The huge cry almost rocked Quelgrum on his feet, and he saw Judan's face fall. He was close enough to touch the older woman, and he whispered in her ear, “You've lost, lady. Better get out while you still can."
Judan looked at the angry faces around her and bustled away towards Merrydeath Road.
The other nuns moved towards the excavation, still bearing their wooden planks and beams. Erik told the nuns where they should place their levers, and the General smiled as they hurried to carry out the Sergeant's instructions.
"Well done, Sister,” Quelgrum said, as Mercia turned towards him. “That was a spectacular performance."
She snorted. “That was no performance, General. I was acting only as my conscience guided me. I trust you will do the same."
"Steady, Sisters!” Erik shouted to the workers. “Let it down slowly!"
"I always have, sweet Sister, even if you don't believe it,” Quelgrum said to the nun. “I was beaten every day when I was your age, and I rebelled against my masters, too. You did well."
Mercia opened her mouth, but her words were stolen by a loud thump that rocked the ground. Quelgrum held his breath while Erik surveyed the excavation, and he felt sure the young nun felt no less involved in the work.
"It's good, General!” the Sergeant said. “The rock's stable. Now we can start clearing away the rubble. Hurry, now!"
From the corner of his eye, Quelgrum saw Numal tumbling to the ground in a dead faint, but he hardly noticed; he had eyes only for the beautiful, courageous nun. Since he had first rebelled against his masters, he had felt only the inexorable demands of real and imagined duty. He had never known any love but that for his army, and he found it hard to imagine that any woman could ever love him, but he now felt the strong, undeniable stirrings of long-denied and forgotten man-feelings within him.
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