An extraordinary change came over her face.

The smiles, the laughter slipped from it like a loosened mask.

Thresk saw such an agony of weariness and hopeless longing in her eyes as he had never seen even with his experience in the Courts of Law.

She drew back into the shadow of the tent.
"In thirteen days you'll be steaming up the Channel," she whispered, and with a sob she covered her face with her hands.

Thresk saw the tears trickle between her fingers.
Ballantyne at the fire was looking back towards the tent.