Killing Ground (46 page)

There was cheering too, waves and waves of it, and Treherne said quietly, “It's the squaddies on the hospital ship. Look at them. Lining the rails, those who can stand, poor devils. They know she did it for them.”

Price said tersely, “Oh God, there she goes!”

There was a devastating crack and
Gladiator
began to slide quickly into that churning whirlpool they had witnessed so often.

Then just as quickly, she was gone, with the sea still boiling as if she might yet burst up again with her old defiance.

As if to mark the end, all the hospital ship's lights came on, and after a further hesitation she began to lower her boats to assist.

Did ships really have souls? Was it because of pride that
Gladiator
had acted as she had, rather than face the ignominious saws and torches of some dockyard?

Howard let his head fall back against Treherne's shoulder and stared at the clouds. He would tell Celia all about it. How they had lost the last battle; but had saved so many.

With a strong hand,
even to the end.