas.

‘You saw the reaction,’ I said. ‘How strongly people feel against the expansion – against the air base altogether.’ I glanced up at his shadowy profile. ‘Strong enough to set fire to my father’s stables, strong enough to kill,’ I added quietly.

His long stride slowed and came to a halt. ‘Miss Caussade, it took the State Department, at the direction of the Joint Chiefs, years of negotiation to come to an agreement with the French General Staff for these air bases to be constructed. As well as to cost out the whole project.’

‘Our country is contributing two billion francs towards the total cost,’ I pointed out.

‘You are well informed.’