"Hello, Jane."
"You know how sorry Iam," Jane said gently. "Is there anything I can do?"
Margaret shook her head."There's nothing anyone can do."
Jane gestured to the campfirein the middle of the encampment. "You must be tired. Why don't you go sitdown by the fire and get some rest?"
"If you like,"Margaret said dully.
Jane gazed worriedly after heras the other woman moved toward the campfire. Ruel had said Margaret was numb,but she had never dreamed to see her this lacking in vitality.
"Do not comforther."
She turned to see Kartauk gazingafter Margaret.
"Don't beridiculous," she snapped. "She's suffered a great loss. Of course I'mgoing to comfort her."
"She does not need timeto dwell on it. Give her work to do. You have to make her come aliveagain."
"I can't performmiracles," Jane said wearily. "If you know how to accomplish it,perhaps you should make the attempt."
"She has said scarcelytwo sentences to me since I woke with a raging headache at Medford'scamp." He smiled crookedly. "She cannot even look at me. I betrayedher."
Her eyes widened."How?"
"I told her to trust meand then I had the bad judgment to underestimate Ian. It's not a mistake easilyforgiven when it means a man's life."
"Margaret told me youmeant to stay in his place."
"But I didn't." Heshrugged. "Which makes the situation complicated."
"She would never havewanted you to sacrifice your life, Kartauk."
"I know. But she has moreconscience than is good for her and she's not an easy woman." His gazelingered on Margaret for a moment longer before he looked away. "I cannothelp her this time," he said gruffly. "You will have to do it. Helpher to heal. Keep her busy. Make her work so hard, she doesn't have time tothink."
Why, he loved her, Janerealized suddenly. She remembered Margaret's frantic anxiety about Kartauk'ssafety. Love there too? How could they possibly sort out the guilt and love andsorrow. A complicated situation indeed, she thought sadly. Why could nothing inthis world come easily?
"I'll keep herbusy," she promised. "We need all the hands we can get to help formthe barriers." She changed the subject. "Ruel is downriver and wishesto speak to you right away. He has a plan and needs your help."
"He has it." Kartauksmiled crookedly as he started off along the riverbank. "God knows, I needto keep busy too."
The last of the canoes andrafts were brought across the river to the new encampment, and Jane supervisedthe destruction of the hanging bridge. The brush barriers were completed bysundown and there was nothing further for them all to do but wait.
Near eight o'clock they sawthe flare of torches of Abdar's soldiers coming down the trail from thedirection of the canyon wall.
"Well?" Ruel askedLi Sung. "Time's run out. For God's sake, give me an answer."
"You have prepared theinstruments?" Li Sung asked.
"Aye."
"Dilam believes there isworth to your idea, but there will have to be a distraction."
"Abdar will bedistracted," Ruel promised grimly. 'I'll take care of that."
Li Sung smiled. "That isall I ask."
"Ready?" Kartaukasked Ruel, his gaze on Abdar's encampment across the river. During the pastthree hours a sprawling military camp had mushroomed with a multitude of tentsdotting the bank. Torches on tall iron stands lined the shore, casting fieryreflections in the dark waters.
